DVD Writer - LaCie

http://www.lacie.com/uk/products/product.htm?id=10340

LaCie d2 DVD±RW 22x with LightScribe, Hi-Speed USB 2.0 and FireWire 400

I wanted a DVD writer so I could store photo archive on DVDs, so I bought the above.

LaCie claims
" ... Mac OS 10.3 or later has the ability to burn CDs and DVDs directly from a Finder window. The easiest way to do this is through a "Burn Folder". Follow the procedure below to do this.
1. From the Finder Menu bar, click File, then New Burn Folder. A new folder will appear in the Finder window focused on, or on the desktop if there are no windows open.
2. Drag-and-drop files into the burn folder, and click the burn button in the upper-right corner of the Window.
3. A prompt will appear requesting a blank CD or DVD. This disc can be placed in any connected drive capable of burning a disc. There is no configuration required to specify which drive to use."

That looked good.
I have used the CD-ROM supplied to install software and the Toast7 part works fine, with easy DVD burning.
BUT I also want to be able to burn DVDs from Finder, without the use of Toast.
This does not seem to work, even though the "software successfully installed" message was shown & the iBook was automatically Restarted.
System Profiler does not show the FirewireBus as being able to burn DVDs - though it should say "OK by vendor" or words to that effect.
No sign of the "Burn Folder" option.
LaCie Tech Support have not been able to provide a cure.

Has anyone else succeeded in getting this DVD Writer to burn disks from Finder?
I am using Apple iBook G4 on OSX 10.3.9, which complies with the stated System Requirements.
It has a built in drive to read/write CDs and read DVDs but NOT to write/burn DVDs.
I have used the FireWire400 connections.

Any ideas?

Does your new writer show in Disc Utility?

Have you tried inserting a blank DVD into it Does it show on the desktop.
If it does Open it and drag your files straight into it.

Try the USB if Firewire doesn't work.. There isn't much speed difference between the 2

Thanks for reply, cyclic999.
My responses are below.

Q "Does your new writer show in Disc Utility?"
A Yes sort of - a "LaCie" icon appears with Firewire, but only once a blank DVD-RW was inserted, and Toast7 opens automatically, preventing any attempt at geting away from using Toast.
In Disk Utility the drive is described as "Write Ability: ReadOnly (DVD-RW))

Q "Have you tried inserting a blank DVD into it?"
A Yes.
Q " Does it show on the desktop."
A No.

Q "If it does Open it and drag your files straight into it."
A Not applicable.

Q "Try the USB if Firewire doesn't work.. There isn't much speed difference between the 2"
A Tried USB with similar results. Burns a DVD-RW ok using USB connections.
The Disk icon in Disk Utility appears to be based on Toast as it is named
TSST corp.CDDVDW SH-222AL Media


I did stumble upon the following link which appeared to be the answer
http://www.lacie.com/us/support/support_manifest.htm...

but unfortunately no improvement.
The CD ROM sent with the drive already includes the "missing" software.

OK. You should be able to stop Toast from opening in Toast Preferences. its under (Data ) in Toast 8

You may also find the same choice in System Preferences > Hardware > CDs &DVDs _ and open Blank CDs and DVDs in the Finder or whatever you chose from the drop down menu, but start with Toast prefs and then check if System Prefs have changed.

I can't check Toast 7 any more, but Toast 8 as well as Toast 10 Titanium are similar so you might be lucky

If you do the above with success see if any other problems have improved

Are you able to create a Burn Folder from Finder>File>New Burn Folder on your OS?

Edited by deleted (Wed 21-Sep-11 22:20:58)

"OK. You should be able to stop Toast from opening in Toast Preferences. its under (Data ) in Toast 8"
A Option not available in Toast7Basic.

"You may also find the same choice in System Preferences > Hardware > CDs &DVDs _ and open Blank CDs and DVDs in the Finder or whatever you chose from the drop down menu, but start with Toast prefs and then check if System Prefs have changed"
A In System Preferences, I have now made this change for CD & DVD, which stops auto opening of TOAST.

"If you do the above with success see if any other problems have improved"
A No improvement.
When I insert a blank DVD or CD in the DVD Writer I get the following message & disk is ejected:
THE DISC COULD NOT BE READ BECAUSE THE DISC DRIVE IS NOT SUPPORTED.
(ERROR CODE 0x80020025)
I get the same error with CD & DVD and with USB lead and with FireWire lead.


"Are you able to create a Burn Folder from Finder>File>New Burn Folder on your OS?"
No.


It appears to me that the basic error is with the software package provided by LaCie on CD-ROM.

The Finder Applications shows a folder
Name: "LaCie DiscRecording" , Kind:"Installer Package",Size: 224 KB on disk.
The icon is a brown cardboard box with the lid flaps open.
I have followed all the steps in the "Install LaCie DiscRecording Support Installer" package.
With no success, apart from getting TOAST to work.

I will have one more attempt by trashing all the LaCie items associated with the DVD Writer and starting again.

Disappointing that LaCie TechSupport is so useless.
I get the impression that the emails they send are produced by robotic programs, working to a script. They never answer any questions - just make further slightly silly suggestions like "change the power lead". [ Yes I did try it, and it did not help. ]

My experience with large organisations, including Apple, is that if you can only get hold of the right person then you can get good technical help. But unfortunately such people are hard to locate in the corporate maze.

If you have not already double clicked on the Icon that looks like a cardboard box with the lid open named "LaCie Disc recording", double click it and it will open an Installer window. Follow the Install procedure. If it has already installed it won't matter, or it may tell you that you have already installed it, in which case forget it.

I'm wondering if you have only part installed all the software, because you name another Installer package as "Install LaCie DiscRecording Support Installer" which could be other Lacie goodies.

The LaCie CD will doubtless have several folders or Installers on it, that YOU decide which to use.

Failing that, carry on deleting all the LaCie Software. Then, just as a last ditch attempt, Plug your writer in and see if the Mac OS will recognise it natively, WITHOUT the Lacie software

Thanks for the ideas.

Just got today the following from LaCie Tech Support.

"Posted: 25 September 2011 @ 04:05
Thanks a lot for your response. I want you to know that, your Mac OSX version (MX10.3.9) doesn't support disc recording feature from the Finder, so to burn from the Finder you will have to upgrade your Mac OSX version.
Thanks, and please let me know if you have any difficulty."

That is after 12 days and 9 emails from them!

I guess I have just been wasting my time thinking that LaCie claims for the capabilities of their equipment are valid.

Time to move on to something else now, but it will be a long time before I buy any more kit from LaCie.