Burning DVD Problem

[David Porter]

I have been trying for some time to burn a DVD-Video using "Create/DVD Video Disc" on PTE 6.5.7.. I have not had a problem before but it is a few months since I did one. The process continues and starts the burn process which last for a couple of seconds and then "hangs" with a "runtime error"" coming up after a couple of minutes followed by an error window suggesting lower speed of burning or burning an iso file from different software. The reducing speed does not work but using Imgburn to burn the iso file does. However I am not sure that the iso file is as good a quality.

Further, if I am at the computer when the system hangs and click on some folders -say Start/Documents before the runtime error comes up, then this seem to jerk the system into action and it completes the burn satisfactorily. As the discs I eventually want to burn will take some time going through the process, I don't want to have to be at the computer all the time to catch it at the right moment. I have tried all the obvious things - resetting, re-installing, drivers, etc, etc so has anyone any ideas or if you would confirm the iso are as good a quality, then I will stick with that.

Thanks

[davegee]

The ISO file is identical to that which would have been burned from PTE.

I always do it that way and use ROXIO as my software because I know it to be fully compatible with my DVD burner.

DG

[Conflow]

Mick,

The following might help you resolve your PC problem....

Firstly I note that you support a fairly heavy Web Site and if this is any indication of all your work

load on your PC ~ this apart alltogether from the additional tasks of burning DVD's etc ~ It may be that

the PC is running out of Memory...let me explain further.

1)

I shall try to make this simple. Essentially a PC has 2(main) Memory-Systems (a).User-Memory or RAM

and (.Virtual-Memory. *RAM-memory is usually occupied with User-instructions from Keyboard, Mouse,

and input devices as well as providing memory for 'loadable' data from such as Pte-Word-Player etc.

The 2nd.Memory-System:- Virtual-Memory is occupied with such tasks as running CD & DVD Rom-Drives

and System-Processes and resources and is controlled by a Page-Filing system.

2)

When you are burning a DVD on a heavily-loaded PC you can quite easily run out of User-Ram memory

then the PC tries to make additional resources available by paging some memory from an "allocation"on the

Hard-Drive (thats Virtual-Memory). Note that I used the word "allocation" because every PC has a defined

amount it can allocate this is user adjustable.

When you "overspill" the Ram-memory it uses the allocated space in Virtual-memory on the Hard-Drive which

is some 1~4 Gb in size.

3)

A 'fast-running' Burner can easily use this as can the 'lenght' of the Burning process. The end result is that

the PC "stalls" whilst it tries to free-up some resources from its "Virtual-allocation"..some times it fails and

"Freezes" and you have to do an enforced "Re-Start".

4)

Your problem is is rarely caused by a fairly full Hard-Drive ~ its simply that the system is running out of

processing-memory. There are 2.solutions ~ buy more RAM-Memory or alternatively go into the "System"

and expand the Virtual-Memory allocation as follows:-

5)

Instructions:- Press 'Start-Button'-->select Settings-->Control Panel-->find "System Icon"-->double-clk it-->

and then select-->Advanced Tab-->then Settings-->"Performance Options Window" will open-->then select

'Advanced-Tab'-->Now follow the instructions in the 2 Attachments below.

Usually this sorts out this problem ~ if doesnt it may be that you need to buy more "RAM-(User)Memory.

Hope this helps...

Brian (Conflow)

[David Porter]

Thanks Brian for the very explicit instructions to create more virtual memory. Regrettably this has not solved the problem and I do have 1000mb of RAM but even a 4 minute show does not work. I am wondering if I have a problem with the DVD writer although it works fine when burning from the iso file (thanks Dave for your input) but I do sometimes have a problem when playing DVD films from it.

I am attaching the screen printout after I get the runtime error. You will note the "failed connection to Burn.exe". The Burn.exe file is in place although if I double click it to instigate the execution, it does nothing (maybe it is not supposed to).

I thought I might get some input from Wnsoft but I have the option of burning the iso file and I will bring my works laptop home and give it a try on that which may indicate if it is a hardware or software problem.

Thanks for your help to date.

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Have you checked if you have at least 8GB free on your C drive, assuming your HD is partitioned? If you haven't move some files from your C drive to D.

Yachtsman1.

[Conflow]

Thanks Brian for the very explicit instructions to create more virtual memory. Regrettably this has not solved the problem and I do have 1000mb of RAM but even a 4 minute show does not work. I am wondering if I have a problem with the DVD writer although it works fine when burning from the iso file (thanks Dave for your input) but I do sometimes have a problem when playing DVD films from it.

I am attaching the screen printout after I get the runtime error. You will note the "failed connection to Burn.exe". The Burn.exe file is in place although if I double click it to instigate the execution, it does nothing (maybe it is not supposed to).

I thought I might get some input from Wnsoft but I have the option of burning the iso file and I will bring my works laptop home and give it a try on that which may indicate if it is a hardware or software problem.

Thanks for your help to date.

Mick,

Have you checked 'Yachtsmans' suggestion ? ~ Now I reviewed your Post again and you wrote...

..."but I do sometimes have a problem when playing DVD films from it"....

This shouldn't be and usually it points to an IDE-setup problem within the machine because

Windows sometimes re-sets the IDE-Buss settings to Windows-default values instead of the

CD-Rom Manufacturers values. Many modern Computers use a 'shared' IDE-System instead of the

older IDE-Primary and IDE-Secondary systems. We had this problem some time ago on our HP-PCs

which use Matshita DVD/CD Rom-Drives. Your Rom-Drive(s) may be similar.

But before going down that route you could try a simple experiment...

Choose any small Video-File and set-up the Burn process but this time Burn the Video as

a "Data-Disc" ~ yes it should run properly and if it does its not the IDE-System.

Perhaps you have forgotten to set the "closure" command before burning the Video ?

Brian (Conflow)

[davegee]

Or you can move your TEMP folder from:

C:\Users\xxxxxxxxx\AppData\Local\Temp\

...to a drive which has sufficient free space, which I would have done any way.

I make a conscious effort to avoid my software writing ANYTHING to my C drive.

DG

[David Porter]

Have you checked if you have at least 8GB free on your C drive, assuming your HD is partitioned? If you haven't move some files from your C drive to D.

Yachtsman1.

Yes Eric, I have 178GB free out of 230GB. I have an external hard drive to transfer all my stuff onto. I have popped out to get my work laptop to try it on but it must be terribly slow as it is going to take nearly SIX HOURS to process the files - so that option is out of the window.

Brian. Sorry, most of that is over my head but I will try doing the Date disc as you suggest. I think the problem with playing Film DVD's was something to do with permissions and something was missing. Tried following the help and download what was missing but it did not work. I did not follow it up as I don't watch film on the computer. It plays other DVD's okay.

Dave. As I have said, I have lots of space on the C drive but I do have a nearly unused D drive as well as the external. I'll take your suggestion on board. I have burnt the iso file to disc and that worked okay although it took a couple of minutes for my TV DVD player to load it in before the menu came up. So I have that option but it would be nice to know what is going on.

[orizaba]

Hi Mickp,

May be I can give a small help having in mind another point of view.

I don't know if it is your case, but some of my "movie-friends" used to have their computers under a true "high-mess state" in terms of lots of trash, disk fragmentation and registry confusion, which facts raise a big lot of "unexplained" errors, difficulties and slow running, sometimes hangs and crashes.

I try to have my computer as clean and "organized" as possible and I can say that it is very, very rare to have such kind of problems.

Almost every day I perform the following tasks:

1. "Disk cleanup" (Windows)

2. "Delete Temp Files" (files named @.tmp, @.chk) which exist in Page File and can not be deleted using "Disk cleanup". It's a search instrument which finds such temp files and when found we can delete them, so cleaning the Page File of each hard drive.

3. "RegCure 3.0.2" which cleans Windows registry.

4. "O&O Defrag 10.0" which defrags hard drives' files and put them occupying a minimum and continuous space (nothing to do with any kind of compactation!), leaving the maximum continuous space available for new files and tasks.

Performing such operations guarantees a smooth and fast operation of the computer and lots of problems can be avoid.

If you never made this, you will be trully surprised with the terrific mess of your hard drives, you will see thousands (yes, thousands!) of wrong registries, and lots of thousands of file fragments allover the hard drives, turning quite impossible to work in such conditions.

The above softwares are actually my first choice since more than 2 years, after trying several others for same purposes.

Hope this was usefull.

Best regards,

Jose

[Conflow]

Mick,

Thats excellent advice from Jose (Orizaba) and yes I agree with him because we have the same 'ethos' here in our Workshops.

Its surprising how dirty a PC becomes after a few hours work and even worse when you have been on the Net for a short time.

See the examples below since I have Posted to you earlier.

Concerning your DVD-Drive ~ Sorry for going over your head let me explain:- All PC's have a Motherboard which connects

to the Hard-Drive and Floppy-Disc and CD-Rom Drive with a wide flat Ribbon-Cable thats the IDE-Cable and in older PCs

there are 2 of them ~ the Primary IDE-Cable which goes to the HD & Floppy and the Secondary to other Drives.

The commands on these IDE-Cables are either controlled by Windows-drivers or Disc-Manufacturers drivers and at times

Windows makes a 'cock-up' and replaces the Manufacturers-drivers with its own Library-drivers.

(See Sketch)

Hope this helps,

Brian (Conflow)

[davegee]

Hi Mickp,

May be I can give a small help having in mind another point of view.

I don't know if it is your case, but some of my "movie-friends" used to have their computers under a true "high-mess state" in terms of lots of trash, disk fragmentation and registry confusion, which facts raise a big lot of "unexplained" errors, difficulties and slow running, sometimes hangs and crashes.

I try to have my computer as clean and "organized" as possible and I can say that it is very, very rare to have such kind of problems.

Almost every day I perform the following tasks:

1. "Disk cleanup" (Windows)

2. "Delete Temp Files" (files named @.tmp, @.chk) which exist in Page File and can not be deleted using "Disk cleanup". It's a search instrument which finds such temp files and when found we can delete them, so cleaning the Page File of each hard drive.

3. "RegCure 3.0.2" which cleans Windows registry.

4. "O&O Defrag 10.0" which defrags hard drives' files and put them occupying a minimum and continuous space (nothing to do with any kind of compactation!), leaving the maximum continuous space available for new files and tasks.

Performing such operations guarantees a smooth and fast operation of the computer and lots of problems can be avoid.

If you never made this, you will be trully surprised with the terrific mess of your hard drives, you will see thousands (yes, thousands!) of wrong registries, and lots of thousands of file fragments allover the hard drives, turning quite impossible to work in such conditions.

The above softwares are actually my first choice since more than 2 years, after trying several others for same purposes.

Hope this was usefull.

Best regards,

Jose

Perfect Disc is an excellent alternative for Defragging with Smart Placement and other advantages.

DG

[David Porter]

Thanks Guys for your continued help. However, I do not think the problem is with the hard drive. I do use registry cleaners and disc cleaners as well as doing my own housekeeping transferring oldish data to my external drive and deleting downloaded files and temps. I have just done a search on .tmp and .chk and there is a total of 8 taking 64kb and I am only 28% of the drives 230gb capacity.

I am interested in Brian's comments about Window changing the DVD drive drivers. I re-installed the drivers and noted that the driver name did not mention Sony. I have to go now to watch The Arsenal on TV but will do a search and see if Sony have a driver download.

Failing this, I will stick to burning the iso files.

[Conflow]

Hi Mick,

No Windows doesn't change the Drive-Letters it changes the IDE-Settings as shown in "Sketch" which I sent you.

Firstly you have to find out the Manufacturers-Name of the DVD-Drive, dont assume its Sony it could be anyone.

Re-Installing the DVD-Drivers does nothing as they already exist in the 'Driver-Cache Memory'.

The problem is generated by the Windows-Media Player in versions V.9,V10,V11,V12. It has a 'dirty little trick' up

its sleeve associated with DRM-protection which is unknown to most PC-Engineers (been there got the T-Shirt) and it

works like this:-

If you have a 'dodgy' DVD irrespective of its physical appearance (it may look brand new -or- you try to copy a DRM-Disc)

and you try to play it in Win-Player which decides to 'baulk' at it and you try to replay it again and again, you get 5/6

chances and then the Player thinks something is wrong with the Manufacturers-drivers and switches over to its own

Legacy-drivers now these dont quite suit the DVD-drive and presto you get 'stuttering' performance but in reality its part

of the protection process of DRM forced on Microsoft by the Film Copyright crowd and the program-code is dodgy to say

the least.

After this it will happen over and over in a random manner with all DVD's....I cant be very sure, but it has all the hallmarks

of that problem.

There is only one solution and its quite drastic.You have to "delete" the existing drivers shown in a special Property-Window

then Shut-down the PC-->then restart the PC-->and let Windows reinstall the Manufacturers DVD-drivers from the Driver-Cache.

Yes its scary but dont worry it does work, I can let you have instructions as to how you do it if you so wish.

Brian (Conflow)

[David Porter]

Hi Brian,

Just to be clear - The DVD writer worked okay from PTE Video Builder a couple of months ago. It still works okay as a writer using Imgburn and other burning and copying software. It is only with Video Builder that it does not work plus it will not play DVD films (but not worried about that).

I have un-installed the driver from The DVD drive using Device Manager, closed down and re-booted but it installs the same driver (windows 32/ASAPIW2K.sys). I am doing quite a large DVD of several of my shows and will try again but I am not spending any more time on it and will use Imgburn in future, but thank you for all your efforts and I trust that some of the knowledge you have passed on will stick.

[davegee]

Mick,

I don't have an answer for you but it occured to me that the fact that you can't play DVDs might be related to the fact that it won't burn DVDs from Video Builder.

The two things must be related somewhere?

Surely it points to the drive?

DG

[David Porter]

Mick,

I don't have an answer for you but it occured to me that the fact that you can't play DVDs might be related to the fact that it won't burn DVDs from Video Builder.

The two things must be related somewhere?

Surely it points to the drive?

DG

Thanks David, It is only DVD's with copy protection ie Films and not all DVD's. I have tried following the Help on this but as I am not interested in watching films on the computer, I will pass on this as I will on trying to burn from Video Builder.

[orizaba]

I have to go now to watch The Arsenal on TV...

Sorry Mick, bad news never come alone...

Same with me, concerning Real Madrid, Ronaldo and Mourinho!

Regards,

Jose

[David Porter]

Sorry Mick, bad news never come alone...

Same with me, concerning Real Madrid, Ronaldo and Mourinho!

Regards,

Jose

Yes Jose but we were playing Birmingham!!!

[nobeefstu]

Mickp,

Just to be clear - The DVD writer worked okay from PTE Video Builder a couple of months ago.

To satisfy my curosity on your exact checkboxes enabled before starting the VideoBuilder dvd burn ... could you please supply a screenshot of that window. My example is attached.

[David Porter]

Mickp,

To satisfy my curosity on your exact checkboxes enabled before starting the VideoBuilder dvd burn ... could you please supply a screenshot of that window. My example is attached.

Here is the screenshot for a new DVD I am doing now involving nine shows. I'll let you know if it works. You will note the reduced burning speed in case that helps it to burn but also the iso file as I don't think it will. I have tried burning without the iso file being loaded and it has not worked.

[nobeefstu]

Mickp,

Using both the Create ISO Image and the Burn DVD Disc is not necessary to create just a dvd disc for your test. Use just the Burn DVD Disc setting. Since you are trying to find out what may be causing your dvd burn issue ... its best not to test with additional options enabled which ultimately uses additional pc resources. You can always add additional settings if the bare minimum works.

Also try the lowest disc speed available which is most likely 2x or 4x for your tests. You can always bump up the speed later to see if there no issues.

Note: Since you say this is a multishow burn ... are these pte files of same or differnt versions ?

[David Porter]

Using both the Create ISO Image and the Burn DVD Disc is not necessary to create just a dvd disc for your test. Use just the Burn DVD Disc setting. Since you are trying to find out what may be causing your dvd burn issue ... its best not to test with additional options enabled which ultimately uses additional pc resources. You can always add additional settings if the bare minimum works.

Also try the lowest disc speed available which is most likely 2x or 4x for your tests. You can always bump up the speed later to see if there no issues.

Note: Since you say this is a multishow burn ... are these pte files of same or differnt versions ?

Thanks for your continued interest but having wasted about 20 dvds doing various tests, I am now just going to accept what I have. In fact the last one I did with nine shows worked okay. I have a feeling (but not proved) that if I use another program when the burn starts, it actually jerks the burn into action. Why that should be I have no idea and it may just be coincidence. Now I have put all my shows on DVD, I shall not need to do any for a little while and when I do I'll save the iso file at the same time and use this if it fails to burn. Maybe I'll replace the DVD writer or get a new computer!

I would like to thank everyone for their input which has all added to the knowledge base.

[Yorky]

I am having similar troubles to those experienced by members on this topic. Mine appear to be different in that I cannot even get the video builder to start at the moment. The sequence of my problems are

Installed deluxe version of pte, created a slide show and burned with no problems after some inital issues.

Tried to do it again some days later but the video builder now goes in to a loop and tells me it is "not responding". The builder does not get passed the initial screen. I have to use task manager to get out of the loop. The initial slide building phase works fine.

I am in contact with support who have given me nuerous keys to unlock video builder but I cannot get to the point when it can be used.

I have updated my video and sound drivers, reloaded the whole program several times after uninstalling it but I stil cannot use the video builder. I have read the other posts on this site and several people have said to use ISO but what is the point of buying a peice of software if you cannot produce an end product with the included utilities.

Has anybody out there had similar problems?

Some other mysterious happenings have occured too. Along the way I got to a point where I could not install the program at all. I have no idea what I did to get a good installation except kept on trying. Also if I open the video builder although I have some other pte projects saved I get blanks for them except the one that I initially produced.

One thing I am going to try which I have picked up is that of doing a disk clean to get rid of temp files etc to see if it work. I love the way you can produce something to burn if only I could continue to burn a finished product.

Can anybody throw any light on these problems????

Yorky