DVD Writing Errors

I've had a DVD writer drive (Samsung SH-S182D) in my pc since I built it in '07 but have only just tried using it to burn DVDs with (darn new-fangled technology, it'll never catch on!) It has produced CD-Rs faultlessly during this time however.

The problem started because I wanted to try Windows 7 on my main PC. I read the warning saying "please don't try it on your main work or home pc" so I thought I'd at least backup my personal files before installing it.

After downloading the Win7 install DVD image I popped a blank DVD+R in the drive and fired up ImgBurn to create a bootable DVD. I was prompted to update to the latest version of ImgBurn (it was some time since I'd last used it) which I did without problem adn then burnt the DVD. This worked fine and I was able to install from the DVD onto my HTPC.

Next I started preparing for installing Win7 on my main PC - making a space on the HDDs (array 0) and burning important files to DVD incase it all went wrong.

The first backup DVD creating attempt worked fine - I used Vista's own DVD creating tool to create a live file system on the disk and added files manually before closing the disk.

The problem started when I tried creating the next backup DVD for photos and such. Doing exactly the same thing as before and Windows Explorer hangs at the 'preparing to format DVD' dialogue box. The only way to cancel out was to manually eject the DVD. Thinking maybe the ImgBurn software had caused a problem I uninstalled it but this made no difference.

To date I've tried:

Burning the data to DVD with Vista x64 as 'live file system'
Burning the data to DVD with Vista x64 as 'disk at once'
Burning the data to DVD on WinXP x64 using Nero 6 (dual boot - same hardware)

CD/DVD lens cleaner disk

Brand new DVD-R disks

Most of the time Vista can't format the DVD. Some of the time it will allow me to burn the files to the DVD but then can't read from it or recognise the burnt DVD and hangs Windows Explorer. Nero on XP burnt the data to DVD but when verifying the disk every other 15 sectors it reported an error.

I tried one of the new DVDs but it also produced a coaster. The original DVDs are of a reputable make but possibly around 4 years old. Would this matter?

I've run out of ideas and am just wasting DVDs atm.

:help:?

Sounds like the drive has gone bad to me. Do you have another system to try it in, or perhaps another drive to try in your system?

Even borrowed from a friend?

I don't have another DVD writer drive myself - I will see if I can borrow one. I haven't checked to see if it's still writing CD-Rs. If it's not that might be quite conclusive.

I'd had a quick Google for DVD drive problems and saw a regedit solution but I don't know if it's a solution to my problem!

So it burnt one disk, then nothing after that right?

I'd try a CD or two and see what happens.

I can't see how a registry key would sort it. Link to the "solution"?