Fixation error

AnneL

SPFG, Supreme Picture Framing God
Joined
Jul 11, 2001
Posts
15,946
Loc
Wautoma, WI USA
Gary's external dvd burner is refusing to properly burn cds or dvds. It keeps telling him there is a "fixation error". Can it be fixed or is it toast? It is a LaCie, not sure the model, but it is less than a year old. Any suggestions would be appreciated. :(
 
Sounds French.

I'm sure it's toast.

I have never had good success with external CD burners. I think they feel left out and just go on strike sometimes.

That's my technical explanation.
 
Anne,
Have you tried to change the Brand of recordable cd/dvd you are using?

Also,
Try uninstalling and then reinstalling your burning software.
 
Actually, it's working again. We did try unistalling and reinstalling. Didn't help but by afternoon it was working right again.

Gary is trying a new brand, which is a really good quality gold one. Maybe that's the problem and he should go back to the other ones he was using. One of the cds he burned that day, our lab is having trouble opening even though we can open it and the data seems to be just fine.
 
Anne,
Are you trying to open the files with the burner or another optical drive?
 
If its not the software and its not the CDs, its most likely the drive. :(

Replacing it isn't a very expensive option. CD burners go for about $35-$50 these days. You can even get the newest kind (dual layer) for $72 at www.slickdeals.net

Mike
 
Mike, it isn't the drive. It burns the cds and dvds ok, it just doesn't close the session out properly so that you can't open them using any other cd or dvd drive but that one. But when you do open them, the files are there. Therefore, it does appear to be a software problem after all. Gary's going look at the settings and see if they are correct.
 
"Fixation errors"

CD-R discs have a section outside the standard recording area called the Program Calibration Area (PCA), which is used to adjust the laser for the brand of media you're using.

A CD fixation error means that the laser does not have the ability to close the session anymore. It also means that when the laser is trying to calibrate (power calibration) itself, the calibration is not balanced - it is failing and that is why the laser cannot close the entire disk. The error indicates that the CD-R drive is having trouble calibrating the power setting.

Try different brands of media, replace the software, and if that doesn't work you should have the drive checked by a repair facility.

It sounds like it may be nearing the end of its useful life. It might be wise to check the drive manufacturer's support forum on the web to see if this is a known issue.

Have a great weekend
Mike
 
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