"Technical Support"

[X-ray]

Well, I thought I had encountered the worst technical support ever when I contacted Ad*ptec about a legacy SCSI card that won't recognise internal and external devices simultaneously on my PC. They bounced me around, asking the same questions even after I answered them. This went on for a total exchange of about 7 emails and I ended up getting nowhere. They were fixated on my SCSI IDs.

As bad as Ad*ptec was, they at least asked questions about their own product.
Not so with Ahe*d/Nero. I recently had a problem with a brand new NEC DVD rewriter (dual layer) that wouldn't write 8gb discs in Nero, but would write 4gb perfectly. Last Saturday I sent them my error log and posted a few questions here about the 8gb problem. Only today I got a response from Ahe*d. You know what they recommended? That I immediately uninstall my R*xio software because it "always causes conflicts with Nero." They even linked me to two programs they supply: one supposedly kills drivers no longer used by the CD/DVD writer and the other cleans registry references to these drivers.

Now I ask you with raised eyebrows and wide green eyes: what the f*ck has my R*xio software got to do with the fact that I couldn't burn 8bg discs on my NEC with Nero?
They are so concerned about people using their rival's software that they have lost sight of the problem. I specifically asked them if there was an issue with the media or the drive, on Nero. I appended this information to the mail with the error log. Even I could tell (and I'm not sharp on these matters) that there was either a problem with the drive and the media, or the software and the drive, but I knew it had nothing to do with any other software.

As a matter of interest I tried Ahe*d's driver and registry cleaners today and the result was that my R*xio software was no longer functioning. No change to Nero. I had to reinstall the R*xio (I need 'Drag-To-Disk' because I have a damaged digital camera that cannot finalize CDs and the USB method is slow).

By the way, this DVD problem was solved on Sunday by Etho, right here on AO. It was a problem with the NEC firmware not liking Traxdata or Ridata discs. I got my firmware patched and all is now well. The problem had nothing to do with any other software or drivers.
I'm just waiting to see what the next bright idea is from Ahe*d's 'Technical support'...or should that be 'Prospective Monopoly Department?'

[X-ray]

@ Wayne

I haven't complained to Ahe*d about the support I have received because it won't achieve anything, I was just {bleep}ing about it here because I needed to vent. All I did was tell them my problem was not solved by that recommendation.
My main problem with this DVD error is that I specifically told them that I could burn a 4gb DVD disc with no problems at all, yet I could not burn 8gb, because I got a 'no seek complete' error.

For tech support to tell the customer to run driver cleaners and uninstall a competitor's product in that situation, seems ridiculous to me. Even I can see that other drivers have nothing to do with this: both programs run together and it is not true that R*xio 'always causes conflicts with Nero.'
Who told the tech support guy to get me to uninstall the other software and clean the drivers?

The problem was actually firmware in the drive, not liking the 8gb Traxdata and Ridata discs. I fixed it with patched firmware for the drive. But I'm not going to tell Ahe*d that, because I want to see what else they reccommend.

I do appreciate good tech support, but the advice I received was more aimed at Ahe*d steering me away from R*xio than helping me with my problem.
Maybe Boing Boss works for Ahe*d...I can just see it now: "You shouldn't have bought R*xio. That is junk software. Everyone knows that German software is the best. I had R*xio and I deleted it after one day. Nero does everything you could possibly want. DELETE THE R*XIO NOW!!!"

[X-ray]

Hmmmm...some of you make me out to be a bad guy, trying to put 'the little guy down'.

Firstly, this wasn't a call center, it is an email-based tech-support. I don't know what rank the individual holds and I don't care. He could be the CEO, chief software engineer or the janitor, it makes no difference to me. The fact of the matter is that he made a false statement:

"R*xio always conflicts with Nero and you should uninstall it"

Not true. And Ahe*d knows this, don't try to convince me otherwise.
Now in the grand scheme of things, whether via email or written correspondence or in any communication, if a company provides support for one of their products they have a duty to not mislead the customer or offer information that is outright untrue. Speculating about the qualifications or rank of the person who gave me those instructions is irrelevant: they were sent to me under the company's direction and the company is responsible for the quality and effect of those instructions. So, by omission or misdirection or outright lying, I got advice that not only didn't solve my problem, but was harmful to my system. What would you say if you were the 'little guy'working at R*xio and you heard about this?

On a different note: do you not think (and maybe I'm being a little weird here) that it is odd to suggest that there is a driver problem when the software burns a 4gb disc perfectly with an Ahe*d aspi driver from 22/7/2004? This is in line 7 of the log. The DVD drive and the Nero software are brand new. All the other aspi drivers (for the CD writer)are older and have nothing to do with this error. I tell you what, have a look at the log and tell me I'm being unreasonable:

-----------------------------------------------------------

Private
User
(deleted serial number prior to posting on AO)

Windows XP 5.1
IA32
WinAspi: File 'Wnaspi32.dll': Ver=4.71 (0002), size=45056 bytes, created 17/07/2002 11:03:20
ahead WinASPI: File 'C:\Program Files\Ahead\Nero\Wnaspi32.dll': Ver=2.0.1.68, size=160016 bytes, created 22/07/2004 17:33:44
Nero version: 6.3.1.20
Recorder:             <_NEC DVD_RW ND-2510A>    Version: 2.16 - HA 1 TA 0 - 6.3.1.20
 Adapter driver:                         HA 1
 Drive buffer  :      2048kB
 Bus Type      :      default (0) -> ATAPI, detected: ATAPI
CD-ROM:               <_NEC     DVD_RW ND-2510A >Version: 2.16 - HA 1 TA 0 - 6.3.1.20
 Adapter driver:                         HA 1

=== Scsi-Device-Map ===
DiskPeripheral       : WDC WD800BB-00CAA1               atapi Port 0 ID 0  DMA: On
DiskPeripheral       : ST3120026A                       atapi Port 0 ID 1  DMA: On
CdRomPeripheral      : _NEC DVD_RW ND-2510A             atapi Port 1 ID 0  DMA: On
CdRomPeripheral      : OPTORITE CD-RW CW4002            atapi Port 1 ID 1  DMA: On

=== CDRom-Device-Map ===
_NEC DVD_RW ND-2510A       D:   CDRom0
OPTORITE CD-RW CW4002      G:   CDRom1
=======================

AutoRun : 1
Excluded drive IDs:
WriteBufferSize: 83886080 (0) Byte
ShowDrvBufStat : 0
BUFE           : 0
Physical memory     : 1535MB (1572336kB)
Free physical memory: 1115MB (1142272kB)
Memory in use       : 27 %
Uncached PFiles: 0x0
Use Static Write Speed Table: 0
Use Inquiry    : 1
Global Bus Type: default (0)
Check supported media : Disabled (0)

4.9.2004
ISO compilation
15:19:47   #1 Text 0 File Isodoc.cpp, Line 6065
   Iso document burn settings
   ------------------------------------------
   Determine maximum speed : FALSE
   Simulate                : FALSE
   Write                   : TRUE
   Finalize CD             : TRUE
   Multisession            : FALSE
   Burning mode            : DAO
   Mode                    : 1
   ISO Level               : 1 (Max. of 11 = 8 + 3 char)
   Character set           : ISO 9660
   Joliet                  : TRUE
   Allow pathdepth more than 8 directories : TRUE
   Allow more than 255 characters in path  : TRUE
   Write ISO9660 ;1 file extensions        : TRUE
   
15:19:47   #2 Text 0 File DVDR.cpp, Line 5367
   Booktype counter: 500, Booktype selected in EEPROM, command version 2
   
15:19:47   #3 Text 0 File DVDR.cpp, Line 5367
   Booktype counter: 500, Booktype selected in EEPROM, command version 2
   
15:19:47   #4 Text 0 File Reader.cpp, Line 126
   Reader running
   
15:19:47   #5 ISO9660GEN -11 File geniso.cpp, Line 3899
   First writeable address = 0 (0x00000000)
   
15:19:47   #6 Text 0 File Burncd.cpp, Line 3173
   Turn on Disc-at-once, using DVD media
   
15:19:48   #7 Text 0 File DlgWaitCD.cpp, Line 247
   Last possible write address on media:  4173823 (927:30.73, 8151MB)
   Last address to be written:            4167855 (926:11.30, 8140MB)
   
15:19:48   #8 Text 0 File DlgWaitCD.cpp, Line 259
   Write in overburning mode: NO (enabled: CD)
   
15:19:48   #9 Text 0 File DlgWaitCD.cpp, Line 2162
   Recorder: _NEC DVD_RW ND-2510A, Media type: DVD+R9 Double Layer
   
15:19:48   #10 Text 0 File DlgWaitCD.cpp, Line 420
   >>> Protocol of DlgWaitCD activities: <<<
   =========================================
   
15:19:48   #11 Text 0 File ThreadedTransferInterface.cpp, Line 813
   Setup items (after recorder preparation)
    0: TRM_DATA_MODE1 (CTransferItem)
       2 indices, index0 (150) not provided
       original disc pos #0 + 4167856 (4167856) = #4167856/926:11.31
       relocatable, disc pos for caching/writing not required/required, no patch infos
       -> TRM_DATA_MODE1, 2048, config 0, wanted index0 0 blocks, length 4167856 blocks [_NEC     DVD_RW ND-2510A ]
   --------------------------------------------------------------
   
15:19:48   #12 Text 0 File ThreadedTransferInterface.cpp, Line 984
   Prepare recorder [_NEC     DVD_RW ND-2510A ] for write in CUE-sheet-DAO
   DAO infos:
   ==========
    MCN: ""
    TOCType: 0x00; Session Closed, disc fixated
    Tracks 1 to 1:
      1: TRM_DATA_MODE1, 2048/0x00, FilePos             0             0    8535769088, ISRC ""
   DAO layout:
   ===========
    __Start_|____Track_|_Idx_|_RecDep_|_CtrlAdr_
          0 |  lead-in |   0 |   0x00 |  0x41
          0 |        1 |   0 |   0x00 |  0x41
          0 |        1 |   1 |   0x00 |  0x41
    4167856 | lead-out |   1 |   0x00 |  0x41
   
15:19:48   #13 Phase 24 File dlgbrnst.cpp, Line 1855
   Caching of files started
   
15:19:48   #14 Text 0 File Burncd.cpp, Line 4183
   Cache writing successful.
   
15:19:48   #15 Phase 25 File dlgbrnst.cpp, Line 1855
   Caching of files completed
   
15:19:48   #16 Phase 36 File dlgbrnst.cpp, Line 1855
   Burn process started at 2.4x (3,324 KB/s)
   
15:19:48   #17 Text 0 File ThreadedTransferInterface.cpp, Line 2344
   Verifying disc position of item 0 (relocatable, disc pos, no patch infos, orig at #0): write at #0
   
15:19:48   #18 Text 0 File DVDPlusDualLayer.cpp, Line 369
   Disc finalized, LBA total Image size: 4167856 (8140MB), Last LBA L0: 2083935 (4070MB)
   
15:19:49   #19 SCSI -1093 File Cdrdrv.cpp, Line 1188
   SCSI Exec, HA 1, TA 0, LUN 0, buffer 0x034D8000
   Status:     0x04 (0x01, SCSI_ERR)
   HA-Status   0x00 (0x00, OK)
   TA-Status   0x02 (0x01, SCSI_TASTATUS_CHKCOND)
   Sense Key:  0x03 (KEY_MEDIUM_ERROR)
   Sense Code: 0x02
   Sense Qual: 0x00
   CDB Data:   0xBF 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x20 0x00 0x0C 0x00 0x00
   Sense Data: 0x70 0x00 0x03 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x0A
               0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x02 0x00
   
15:19:49   #20 Text 0 File DVDPlusDualLayer.cpp, Line 451
   L0 Data Zone Capacity set to 2083936 (1FCC60h, 4070MB) -> ERROR, capacity different:
     L0 Data Zone Capacity on disc:             2086912 (1FD800h, 2038MB)
     L0 Data Zone Capacity requested to be set: 2083936 (1FCC60h, 4070MB)
   
15:19:49   #21 CDR -1093 File ThreadedTransferInterface.cpp, Line 1614
   No seek complete
   
15:19:49   #22 TRANSFER -27 File ThreadedTransferInterface.cpp, Line 1614
   Could not perform start of Disc-at-once
   
15:19:49   #23 Text 0 File dlgbrnst.cpp, Line 1713
   Set remaining time: 0:00,000 (0ms) -> OK
   
15:19:49   #24 Phase 38 File dlgbrnst.cpp, Line 1855
   Burn process failed at 2.4x (3,324 KB/s)
   

Existing drivers:
File 'Drivers\ADPU160M.SYS': Ver=v3.60a (Lab01_N(johnstra).010529-2218), size=101888 bytes, created 17/08/2001 14:07:32
File 'Drivers\CDRALW2K.SYS': Ver=6.0.0.171 , size=24839 bytes, created 13/01/2003 10:19:26
File 'Drivers\ASPI32.SYS': Ver=4.71 (0002) built by: WinDDK, size=16512 bytes, created 17/07/2002 10:05:10
File 'Drivers\PXHELP20.SYS': Ver=2.02.62a, size=20016 bytes, created 28/10/2003 11:02:00 (Prassi/Veritas driver for win 2K)
File 'Drivers\atapi.sys': Ver=5.1.2600.1106 (xpsp1.020828-1920), size=86912 bytes, created 29/08/2002 01:27:50 (Adapter driver for rec)

Registry Keys:
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\WinLogon\AllocateCDROMs : 0 (Security Option)

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@ Adolescent:
Calm and rational enough for you?  :-D  :-D

[X-ray]

@ Adolescent:

Actually, I visited the NEC online support first, and there I found updated firmware for the drive. (I had V2.15 and they offered V2.16) The latest in fact. I updated immediately. Also, there was a small warning from NEC not to use patched or hacked drive firmware (particularly from Herrie.org). The latest NEC firmware didn't solve my problem so I used Herrie's patched firmware and it solved my problem.
It was indeed a hardware problem, I have acknowledged that right from the beginning of this thread. It has nothing to do with ASPI drivers. Don't forget I could always write a 4gb disc, on both R*xio and Nero, but I use the R*xio mainly for Drag-to-disc.