DVD CDR Burner Lifespan

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SEM

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I'm don’t know about you chaps/chapesses out there but how long is your DVD/CDW burner lasting??? I only ask as mine are lasting not much longer than 12-18 months... or thinking about it 200-300 approx cd burns. My major work is backed up onto DVD at least once a week (daily on backup external hard-drive). I'm not sure if firmware updates are just screwing the drives up or if it's software related. My Nero software gave up on it, my other software says it's burnt to cd... but cd's are blank? I'm not writing to file before you ask iso or ghost drives as I can see the LED light busy burning away. I've checked lens for dust... nothing that I can see (warranty void now) but don’t mean diddly. This has been the norm for 10-15 years!!!!! :eek: I get through burners more than mother board upgrades..... Any ideas before I’m of to geeks exchange???
I'm having to transfer to my laptop to burn CD's but how long is this going to last before it becomes an expensive replacement?

Edit: I've have tried reversing firmware... but i've only done it tested it, before carrying on to no avail!
 
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I bought my plextor 8/20 (CD Writer only, back in the days before RW or DVD etc ;) )for nearly £300 back in 1999 or something and it's never let me down. Ok it's not the fastest drive in the world any more but it's from probably the best manufacturer there is, money well spent :) . I have burned several hundred discs over the last few years.
 
I thought my dvd burner was going after a year .. kept doing duff burns.

reinstall windows and sorted :D
 
Must have been about 99 when I got my CDR, still going strong. Touch wood. Although have probably only burnt 200CD's in that time.
 
I really dont (last resort) want to reinstall windows if i have to. Do you know if there is any diagnostic software that will tell me if it's duff
Shude, Have always wanted to get a plextor (supposed to be best on the market)
 
Ive had my plextor cd writer for 5 or 6 years. It gets used a couple of times most weeks and has never let me down.
I was so impressed that when I wanted a DVD writer I got a plextor as well.
Seems to be going ok but doesn't get used a lot.
My NEC dvd writer in the other pc has had loads of hammer (200+ discs) and is still going strong but the pioneer DVD writer that was in that machine before it died after about 9months (changed for the NEC under warranty)
 
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I think its a case of choose your manufacturer carefully and it will see you right.

NEC and Plextor seem to be really good.

I had a Ricoh writer that failed EXACTLY 2 days after the warranty expired. Their attitude? Buy another one, we don't want to know.

So I told them where to shove their crappy writer and bought a Plextor. Never looked back.
 
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mmm have spent most of the morning seeing if i can fix it, has to be a problem it will just manage to burn a 2x speed. thought it may have been the manufacture type of cd/dvd, so the Asus is going in the bin (had good reports when i bought it). Plextor it is this weekend.
Thanks for info guy's

SEM
 
GregE240 said:
I had a Ricoh writer that failed EXACTLY 2 days after the warranty expired. Their attitude? Buy another one, we don't want to know.

Exactly what happened to my ZipCD - shame as it was a preium priced external unit.
 
I've gone through about 10 of these things in the last 5 years or so. With heavy usage, I dont think they last too long.

At least they're cheap now. Latest one is a SONY, thats been going strong for a few months!

If you're going to the trouble of putting the OS back on, you can always change it for linux at the same time.
;)
 
ok , if we are talking how long our CDR drives last :p

I bought a 4x and 6x teac SCSI cdr drives back in 1997 and between they they must have done 5000 + burns. Still work like new !!
 
I've got 2 sony burners both of which are absolutely reliable - one has done over 5000 burns, the other is a mere baby at 2500. I've also got an Emprex burner which so far is doing OK but is a bit fussy with the media it uses and the stock Dell one which I think is Samsung and that's going well after 2 years of useage

Andy
 
Ive had my Plextor16/10/40 for a long time ----its probably done 2x 100 packs of discs in its time ---plus a few more and never has one gone in the bin. Conversley, I have just bought a Samsung DVD copier---have tried to copy two discs of the second series of Lost ----using Nero--- and both discs have gone into the bin----what a good start that is --and what to do next !!
Regards Steve
 

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