Can software cause "Cannot perform fixation" problems?

My "old" Lite-On LTR-48246S just started failing with "Cannot perform
fixation" at the end of normal attempts to produce data CDs. I'm still
using the same old Acer-branded 16x CD-R media that I've always used
(I have a lot of them) and I haven't made any other hardware changes
to the system.

However, since the last time I did any burning, there have been any
number of WinXP patches from Microsoft, I've probably installed and
uninstalled dozens of random pieces of software and I've ugraded Nero
5.5 twice (and the older versions of 5.5 are no longer on their Web
site).

Has anybody ever determined that some software introduced this
failure, or is it pretty certain to be hardware?

A new CD burner will only set me back $40, but if it's a software
problem, new hardware won't fix it.

--
Bert Hyman | St. Paul, MN |

Bert Hyman wrote:
My "old" Lite-On LTR-48246S just started failing with "Cannot perform
fixation" at the end of normal attempts to produce data CDs. I'm
still using the same old Acer-branded 16x CD-R media that I've always
used (I have a lot of them) and I haven't made any other hardware
changes to the system.

However, since the last time I did any burning, there have been any
number of WinXP patches from Microsoft, I've probably installed and
uninstalled dozens of random pieces of software and I've ugraded Nero
5.5 twice (and the older versions of 5.5 are no longer on their Web
site).

Has anybody ever determined that some software introduced this
failure, or is it pretty certain to be hardware?

A new CD burner will only set me back $40, but if it's a software
problem, new hardware won't fix it.

There is an 'any failure is possible with software' response, but in
practice the odds are that either the drive's optics are dirty or the
discs are approaching the end of their shelf life. (Shelf life is
supposed to be about ten years, but in practice, depending on the
formulation, only two or three years may elapse before they start
showing signs of problems.)

Mike
--

http://www.mrichter.com/

(Mike Richter) wrote in
:

(Shelf life is supposed to be about ten years, but in practice,
depending on the formulation, only two or three years may elapse
before they start showing signs of problems.)

Now that's an interesting bit of info I hadn't run across before.
Sounds like I might finally have an excuse to buy some new blanks of
a "decent" speed, and this time not buy a truckload of 'em :-).

--
Bert Hyman | St. Paul, MN |

.. --------------------------------------
Mike Richter, were you born with
"Scam Artist" emblazoned on your face?
--------------------------------------
(Mike Richter, any Material Connection w/ Roxio?)

http://groups.google.com/groups?selm...mindspring.com
(Messages 10, 12 -- 34, 54 -- 69)

( No pipsqueaks have been able to prove ANY of the above is a libel )
( -- despite Mikey's supposed to have proof of misquotes! )


Bert Hyman wrote:

My "old" Lite-On LTR-48246S just started failing with "Cannot perform
fixation" at the end of normal attempts to produce data CDs. I'm still
using the same old Acer-branded 16x CD-R media that I've always used
(I have a lot of them) and I haven't made any other hardware changes
to the system.

However, since the last time I did any burning, there have been any
number of WinXP patches from Microsoft, I've probably installed and
uninstalled dozens of random pieces of software and I've ugraded Nero
5.5 twice (and the older versions of 5.5 are no longer on their Web
site).

Some old 5.5 are he
http://hippo.ncnu.edu.tw/Windows/Col...CDR-Soft/Nero/
(nero551042.exe at bottom)