Q: Mavericks Install DVD

It's possible you may never get the image to burn to a disk. Typically, there needs to be a break in the data so the laser can move from one layer to the other.

If you've ever created video content, more advanced authoring software asks where you want to put the break so xxx files go to layer one, and zzz files go to layer two. So you may put the main movie on layer one along with the menu screen, and all of the other stuff on layer two (behind the scenes and other extras). Ever watched a movie where it fades to black and back in at a point where no such fade out happened in the theatre? Or there's a brief halt in the playback? That's the break put into the video where the laser has to jump. They are two distinct files where one ends, and the other starts.

An .iso file is just one big compressed file. There's nowhere to put a break, and so may be why the burn fails even on a dual layer disk.

The trouble with that theory though is that many other people have been able to successfully burn the iso to make a bootable dvd.

Well, that's why I said possible. It shouldn't matter since the data should just cross over to the second layer. Obviously, that is the case since others have done the same thing successfully. Can't think then why scutinizer82 is getting so many failed attempts.

Well it could be the iso file itself, but I think we have solved the issue he had with that by correcting one of the commands he was using before.

Or it could be the media. I suggested trying a different brand.

Or it could be the drive. I suggested doing a hardware test to see if it is faulty. They tend to degrade over time.

We see the last one quite a bit. Users will suddenly not be able to read or write DVDs, but CDs still work. Typically, it's because the DVD laser has burned out, while the CD laser still works. The only obvious solution for that is to replace the drive.

If it is the drive, I would suggest cleaning it before necessarily replacing it. Sometimes dirt can prevent it from burning. Cleaning it may fix the problem and it might not need replacing.

Yup. Dust on the lens is also common.

Well, regarding Optical Drive during the time I owe my Mac (bought last October), I used it only few times reading studio DVDs, CDs, no burning. I hadn't used it in a long-long time till recent workings. As of dust....yep, I haven't considered cleaning innards of my Mac since purchase of it. But an interesting thing (if we taking dirt into account) is that I have never experienced any problems reading DVDs, and CDs and if it's the case then why it occurred only writing discs?

Given that reading DVDs isn't an issue, and the drive hasn't been used that much, it likely isn't the drive. Do you have any issues writing single layer disks?

Well, I really hadn't had a need to burn at all till recent so I can't claim something on a basis of comparison. I just wanted to have back-up of some files to be able to free some space on HDD (with other alternative being cloud services). Since USB, Memory Cards, HDDs, SSDs are currently unaffordable for me I've become left with this opportunity.

It's a long download (depending on your Internet access speed), but you can always retrieve OS X again through your App Store account. So I wouldn't put as much weight into creating a DVD backup of that, and would instead concentrate on backing up your other personal data.

No, the point is that Apple is phasing out supplying software via any physical means and no longer expecting that all or even most users will need to install sofware from an optical drive.

I use my optical drive all the time and consider it essential. On my MacBook Pro I like to watch movies on airline flights. Most of the movies in my DVD collection are not available for download.

I also make my own DVDs and Blu-ray's of home movies.

Well, yeah,it's just my personal feelings that I wouldn't like to depend on external factors such as Internet I'd feel comfortable with the physical data at my hand, and that DVD would surely fit my philosophy See what I can do about this issue. Maybe Verbatim is my help.

Maybe Verbatim is my help.

Could very well be. Cheap no-name disks are cheap for a reason. They all fail badly in comparison tests.

There's just the anecdotical situation with Verbatim Discs in stores where I live!s Some time ago shelves where filled with Verbatim disc of various configurations. As of present it has been superseded by other less-know brands that I even haven't had any clue of. Moreover there aren't Verbatim DVD-DL at all. All of DVDs are only Recordable, and if you succeed to find a RW then it turns to be SL. The only option that I was forced to use is TDK DVD-DL (+R). What do you think about TDK? Is it any good? I know its market history has been long enough (and I remember using its tape cassettes that showed a good performance).

BTW, HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU AND OTHERS!