OT: EAC Problem

[JR1]

As a longtime user of EAC in conjunction with CSG, I've run into a problem.

I've created a new cue file, which shows up with the correct file extension in the EAC Layout Editor list. When I then select the file, to create a CD from it, the track details appear as expected in the Layout Editor window, but the file name is now shown with a 'wav' extension. When the process of making the disc begins, the warning 'No additional sense information' appears, the progress window stops advancing, and the disc is not made.

In the last few minutes, I have tried creating CDs from several other cue files, which have all worked successfully on previous occasions, and they all now misbehave in the same way as described above.

Any ideas what's going on and how I can cure it?

Thanks for all thoughts, as ever!

JR

[Dave Labrecque]

As a longtime user of EAC in conjunction with CSG, I've run into a problem.

I've created a new cue file, which shows up with the correct file extension in the EAC Layout Editor list. When I then select the file, to create a CD from it, the track details appear as expected in the Layout Editor window, but the file name is now shown with a 'wav' extension. When the process of making the disc begins, the warning 'No additional sense information' appears, the progress window stops advancing, and the disc is not made.

In the last few minutes, I have tried creating CDs from several other cue files, which have all worked successfully on previous occasions, and they all now misbehave in the same way as described above.

Any ideas what's going on and how I can cure it?

Thanks for all thoughts, as ever!

JR

Might be quickest to just uninstall/reinstall EAC.

[Richard Rupert]

Might be quickest to just uninstall/reinstall EAC.
Agreed. It sounds like you have a corrupted EAC program file. It certainly won't hurt to try an uninstall/reinstall.

[JR1]

I've carried out a complete uninstall/reinstall, as advised, and done a 'build mix to fx' to create a new cue file, for test purposes. But it's made no difference: everything still happens as in my previous post. The full message I get, when I ask EAC to burn a CD from the Cue file, is "Write Error! Write Blocks: No additional sense information". The disc writing process halts almost immediately after the lead-in is created.

It does occur to me, though, that the issue I mentioned before, over how the relevant file is listed in the 'used files' window in the EAC Layout Editor, may not where the problem really lies - perhaps the file names that appear in this window always have the 'wav' extension? I'd never really focused on what filename extension actually appears there, until this most recent problem.

Incidentally, if it's of any relevance, the audio itself plays normally from within EAC, by using the inbuilt 'track' and 'play' buttons. The only thing the program won't do is actually write the CD.

Perplexed

John

[cgrafx]

I've carried out a complete uninstall/reinstall, as advised, and done a 'build mix to fx' to create a new cue file, for test purposes. But it's made no difference: everything still happens as in my previous post. The full message I get, when I ask EAC to burn a CD from the Cue file, is "Write Error! Write Blocks: No additional sense information". The disc writing process halts almost immediately after the lead-in is created.

It does occur to me, though, that the issue I mentioned before, over how the relevant file is listed in the 'used files' window in the EAC Layout Editor, may not where the problem really lies - perhaps the file names that appear in this window always have the 'wav' extension? I'd never really focused on what filename extension actually appears there, until this most recent problem.

Incidentally, if it's of any relevance, the audio itself plays normally from within EAC, by using the inbuilt 'track' and 'play' buttons. The only thing the program won't do is actually write the CD.

Perplexed

John

Ok... a quick google search on "Write Error! Write Blocks: No additional sense information"

1. You have crap discs or a bad batch of discs
2. You have a bad cable connecting to the CD/ROM Drive
3. your CDROM drive is failing

[JR1]

And that was it! The CD ROM drive is definitely unwell - behaving increasingly unpredictably today, even when simply playing known and good quality discs.

With thanks as ever

JR

[JR1]

Still no joy on this, although the on-screen error message has now changed. Guided by all previous advice here, I have uninstalled/reinstalled EAC and installed a new CD writer (IDE, like the previous one).

The computer confirms it recognises the new writer - and, just in the role of a CD player, it functions perfectly. The test cue file I have created in SawStudio appears in the list in EAC, and when I select the file and ask EAC to make a CD from it, all the track information, as normal, appears in the usual window in EAC.

When I then ask EAC to 'Make It So', the CD drive spins up, and I get the 'writing lead-in' confirmation - but quickly followed by a message somewhat different from the one I mentioned last month: this time it's 'Write error: send cue sheet: no additional sense information'. Then of course the whole process stops.

So the new bit of the on-screen message is 'send cue sheet' - and yet, as I say, all the track information, as expected, is displaying in the EAC window. Is there something obvious that I need to do, to sort things out?

Still perplexed

John

[UpTilDawn]

Did you change the cd drive cable out, as someone suggested?
Seems to me it's a problem with EAC not being able to communicate fully with the drive and not EAC, itself. A flakey cable could certainly disrupt the process.

[JR1]

The only connections are the power cable and the ribbon cable - I've checked the ribbon cable for continuity and it appears ok - but if it's the only likely option, after the other things I've tried, I'll get hold of one and see what happens after substitution.

With thanks ever

John

[Richard Rupert]

How about blank media? Have you tried a different brand... or at least batch?

[JR1]

Sadly, still no joy! I've now replaced the ribbon cable and tried different blank media (including, just for fun, a couple of CDRWs). But I still get the message 'write error: send cue sheet: no additional sense information'.

I see that the EAC faq page has one comment, as follows:
When trying to write a CD using EAC, I get a 'Write Error – Send CUE Sheet, what does that mean?'

The reply is:
'EAC does not support all writers yet. At the moment only MMC writer that are able to write CDs using CUE sheets (not in RAW mode). So if a write error occur, the drive is most probably not supported.'

I don't fully understand what that means, but insofar as I do understand it, it doesn't seem to apply in this case?

What particularly puzzles me, obviously, is the 'send cue sheet' instruction. As all the details of the chosen cue sheet do appear in the EAC window, am I correct in assuming that it's the drive which is sending the 'send cue sheet' command, and that that's because it simply can't 'see' the cue sheet?

And yet, when I ask EAC to make the disc, the drive does spin up, and the 'writing lead-in' message briefly appears, before the whole process stops. So EAC does 'see' the drive, in that sense, doesn't it? And EAC, as I've said, recognises the cue sheet, and displays its track data.

So, logically, where's the problem?

I should add that in case, somehow, there's a speed issue involved, I've tried asking for the disc to be made at a number of different speeds, but to no avail.

One last thought at this stage: the description of my CD reader/writer, as it appears within EAC, is: Sony DVD RW DW-Q120A PYS2 Adapter: 1 ID: 0.
Does that reveal anything relevant?

Someone somewhere has the answer to this, but at the moment it's not me!

With thanks for all thoughts

John

[Dave Labrecque]

Sadly, still no joy! I've now replaced the ribbon cable and tried different blank media (including, just for fun, a couple of CDRWs). But I still get the message 'write error: send cue sheet: no additional sense information'.

I see that the EAC faq page has one comment, as follows:
When trying to write a CD using EAC, I get a 'Write Error – Send CUE Sheet, what does that mean?'

The reply is:
'EAC does not support all writers yet. At the moment only MMC writer that are able to write CDs using CUE sheets (not in RAW mode). So if a write error occur, the drive is most probably not supported.'

I don't fully understand what that means, but insofar as I do understand it, it doesn't seem to apply in this case?

What particularly puzzles me, obviously, is the 'send cue sheet' instruction. As all the details of the chosen cue sheet do appear in the EAC window, am I correct in assuming that it's the drive which is sending the 'send cue sheet' command, and that that's because it simply can't 'see' the cue sheet?

And yet, when I ask EAC to make the disc, the drive does spin up, and the 'writing lead-in' message briefly appears, before the whole process stops. So EAC does 'see' the drive, in that sense, doesn't it? And EAC, as I've said, recognises the cue sheet, and displays its track data.

So, logically, where's the problem?

I should add that in case, somehow, there's a speed issue involved, I've tried asking for the disc to be made at a number of different speeds, but to no avail.

One last thought at this stage: the description of my CD reader/writer, as it appears within EAC, is: Sony DVD RW DW-Q120A PYS2 Adapter: 1 ID: 0.
Does that reveal anything relevant?

Someone somewhere has the answer to this, but at the moment it's not me!

With thanks for all thoughts

John

Have you eliminated the possibility that your writer is not supported by EAC? If they say that's the most likely explanation for the prompt, maybe it is indeed the case.

[JR1]

Just as an experiment, I've now uninstalled /reinstalled EAC a second time. I'm glad to say that, presumably as a result, I now no longer get a Write Error message of any kind. But a new issue still stops the disc writing process.

Now, when I ask EAC to create a disc, the process appears to start normally: the CD drive spins up to high speed and the 'writing lead-in' message appears. But whereas I've been used to that part of the process normally taking about 10 seconds, it now takes nearly 12 minutes - and even then it stops with the 'writing lead-in' message still on screen. At that point a second message appears, saying 'unhandled exception at write 4357 - whole overflow' followed soon by the standard warning 'The program has stopped responding'.

It seems from internet sources that the problem could be caused by the version of EAC I'm using. When I most recently reinstalled EAC, the version their website was offering was eac-1.0beta3. Is this in fact the most recent version - and if so does anyone know of any relevant issues with it?

Separately I see that an internet site, 'PC Helper 360', which suggests that it's a Windows, (or Windows-authorised) site, is offering a download to fix 'unhandled exception' errors. I'm always wary of such sites - unless anybody here can confirm that this one is trustworthy and that the 'fix' works?

Perplexed but hopeful

John

[Dave Labrecque]

Have you eliminated the possibility that your writer is not supported by EAC? If they say that's the most likely explanation for the prompt, maybe it is indeed the case.

[jcgriggs]

PC Helper 360 appears to be a scam: http://www.scambook.com/company/view/148834/PC-Helper-360

Regards,
John

[Ed Snape]

Perhaps a different burning program? I have been using Nero to burn cue files for many years. You should be able to get a free download and 15 day trial.

http://www.nero.com/enu/products/nero-burning-rom/free-trial-download.php

Best,

Ed

[Richard Rupert]

Perhaps a different burning program? I have been using Nero to burn cue files for many years. You should be able to get a free download and 15 day trial.

http://www.nero.com/enu/products/nero-burning-rom/free-trial-download.php

Best,

Ed
That's a good idea. Here's a link to another free burning program that has a list of supported drives as well as a feature list. It lists cue sheets as an option: http://cdburnerxp.se/

There's also this free option: http://www.burrrn.net/?page_id=4

[Dave Labrecque]

That's a good idea. Here's a link to another free burning program that has a list of supported drives as well as a feature list. It lists cue sheets as an option: http://cdburnerxp.se/

There's also this free option: http://www.burrrn.net/?page_id=4

I used to use Burrrn all the time. Loved it's simplicity and cue sheet compatibility. But I haven't used it for a while. Trying to remember why. Maybe it doesn't run on any Windows after XP?

[Richard Rupert]

Not sure about Burrrn, but CDBurnerXP runs in Win 8.1. I have not loaded a cue sheet into it to try it, but it claims that it supports them.