How do you fix the error message, An error has been encountered while writing the current CD list.

Question

The error message goes on to say, Please check your device settings or consult your device documentation regarding resolving writing errors. Which device do you think they are referring to? The message came up half way through writing Track 5. So I selected a second set of tracks and got the same error message, this time at Track 3. I tried to play written CD (imation CD-R 1x 52x 700 mb). Opened the tracks using Windows Media Player. First time I was able to play one or two tracks, next time Window Media Player gave me the error message error message C00D0FAB. I have twice before successfully recorded the tracks using a Rode Podcaster, mixed them down and successfully wrote two version of my audio book. Now its not working. Any solutions?

Answer 1

David GW wrote:
The error message goes on to say, Please check your device settings or consult your device documentation regarding resolving writing errors. Which device do you think they are referring to?
Sorry, but I would have thought that this was rather obvious! The only device capable of being written to under these circumstances is your CD drive; after all, it's a CD you are trying to create...
You have two potential major causes of problems here. The most common cause of these difficulties is the disks themselves - you only need a batch with poor reflectivity to cause all sorts of read errors, so that's the first thing to try - using a different brand of disk to write to. The second thing you have to realise is that CD writers have a finite life - the lasers in them simply don't last for ever, and towards the end of their lives the power behaviour tends to be a bit erratic, and it tends to fall off somewhat - which causes the same sorts of errors, simply because the dye doesn't get evaporated efficiently. This causes mis-formed pits, hence the read errors. The only solution here is to install a new drive.
When it comes to reading, commercial CDs have a much higher reflectivity than ones you write yourself, so often these will play whilst your own will fail - a common cause of confusion, this. But it's worth checking; if you get failures to reproduce all of the tracks from a commercial pressed CD, then almost certainly your drive is failing.