I'm using CloneDVD2 to write a dvd. It is a movie that I bought and I want to make a back up. The movie copies fine (using AnyDVD) to handle encryption. It is when I try to write the movie to dual media that I get a cyclic error and the process aborts. I get the same error message that I see if the source DVD is damaged. But this is from the files on my hard drive, so there isn't any "scratches" or "smudges" to worry about.

Anyone else experienced this and what, if anything, can I do about it? I've gone through three or four dual layer disks and those are just a bit pricy for coaster. I have had this occur once before and after a couple of days I tried again and the disk copied correctly (as it did the first time) and then wrote to dual media without a problem. But that was one time. The other times I've had this error show up I just gave up on making a back up. Normally it isn't a problem if I want to dupe a movie when I buy it.

Thanks for any ideas.

Hi HalfCent,
Although you have described your problem pretty well, you have omitted all the info that's needed to try and help you. (ie: burner, firmware, media, post error message, log, etc.)
Because of your hit and miss results, I suspect your media, and possibly trying to multitask while burning.
Are you using Verbatim?
Although it is posted in the AnyDVD subforum, Webslingers sticky, http://club.cdfreaks.com/showthread.php?t=182650, is a helpful guide for you to use when posting with a problem.
I do not have a lot of DL experience, but if you post more info I am sure someone who does will respond.
sockeye

Thanks sockeye. It is a HP dvd 740 burner, using cloneDVD2 and anyDVD. The firmware is whatever came with the burner, I haven't updated it. The media is HP dual density media since I couldn't lay my hands on any Verbatim dual disks easily.

It hits me as odd that the media should be suspect. Yes, I have had problems with playback on cheaper media. I moved to Verbatim when I could get it and HP if I couldn't, figuring that since it is an HP burner, HP media would likely work well. Generally that has been true until recently when I started getting this redundency error message telling me to check the source disk and clean it if necessary.

That error message makes perfect sense *if* I was ripping the files of the source disk. But I am getting the message when it is burning the files to blank media disk. The files have already been ripped. If there was a redundancy error I would expect it to occur as the files are read from source. Or am I being to literal in my interpretation?

I am occasionally multitasking, though my system has ton's of ram and has the burn proof technology. However, the last time, I was not doing any multitasking. I just started burning and walked away to enjoy watching a bit of the UCLA film schools restoration of the B. Rathbone/Sherlock Holmes movies. When I came back, the burn had the same error as before though nothing should have been interferring with it.

If no one has any other suggestions, I'll go pop the long price for a few Verbatim disks and give it a try with them to see if that solves it.

Follow these steps:

1. Update your burner's firmware if possible. Visit hp's website to check for firmware upgrades.
2. Use Verbatim +R DL discs only (ensure they are made in Singapore)
3. Try Anydvd 6.1.1.1. or later
3. Change the booktype of the +R DL media to "dvd-rom". Use Nero cd-dvd speed to do this if you have to: http://www.cdspeed2000.com/
This is a free program. (Click "Extra", then "Bitsetting". Make the change to "dvd-rom" and click "set".)
4. Use Clonecd (not Clonedvd2) to retain to original layer break position. Clonedvd2 cannot do this. And you can only retain the original layer break position when using +R DL blank discs.
5. With Anydvd running in the background, open Clonecd and click a few times. Generally, a 4x write speed works well with Verbatim +R DL media that is advertised at 2.4x.

Thanks Webslinger. I will follow your advice as much as I can. The Verbatim thing is not always possible since the stores here don't seem to stock Verbatim much. When they do, they charge an arm and a leg for it. Normally I order it online at a much more acceptable price. But I'm looking at spending the next six months or more bouncing around in SE Asia, so I don't really have that option right now.

I do have the latest AnyDVD offered. Good stuff, isn't it? I am unfamiliar with the dvd-rom setting. Can you enlighten me a bit on why or what this does, and how changing this setting improves copying?

I don't have a copy of CloneCD, just CloneDVD2. I went through so much money trying to find something that would let me back up my dvds, before I finally arrived here and got the info I needed. Or at least enough to let me do what I needed to. I have only had one or two failures with AnyDVD in general. I have noticed the break problem, but since I see the pauses occasionally in my regular disks, I guess I have learned to accept them in my back ups with less problem, even though it is an alteration of the movie as released.

I am more concerned about unreadable disks that negate the whole process, or in this case, unwriteable files. Which brings me to a point. As I was writing another movie, I got a media failure error message during the process. This is a different message than the redundancy error message I started this thread with. The new error message suggested simply changing the media I was writing and trying again. Which I did and everything was fine. Exactly as I expected if there was a "write to" disk problem.

Thanks for your expertise. I do appreciate it.

Unfortunately, Verbatim +R DL blanks that are made in Singapore are the only DL media that's worth using.


It does not improve copying. Changing the booktype to "dvd-rom" improves the likelyhood the media will be played back in more standalone players. Doing this step affects playback only. But this step is important because Slysoft software does not change booktypes.

Your problem is you need to use Verbatim +R DL media. Clonedvd2 will not retain the original layer break position (nor will Shrink, Recode, and other transcoder based applications), but it should still work reasonably well with Verbatim +R DL media (that's made in Singapore). Anything else is simply not worth using, imo.

If you really want to make 1:1 copies of movies using +R DL media, then you should be taking a look at Clonecd, if you also use Anydvd.

Again, the problem is your choice of blank media. When you use Verbatim + R DL media, you won't come across as many bad blanks (like the ones you've encountered). The reason there is a "write to disk problem" is because you had a bad blank (this occurs more often when you use non-Verbatim +R DL media). At some point you have to ask yourself if using inferior quality blanks is really worth it. Burns produced on Verbatim +R DL media are better; consequently, those discs will play over a longer period of time. Verbatim +R DL media also tends to be constructed better than the cheaper stuff.

And a bit off topic for your original post HalfCent, but CloneDVD2 does a great job of splitting the movie to 2 DVD5 disks while retaining the menus. Possibly, good SL media is easier for you to come by at your local.
My frugal nature has steered me to this route for the few titles that are long enough to suffer from excessive compression.
I figure if the movie is that long, I'll need a pit stop half way through anyway.