Can't CDs Burn with Samsung CD Drive

[davidl]

In EMC 9 I am unable to burn CDs on my Samsung CD-R/RW SW-252S drive using either Music Disc Creator or Creator Classic. When I click on the burn button, the status window opens but nothing else happens -- progress remains at 0%. When I get bored and click the button to terminate the burn, Music Disc Creator refuses to close (and the CD burner won't open). I then use Windows Task Manager to try to close EMC, but Music Disc Creator will not close. So I have to force a reboot.

 

All the advice for other problems I have seen on these forums says to update drivers / firmware. I first went to the Dell support site, but they had no drivers / firmware for my CD driver. Then I went to the Samsung site, where new firmware was available. I downloaded it and ran the install program that came with it. That program stated very clearly that the firmware was not for my drive. However, I was very careful to d/l the correct firmware (in fact, the model number of my drive was in the file name of the file I downloaded). But, not wanting to take any chances, I did not install the new firmware. I have also done a clean re-install of EMC 9. I also checked the Roxio knowledge base for any mentions of Samsung. The only hits were on unrelated issues, so I assume that there is no known 'issue' regarding my CD drive.

 

Now, my CD drive still plays CDs and, moreover, I used it today to burn a CD using another program (ACDSee 7). So I think it is safe to say that the CD drive / burner works. In addition, I am able to use Music Disc Creator to burn CDs using my DVD / CD drive (PHILIPS DVD+-RW DVD8801).

 

Here are the specs for my computer:

 

Dell Dimension 8400

360GB hard drive

2 GB RAM

Win XP, SP2

Samsung CD-R/RW SW-252S

PHILIPS DVD+-RW DVD8801

 

Any suggestions will be appreciated.

 

Thanks,

 

David

[Beerman]

I no longer have that drive as mine died but I did have lots of problems until I updated my firmware. I and many others benefited from an update. I could not append to any discs. In our old forum, there were lots of posts about this. I can't remember much but you want to find either the R953 or R954 firmware for your Samsung. If I remember correctly, it was not on the Dell site.

Try also going to Dells' forum and searching for info on firmware updates and see what info you can find. Not just any of the later firmware would work so you may have to try more than one to be successful.

[davidl]

I can't remember much but you want to find either the R953 or R954 firmware for your Samsung. If I remember correctly, it was not on the Dell site.

 

Paul,

 

The firmware update version I downloaded from the Samsung Web site was R954. As I mentioned in my initial post, I was scared off from installing when the installer program gave me the following error message: "This Firmware is not compatible with the selected drive." That really scared me. As I recall, the Web site had apparently earlier versions also available, i.e., R953, R952, and so on. Maybe I should d/l R953 and try it.

 

Thanks,

 

David

[davidl]

As I recall, the Web site had apparently earlier versions also available, i.e., R953, R952, and so on. Maybe I should d/l R953 and try it.

 

I've now downloaded and tried R953, . . . , R950, and received the same error message when trying to install each of them. Needless to say, I aborted the installation each time. Any idea(s) why I'm getting this error message?

 

Thanks,

 

David

[davidl]

Try here (Samsung) for the firmware but use the sfdnwin utility to install the firmware from here

 

Bruce and Paul,

 

Thank you both. EMC 9 happily burned a CD on the Samsung drive. So again, thanks.

 

How you guys ever figured out that you needed to grab the sfdnwin utility from Dell rather than Samsung -- much less find it on Dell's Web site -- absolutely amazes me.

 

And I take your point about the Samsung drive -- and you are very right about it being noisy. However, though my computer is little over 2 years old, I am seriously considering replacing it as soon as computers with Vista preloaded are shipping.

[grandpabruce]

I've now downloaded and tried R953, . . . , R950, and received the same error message when trying to install each of them. Needless to say, I aborted the installation each time. Any idea(s) why I'm getting this error message?

 

Thanks,

 

David

 

Now, I never had a Samsung burner, but I remember when Paul and others, had a problem with the burner. I would have simply trashed and got a new burner, but they solved the problem of updating the firmware.

 

As I recall, they downloaded the firmware from Samsung, but since the drive was made for Dell, they had to download the Dell install program for the firmware. When they ran the install program, they had it point to the firmware from Samsung, and it worked.

 

I may have this wrong, but I hope it jogs Paul's memory, and he can tell you if what I said is right or wrong.

[Beerman]

Now, I never had a Samsung burner, but I remember when Paul and others, had a problem with the burner. I would have simply trashed and got a new burner, but they solved the problem of updating the firmware.

 

As I recall, they downloaded the firmware from Samsung, but since the drive was made for Dell, they had to download the Dell install program for the firmware. When they ran the install program, they had it point to the firmware from Samsung, and it worked.

 

I may have this wrong, but I hope it jogs Paul's memory, and he can tell you if what I said is right or wrong.

That does help my memory some Bruce, thanks.

Try here (Samsung) for the firmware but use the sfdnwin utility to install the firmware from here

 

I know Rich was the one who helped me with this way back when and it helped many others. If I still had mine, I'd tell you which was the best to use but I'm pretty sure it's the R953 version that worked for me.

Please let us know what happens. And, I can honestly say, it was a crappy drive though it did work for me, it was noisy and cheap. If you plan on keeping your system, you might want to invest ($35) in a better drive.

[Beerman]

Bruce and Paul,

 

Thank you both. EMC 9 happily burned a CD on the Samsung drive. So again, thanks.

 

How you guys ever figured out that you needed to grab the sfdnwin utility from Dell rather than Samsung -- much less find it on Dell's Web site -- absolutely amazes me.

 

And I take your point about the Samsung drive -- and you are very right about it being noisy. However, though my computer is little over 2 years old, I am seriously considering replacing it as soon as computers with Vista preloaded are shipping.

I posted on the forum with the problem and someone posted back with a solution that I'm simply passing on. I know guru Rich was involved but I also know someone else was too.

 

As far as waiting for Vista, I wish you luck. I need a new laptop and may take the Vista plunge but I must say, I'm not really looking forward to it though I do like taking risks.

[grandpabruce]

Bruce and Paul,

 

Thank you both. EMC 9 happily burned a CD on the Samsung drive. So again, thanks.

 

How you guys ever figured out that you needed to grab the sfdnwin utility from Dell rather than Samsung -- much less find it on Dell's Web site -- absolutely amazes me.

 

And I take your point about the Samsung drive -- and you are very right about it being noisy. However, though my computer is little over 2 years old, I am seriously considering replacing it as soon as computers with Vista preloaded are shipping.

 

You are welcome. I just remember the procedure from what I saw posted, from a couple of years back. I knew that Paul had that burner, and I knew that Rich had helped him, but I was almost sure there was one other who came in and helped them.

 

As I recall, there were about 40 posts in the thread that involved that burner.