All my DVD-RWs are suddenly "write protected" and

macwino · Post by **macwino** » Sun Aug 21, 2005 10:02 pm

I am using the pre-August 2005 version of MF4. I just upgraded my burner from a Pioneer DVR-106D to a Pioneer DVR-110D. No software was involved in this upgrade. It was a straight swap of the drives.

Since making this upgrade, when I go to burn a DVD-RW using MF4, I get an error message that the disc is write protected. I also can't erase the disc in MF4. But if I use another program such as the default one that comes with Windows XP, the disc is eraseable.

So for some reason MF4 now sees any DVD-RW disc that is inserted into the Pioneer DVR-110D as write protected, although it didn't do this with my old burner from Pioneer. Does anyone have any ideas as to how I can remedy this situation?

I haven't wanted to install the recent MF4 upgrade because that might just add yet another variable into the mix and I've not wanted to do that. MF4 worked with the DVR-106D. It doesn't work with the DVR-110D, at least insofar as DVD-RWs are concerned. I've not experimented with a DVD-R yet.

Thanks. Robert

GeorgeW · Post by **GeorgeW** » Sun Aug 21, 2005 10:19 pm

Is it only with DVD-RW's that you have previously recorded on, or is it for a brand new DVD-RW also

macwino · Post by **macwino** » Sun Aug 21, 2005 10:24 pm

I can't say for sure. I tried it with several DVD-RW discs, one of which may have been fresh from the box. I have no fresh DVD-RWs that I can be sure of at this point, although I expect a new batch to arrive from Amazon in a few days.

Robert

GeorgeW · Post by **GeorgeW** » Sun Aug 21, 2005 10:30 pm

do you have "packet writing" software installed -- the kind that let's you drag-and-drop files to your dvd discs like it was a hard drive? If so, disable such software to see if it helps...

If the XP software can erase the disc, what happens when you erase it -- will MF allow you to write to the disc after being erased

macwino · Post by **macwino** » Sun Aug 21, 2005 10:39 pm

First, let me again state that this problem arose only after I upgraded my burner from the 106D to the 110D and that no software changes or additions were involved in this upgrade. With that said, let me go to your questions.

As far as I know, there's no packet-writing software installed. I never installed the Data Add part of Ulead MF4, which is what I think you're referring to. Nor do I have any other burning software installed, except what might have come as part of XP. If it comes with XP, then it's there, although I've never used it and don't know what it's called, etc. Again, if that is the problem, it was there when the 106D was installed and MF4 didn't have this problem.

With respect to your second question, I did try erasing the disc with the XP software and it said the erase had been done. The I tried to burn the DVD that had been erased with MF4 and I still got the write protected error message.

Robert

GeorgeW · Post by **GeorgeW** » Sun Aug 21, 2005 10:54 pm

The drive is relatively new -- it could just be a matter of the Firmware needing an upgrade to recognize your media. Not all drives recognize all brands of discs right out of the box...

macwino · Post by **macwino** » Sun Aug 21, 2005 11:11 pm

I'd accept that, except that I upgraded from a Pioneer 106D to a Pioneer 110D. One would expect that any firmware would be cumulative and that there ought not to be problem in this regard. But I will check into it in any event, although I still think this is an MF4 problem, not a Pioneer problem. Thanks.

GeorgeW · Post by **GeorgeW** » Sun Aug 21, 2005 11:23 pm

of course you are correct -- it could be that MF4 needs a burning patch to work properly with the new drive as well.

macwino · Post by **macwino** » Mon Aug 22, 2005 5:03 am

Well, I decided to give installing the August 2005 update and see if that made a difference. It did. I no longer get the error message and I can burn to DVD-RWs again.

Thanks to all for your assistance.

Robert