Posted by Frank on 10/07/05 01:39

On Thu, 06 Oct 2005 14:51:44 +0100, in 'rec.video.desktop',
in article <Re: Cannot erase DVD-RW>,
Terry Pinnell <terrypin@dial.pipex.com> wrote:

>I'm could have sworn I saw a post in this thread last night or earlier
>today suggesting I try using Nero Info Tool, but I'm darned if I can
>now find it...

That may be the message that I recently posted. I've reproduced its
contents at the end of this message.

>Anyway, just to reply that I do use that. It is in fact identical to
>the tool within NeroStartSmart.

Yes, same program, maybe or maybe not the same version.

>Here's an example of its output for one of those 10 DVD-RWs I
>tabulated:
>
>Output from Nero InfoTool for Disc #4
>=======================================
>
>General
>-------
>Type: DVD Video (DVD-RW)
>Capacity: 1.13 GB
>
>Extended Information
>--------------------
>Layers: 1
>Version: 2
>Track Path: Single Track
>Disc Size: 12 cm
>Copy Protection: n/a
>
>Content
>--------
>File System(s): ISO9660, UDF
>Title: PICTTOTV
>Date: 8 June 2005
>Publisher: PICTTOTV
>Application: n/a
>Video Format: PAL 16:9 (Mpeg 2, 720x576)
>Region(s): All
>Play Time: 17 minutes (00:17:47)

Terry, that's the output of the Disc tab and while useful to determine
the type of disc currently in a given drive - and in this case you'll
notice that it's a DVD-Video disc and not a DVD-ROM disc - it's the
information shown on the Software, Drivers, and ASPI tabs that can act
as an aid in determining whether there's a driver conflict on your
system which may be causing problems related to burning discs.


************ Contents of previously-posted message below ************

You can install all of the CD/DVD burning applications on a given
Windows system as you wish without causing a problem as long as the
applications in question either a) don't install their own drivers or
b) install drivers which don't happen to conflict with any
already-installed drivers.

From the list of applications that you've listed, I am only familiar
with Nero, DVD Decrypter, and IsoBuster. Of those three, only Nero
installs drivers on your system. There is, therefore, no conflict
created when having Nero, DVD Decrypter, and IsoBuster all
simultaneously installed on a single system. That said, however, I
would never attempt to actually *run* any more than one of these three
applications at once. In other words, it's perfectly okay to have all
three of these applications simultaneously *installed*, but don't ever
*run* more than one of them at a time.

If you suspect that driver conflicts may be causing a problem on your
system, and I wouldn'd rule out that possibility, I'd suggest that you
run a program, included with the Nero package, called Nero InfoTool.
In a typical installation of the full retail version of Nero 6 Ultra
Edition, it will be installed at the following location.

C:\Program Files\Ahead\Nero Toolkit\InfoTool.exe

If you don't see a Shortcut to the Nero InfoTool program on your Start
menu, then launch Windows Explorer, browse to the directory listed
above, and double-click on the InfoTool.exe file to run it.

If you seem not to have the Nero InfoTool program installed on your
system, you can get a free copy by using the Download link on the
following Web page.

http://ww2.nero.com/enu/Info_Tool.html

When Nero InfoTool is up-and-running, you'll see seven tabs: Drive,
Disc, Configuration, Software, Drivers, Hardware, and ASPI. The
Software, Drivers, and ASPI tabs will show you what's installed on
your system. You can use this information to help determine whether
it's likely you're experiencing a driver conflict.

I'd also like to mention that if you don't do packet writing, you may
want to disable Nero InCD from launching whenever you boot your
system. This is easy to do using the System Configuration Utility
program included with Windows. Just go to Start | Run... | enter
"msconfig.exe" (without the quotation marks, of course) and click the
'OK' button (or hit the Enter key on your keyboard). When the program
is up-and-running, you'll see a number of tabs including one called
'Startup'. Click on the Startup tab and you'll see a partial list of
the items which get launched every time you boot your system. If you
see InCD listed, and its checkbox has a checkmark (tick) in it,
disable it by clearing the checkbox, then click the 'Apply' and 'OK'
buttons, and re-boot your system for the change to become effective.

When you re-boot you may receive a dialog box reminding you that
you're using MSConfig to change your system's configuration (or some
wording to that effect). You may want to check the box that says
"Don't show me this message again", or some words to that effect, as
there's no need to be reminded of this every time you boot the
machine. Remember, you can always re-run the MSConfig program and
re-enable any item that you've previously disabled. Also, when you're
in the Startup tab within the System Configuration Utility (MSConfig)
program, please don't disable any items with which you're not
familiar, as this may, in the worst-case scenario, actually prevent
your system from booting--and we certainly wouldn't want that
happening as it's difficult for me to make house calls to West Sussex.
:)

--
Frank, Independent Consultant, New York, NY
[Please remove 'nojunkmail.' from address to reply via e-mail.]
Read Frank's thoughts on HDV at http://www.humanvalues.net/hdv/

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