Computer freezes when copy data from DVD-RW drive, also when trying to make an ISO

This may or may not help... but have you tried using K3B instead of Nero?

If you have tried K3B in Hardy and it doesn't work either, then please re-open this question.

I did...
result...
the same problem...

Okay, I was hoping someone with more idea about fixing it would notice this and answer, but that hasn't happened.

In the data you included above, it looks like the model of the DVD drive is missing. What is the brand and model of the drive? Is it attached via IDE? Is it a master or slave?

Also, what is in /proc/interrupts? It's possible that a shared interrupt is causing problems.

Have you tried to use the drive in any other operating systems (on the same computer)?

Have you already tried k3b, brasero, gnomebaker, DeVeDe, Grip or other gpl open source software better tested on Linux platform... ?

Thank you

marcobra: CarloSalvatore already answered about K3B.

CarloSalvatore: In addition to my questions from an hour ago, could you also describe how to lock up the system without trying to burn a DVD? (the title indicates your computer freezes when copying data from the drive; does this mean that "cat /media/dvd/* > /dev/null" causes the system to lock?)

The DVD ROM Drive is connected by IDE bus, at secondary master without any slave; the model is HL-DT-ST DVD-RAM GSA-H55N.

The drive used to work very well since the last clean installation of Ubuntu Hardy using the alternate installation CD. Also it used to work perfect on Windows.

About what Scriven ask, i had no /media/dvd folder; at /media folder I only have /media/cdrom and /media/cdrom0. In /dev folder, the one who handles the block device of the DVD is /dev/scd0 (I suppose this means SCSI CD 0). The fact is Hardy isn't using /dev/hdx any more, it replaces /dev/hdx with /dev/sdx for all IDE channels.

I'm able to play dvds using LinDVD, but sometimes the drive stops reading data and the computer freezes, the i reset the computer and the DVD plays ok.

I don't know how to see what's in /proc/interrupts... I don't have this directory.

If you need more info just ask! Thank you very much for your time and advices.

You can find out what's in /proc/interrupts by running "cat /proc/interrupts".

The reason Hardy uses /dev/sdX instead of /dev/hdX is because someone rewrote the IDE code in the Linux kernel to make it pretend to be scsi. It's easier to maintain one interface than two.

Since you have "cdrom" but not "dvd" in /media, what happens if you put in a disc and run "cat /media/cdrom/* > /dev/null" ? Does that lock up the machine?

> The drive used to work very well since the last clean installation
> of Ubuntu Hardy using the alternate installation CD.

Does this mean it worked on Hardy, then you reinstalled Hardy, and it stopped working?

carlosalvatore@pc-chava:~$ cat /media/cdrom0/* > /dev/null
cat: /media/cdrom0/AUDIO_TS: Is a directory
cat: /media/cdrom0/VIDEO_TS: Is a directory

carlosalvatore@pc-chava:~$ cat /proc/interrupts
           CPU0
  0: 62208 XT-PIC-XT timer
  1: 241 XT-PIC-XT i8042
  2: 0 XT-PIC-XT cascade
  3: 1 XT-PIC-XT
  4: 1 XT-PIC-XT
  5: 0 XT-PIC-XT MPU401 UART
  7: 5 XT-PIC-XT parport0
  8: 3 XT-PIC-XT rtc
  9: 1 XT-PIC-XT acpi
 10: 24847 XT-PIC-XT uhci_hcd:usb1, ehci_hcd:usb4, nvidia
 11: 4169 XT-PIC-XT uhci_hcd:usb2, uhci_hcd:usb3, VIA8233, eth0
 12: 12730 XT-PIC-XT i8042
 14: 15704 XT-PIC-XT libata
 15: 2661 XT-PIC-XT libata
NMI: 0 Non-maskable interrupts
LOC: 0 Local timer interrupts
RES: 0 Rescheduling interrupts
CAL: 0 function call interrupts
TLB: 0 TLB shootdowns
TRM: 0 Thermal event interrupts
SPU: 0 Spurious interrupts
ERR: 0
MIS: 0

I reinstalled Hardy, cause I wasn't able to do that, because the computer froze every time, but I figured out that the problem then was the repository synchronization, so I disconnect the LAN cable and it works; I only was able to upgrade gutsy to hardy back then. So that's it... Like I told you before, the reading problem is most frequently showed when copying large data from the CD Drive.

Thank you.

If there is any way you can change your interrupts (the BIOS may offer such a feature), it may resolve the problem. This line looks like it could be contributing to the issue:

11: 4169 XT-PIC-XT uhci_hcd:usb2, uhci_hcd:usb3, VIA8233, eth0

If you can force eth0 or VIA8233 to a different interrupt, it might help. If, for example, you are not using your serial or parallel ports, you could turn those off in BIOS to make int5/int7 available. Then the system might automatically reassign other devices, or perhaps you can manually set their interrupts to use an open slot.

The computer should allow you to configure BIOS by pressing a key early during boot... usually it's delete, F2, or F10, but it could be something else. It's usually printed onscreen for a few seconds after turning on the power. As for finding the right setting, it varies from one model to another.

BTW, a better command for testing is "cat /dev/scd0 > /dev/null". This just reads the entire disc contents and throws it away, which should be good for testing whether you can read the disc. Sorry about the earlier command I suggested; it assumed there would be files in the disc's root directory, which isn't true for video DVDs. I'd still suggest doing this with a data DVD or data CD, though. Some encrypted videos don't work with "cat" without some workarounds.

Anyway, does changing the interrupts help at all?

Well then... I tried everything you suggest me my friend, I even change the IDE cable for other one, and nothing... everything is happening the same way.

I guess I only have one choice, format and install again Ubuntu, in order to correct this problem. I hope this fix it, otherwise I will shoot myself in the head... (just kidding) anyway, thank you very very much for your help, and if there is something else you think I could try, please let me know.

Thank you!

PS. By the way the command cat /dev/scd0 > /dev/null didn't freeze the computer, I tried with a backup CD of the Diablo 2 Install CD. It just finished the process successfully. Greetings

So... I reinstalled Ubuntu, but I've reinstalled Ubuntu 7.10 Gutsy Gibbon,

The compute frozen once when installing from the DVD-ROM.

I added this to the boot line in gurb "noapic pci=routeirq pci=noacpi", now it's working just fine.

I think that now i can upgrade or make a clean install of hardy and add this commands to the boot line at grub .

I'll keep in touch. Thanks

After testing a lot, Gutsy Gibbon works very good when copying data from the DVD Rom drive, so I've adventure myself to try again with Hardy, but problem persist. It seems to be a problem of the new kernel, i don't know, I'm not an expert, but the fact is that I feel more comfortable with Hardy because eclipse and other software work better.
I really appreciate some help here.

When copying something it starts doing it well, but after a while the communication stops, and the OS hangs, i can extract the CD form the tray manually, but the computer remains frozen.

I'll be waiting for something else to try.

Thank you.

(This last check was in a fresh install, i have not installed anything but Hardy)

It is still not working... I can't copy nor install anything from the DVD drive... please... any advice will be helpful.

I guess nobody cares anymore... but it is still not working... thank you

Sorry, I haven't had any helpful suggestions, so I've left this as "open" to try to attract attention. It doesn't seem to have worked.

It sounds like a driver problem, but I don't really have any idea what changed between gutsy's kernel and hardy's kernel. If you file a bug about it, there's a chance someone with more kernel experience can figure out what happened.

Or, if you just want to get it to work, there are ways to run an old kernel on a newer distro. I only see linux 2.6.24 in hardy, so getting a different version may be inconvenient. And I haven't checked the dependencies. There may be packages in hardy which depend on a newer kernel than what gutsy has.

In any case, some approaches to configuring a system with a mismatched kernel, if you're interested in trying:

  - Install hardy, download kernel packages from gutsy, and install them. This is probably the quickest approach, but it's still not totally straightforward.

  - Install hardy, download gutsy's kernel source, build it, and install it.

  - Install gutsy, then upgrade to hardy, but avoid upgrading the kernel. This is time-consuming since the upgrade takes a while, and the upgrade tools will probably make it rather difficult to avoid upgrading the kernel.

  - Install hardy, add debian feeds to apt, and install an older kernel from debian. This is fairly quick, if it works, but it will probably produce the most complications.

None of these are simple, but if you want to spend the time to do it, they might give you a working system.

I finally fix it... you won't believe it, the problem was the IDE Ultra ATA 80 Cable, it was damaged I think.

First i used a 40 wires cable, but the freezes continued, so I bought today a new 80 wires cable, and everything works beautifully.

Thanks to everybody. I hope that anyone having this problem would be able to solve it reading this post.

The problem was not solved at all, the problem is a kernel panic when trying to copy from the secondary ide port to the primary ide port and vice-versa.

I fixed the problem by compiling and installing my own kernel without the scsi emulation