DVD drive error

[pilgrim1936]

I have a desktop Mac 20 inch early 2008 running El Capitan version 10.11.6. The DVD drive is an Optiarc DVD RW AD-5360A.
I am currently trying to burn a disc, but get the following message:
"The drive reported an error:
Sense Key = MEDIUM ERROR
Sense Code = 0x73, 0x03.
Can anyone tell me what this is all about, please?

 

[pigoo3]

- Is this your computer since new...or did you purchase it used?
- Have you burned DVD's in this computer successfully before?
- Do you used the optical drive regularly for other stuff?
- Do you have the correct DVD type for this computer/optical drive?
- Are you getting this error in the beginning of the burn...or somewhere in the middle of the process?
- Have you tried more than one DVD?

* Nick

 

[pm-r]

Wow, I haven't seen those errors posted for a while.

Adding to what Nick mentioned, what application are you using for burning?
And when was the last time you cleaned the optical drive or shot some blasts or cleaning gas into the slot and on the lens.

Maybe read some posts like this:
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/6709975?start=0&tstart=0

Or try using the old Burn.app software if it works with El Cap'n:
https://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/21992/burn

The problem reminds me of later versions of Toast.app that became a PITA for many. And one of the maybe fixes for those errors was to delete the its preferences list I believe.

EDIT:
Also try lowering your burn speed.





- Patrick
======

 

[Slydude]

Fern should work under El Capitan. I used it a few days ago to burn a CD under Sierra and everything worked fine.

 

[pm-r]

Fern should work under El Capitan. I used it a few days ago to burn a CD under Sierra and everything worked fine.

Never heard of it and no sign of it at macupdate.com or similar sites either.

Can't be bothered to go searching for more info either, and neither should the OP or anyone else.

 

[Slydude]

Holy Cow. Can't believe I missed that error. It's supposed to say that Burn should work under El Capitan.

 

[pm-r]

Holy Cow. Can't believe I missed that error. It's supposed to say that Burn should work under El Capitan.

Ahhh, yes, the good old Burn.app.

And don't blame yourself too much for missing anything, no doubt your Apple OS auto-correct spelling made the erroneous correction for you!!! Mine seems to be boing the same thing for me mor and moore late lie and eye sometimes miss them. Also a sign of age after the legs and knees give out.

 

[Slydude]

You're almost right. I was experimenting with the built in dictation features that have been in the last few versions of OS X. There is a new version of Dictte for Mac available and I'm trying to figure out whether it is worth the upgrade price.

 

[chscag]

Hey Sly...

I thought you were using Dragon Pro for the Mac? Never mind.... I just went to their site and see that they want $300 for it! For that price, it ought to cook your breakfast and drive you to work. ;D

 

[pm-r]

For that price, it ought to cook your breakfast and drive you to work.

Is that all…???

 

[Slydude]

Hey Sly...

I thought you were using Dragon Pro for the Mac? Never mind.... I just went to their site and see that they want $300 for it! For that price, it ought to cook your breakfast and drive you to work. ;D

I'm with Patrick. I think it ought to do a bit more than that.

I think the upgrade price is about a third of that. I am trying to figure out if the combination of built-in speech recognition and Siri can do some of some of the computer control things that you can do with Dragon. right now it doesn't seem that Siri recognizes enough commands to do that but I could be wrong.

 

[pm-r]

Not to get too OT here, but I just had a quick look on my iMac and it seems there's a old copy of Dragon Dictate for Mac v. 2.3 that I believe came with some Mac Bundle several years ago. I says it may not even run without problems on my 10.9.5 iMac. Surprise, surprise. Maybe SL 10.6.x era…???

I doubt that there's an update pricing for it and I won't bother even looking as I don't think I even tried using it more that five times if even that. But I think I've tried using the Mac's OS built-in dictation maybe a few times more. It seemed to work quite well as I recall and sure a heck lots cheaper.

Besides, I have a hard time trying to understand half of what I'm saying when muttering at my Mac anyway so I don't see how any software would understand any better unless it has some special translation features.




- Patrick
======

 

[pilgrim1936]

Thanks, Patrick.
I generally use Toast Titanium 11.2. Haven't cleaned the drive - didn't know I could.

 

[IWT]

@pilgrim1936

Yes, do as Patrick advised and clean out the optical drive - carefully.

Should all else fail, a quick trip online to Amazon, for instance, will bring up lot of very reasonably priced CD/DVD burner/players (I use Samsung).

Don't be tempted to buy Apple's Super Drive. For a start, it's way over priced and you'll find plenty on the likes of Amazon for half the price.

Secondly, the Super Drive won't work properly on your Mac because it has an optical drive already (even if wonky) and Super Drive only works on Macs that didn't ship with their own optical drive (the majority now).

Ian