Cannot Backup Library - Unknown error occurred (261)

I'm having the same problem after installing v. 7.3. I'm at a loss. I had no such problem backing-up my library with similar playlists (i.e., the only special character being a dash, i.e. "-") in the past... and I'm having no problem burning individual Audio CDs of the same playlists on v. 7.3. Can anyone help us out here?

Dell Dimension 3000 Windows XP iTunes v. 7.3.0.54

I downloaded 7.3 and I cannot backup my purchases now. I can burn audio cds from playlists, but cannot back anything up. It just keeps spitting out the cd and asking for another, without doing anything. Can anyone please help? I don't want to lose all of my purchases since my last backup.

Gateway Windows XP

Gateway Windows XP

Good gracious. I can't recall seeing a 261 reported since the early iTunes 6.0.x days. (When it was first around, with iTunes 5.0.x, lots and lots of people trying to burn an MP3 playlist containing an apostrophe or other character like that would get it returned.)

we'd better check to see if your DVD/CD diagnostics are showing up anything helpful.

Put a music CD in each of your drives.

In iTunes, go "Help > Run Diagnostics", select DVD/CD diagnostics, and paste the complete results into a reply.

I did the check. These are the results. Never Had a problem until I upgraded to 7.3.

Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition Service Pack 2 (Build 2600)
Gateway MX6128
iTunes 7.3.0.54
CD Driver 2.0.6.1
CD Driver DLL 2.0.6.2
LowerFilters: PxHelp20 (2.0.0.0),
UpperFilters: GEARAspiWDM (2.0.6.1),

Current user is an administrator.

Video Display Information:

Mobile Intel(R) 915GM/GMS,910GML Express Chipset Family
Mobile Intel(R) 915GM/GMS,910GML Express Chipset Family

Connected Device Information:

Disk drive, HTS541060G9AT00, Bus Type ATA, Bus Address [0,0]
CD-ROM Drive, PHILIPS CDRW/DVD SCB5265, Bus Type ATA, Bus Address [1,0]

Some computers need an update to the ATA or IDE bus driver, or Intel chipset. If iTunes has problems recognizing CDs or hanging or crashing while importing or burning CDs, check the support site for the manufacturer of your computer or motherboard.

E: PHILIPS CDRW/DVD SCB5265, Rev TX09
Audio CD in drive.
Found 14 songs on CD, playing time 66:18 on Audio CD.
Track 1, start time 00:02:33
Track 2, start time 04:41:05
Track 3, start time 08:46:03
Track 4, start time 13:17:65
Track 5, start time 17:30:00
Track 6, start time 22:27:25
Track 7, start time 28:32:03
Track 8, start time 32:40:58
Track 9, start time 37:20:70
Track 10, start time 42:24:45
Track 11, start time 47:52:60
Track 12, start time 51:42:03
Track 13, start time 56:19:70
Track 14, start time 60:59:38
Audio CD reading succeeded.
Get drive speed succeeded.
The drive CDR speeds are: 10 16 20 24.
The drive CDRW speeds are: 10.

I'm having the same problem after installing v. 7.3. I had no such problem backing-up my library with the same playlists in the past just prior to 7.3 update.

* CD Diagnostics *
Microsoft Windows XP Professional Service Pack 2 (Build 2600)
INTEL_ D865PERL
iTunes 7.3.0.54
CD Driver 2.0.6.1
CD Driver DLL 2.0.6.2
LowerFilters: PxHelp20 (2.0.0.0), AFS2K (3.1.21.0), PFC (2.5.0.204),
UpperFilters: GEARAspiWDM (2.0.6.1),

Found aspi32 running.
Current user is an administrator.

Video Display Information:

RADEON 9600 SERIES
RADEON 9600 SERIES - Secondary

Connected Device Information:

Disk drive, HDS722525VLSA80
Could not get bus type for CD, 50. Problem with installation of drive in Windows.
, Bus Address [0,0]
Disk drive, HDS722525VLSA80
Could not get bus type for CD, 50. Problem with installation of drive in Windows.
, Bus Address [0,0]
Disk drive, AFT CF PRO-9XP USB Device, Bus Type USB
Disk drive, AFT MS PRO-9XP USB Device, Bus Type USB
Disk drive, AFT SD PRO-9XP USB Device, Bus Type USB
Disk drive, AFT SM PRO-9XP USB Device, Bus Type USB
CD-ROM Drive, HP DVD Writer 630c, Bus Type ATA, Bus Address [0,0]
CD-ROM Drive, HP DVD Writer 640c, Bus Type ATA, Bus Address [1,0]
CD-ROM Drive, ROXIO DVD-ROM EMULATOR SCSI CdRom Device, Bus Type SCSI, Bus Address [0,0]

If you have multiple drives on the same IDE or SCSI bus, these drives may interfere with each other.
Some computers need an update to the ATA or IDE bus driver, or Intel chipset. If iTunes has problems recognizing CDs or hanging or crashing while importing or burning CDs, check the support site for the manufacturer of your computer or motherboard.

E: HP DVD Writer 640c, Rev JS04
Media in drive is blank.
Get drive speed succeeded.
The drive CDR speeds are: 4.
The drive CDRW speeds are: 4.
The drive DVDR speeds are: 4 0.
The drive DVDRW speeds are: 4 0.

H: HP DVD Writer 630c, Rev CH16
Drive is empty.

L: ROXIO DVD-ROM EMULATOR, Rev
Drive is empty.

Writing CD text is turned on in the preferences. If you're having problems burning CDs, try turning this preference off.

The last failed data CD or DVD burn had error code 261(0x00000105). It happened on drive E: HP DVD Writer 640c on DVD+R media at speed 0X.

Sorry I'v got a 261 issue to.
Having just lost my complete library after a head crash I'm paranoid about backing up.
I can back up to CD ok but my DVD writer does not want to know.
checked compatability in preferences and the DVD writer is shown.
What next?

Pooh's 261 on an Gateway MX6128

No obvious warning flags or error messages in your diagnostics. I had a look a look through your downloads page at Gateway:

Gateway MX6128 > Windows XP

... and the one usually-possibly burning-relevant upgrade being listed there is the Intel Express Chipset Family Video Driver. Are you up to date on that? if not, does updating that help with the 261?

Receiving the error too on 3 different machines...Was working fine last week under 7.2 I usually back up once a week to DVD....getting ansy they haven't released 7.4 yet to patch this mess.

Joseph Santos

I'm having the same problem after installing v. 7.3.

Just confirming something. are you also getting the 261 error message?

I sure am...261 on all three computers.

Post your DVD/CD diagnostics too, Nathan. Fingers crossed, we might start seeing some commonalities among the diagnostics for folks with the 261 that might help with treatment.

Having upgraded to 7.3 I have the same problem using the German version. Here's my diagnostics data:

Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional Service Pack 4 (Build 2195)

iTunes 7.3.0.54
CD-Treiber 2.0.6.1
CD-Treiber-DLL 2.0.6.2
LowerFilters: ElbyCDFL (4.4.1.1), ASAPIW2k (6.0.2.0), iomdisk (5.0.1636.1),
UpperFilters: GEARAspiWDM (2.0.6.1),

aspi32 läuft
Aktueller Benutzer ist ein Administrator.

Infos zum Bildschirm:

Intel(R) 82845G/GL/GE/PE/GV Graphics Controller

Infos zum verbundenen Gerät:

Datenträger, Maxtor 7Y250P0, Bus Type ATA, Bus Address [1,0]
Datenträger, ST3200822A, Bus Type ATA, Bus Address [1,0]
Datenträger, ST340014A, Bus Type ATA, Bus Address [0,0]
CD-ROM-Laufwerk, TEAC DVD+RW DV-W58E, Bus Type ATA, Bus Address [0,0]
CD-ROM-Laufwerk, KK7191Z QKB616R SCSI CdRom Device, Bus Type SCSI, Bus Address [0,0]

Wenn Sie mehrere Laufwerke am gleichen IDE- oder SCSI-Bus angeschlossen haben, können sich diese gegenseitig stören.
Einige Computer benötigen eine Aktualisierung für den ATA- bzw. IDE-Bustreiber oder für den Intel Chipsatz. Falls iTunes Probleme hat, CDs zu erkennen, oder beim Importieren bzw. Brennen von CDs hängt oder abstürzt, prüfen Sie bitte auf der Support Web-Site, wer der Hersteller Ihres Computers bzw. der Hauptplatine Ihres Computers ist.

D: TEAC DVD+RW DV-W58E, Rev 2.0B
Audio-CD im Laufwerk
20 Titel auf der CD gefunden, Spieldauer: 57:38 auf Audio-CD
Titel 1, Startzeit: 00:02:32
Titel 2, Startzeit: 03:06:02
Titel 3, Startzeit: 05:45:30
Titel 4, Startzeit: 08:37:52
Titel 5, Startzeit: 11:22:57
Titel 6, Startzeit: 14:22:65
Titel 7, Startzeit: 17:07:15
Titel 8, Startzeit: 20:11:37
Titel 9, Startzeit: 22:41:02
Titel 10, Startzeit: 25:15:60
Titel 11, Startzeit: 27:50:70
Titel 12, Startzeit: 31:06:12
Titel 13, Startzeit: 33:47:45
Titel 14, Startzeit: 36:53:52
Titel 15, Startzeit: 39:51:25
Titel 16, Startzeit: 42:45:47
Titel 17, Startzeit: 45:44:25
Titel 18, Startzeit: 49:08:32
Titel 19, Startzeit: 52:07:40
Titel 20, Startzeit: 54:57:07
Audio-CD erfolgreich gelesen
Laufwerksgeschwindigkeit erfolgreich erkannt
Die CDR-Geschwindigkeiten des Laufwerks sind: 32
Die CDRW-Geschwindigkeiten des Laufwerks sind: 32
Die DVDR-Geschwindigkeiten des Laufwerks sind: 32
Die DVDRW-Geschwindigkeiten des Laufwerks sind: 32

H: KK7191Z QKB616R, Rev 1.0
Daten- oder MP3-CD im Laufwerk
1 Titel auf der CD gefunden, Spieldauer: 33:35 auf CDROM-Medien
Titel 1, Startzeit: 00:02:00
Laufwerksgeschwindigkeit erfolgreich erkannt


Der letzte Daten-CD oder -DVD-Brennvorgang ist mit Fehlercode 261(0x00000105) fehlgeschlagen. Verwendet wurde das Laufwerk D: TEAC DVD+RW DV-W58E mit einem CDRW-Medium bei 0X-facher Geschwindigkeit.

Will post them this evening.

Same here; I can't back up my library and/or playlists to CD.

Every time there's an upgrade there are new problems; haven't TPTB heard of beta testing?

Any help would be appreciated.



Dell Dimension 4700 Windows XP

Dell Dimension 4700 Windows XP

I've got the same problem here. Everything was fine with 7.2

Microsoft Windows XP Professional Service Pack 2 (Build 2600)
INTEL_ D865PERL
iTunes 7.3.0.54
CD Driver 2.0.6.1
CD Driver DLL 2.0.6.2
LowerFilters: PxHelp20 (2.0.0.0), Cdr4_xp (8.0.0.212), Pfc (2.5.0.196),
UpperFilters: Cdralw2k (8.0.0.212), GEARAspiWDM (2.0.6.1),

Current user is an administrator.

Video Display Information:

NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200

Connected Device Information:

Disk drive, ST380013AS, Bus Type ATA, Bus Address [0,0]
Disk drive, ST380013AS, Bus Type ATA, Bus Address [0,0]
CD-ROM Drive, SAMSUNG DVD-ROM SD-616E, Bus Type ATA, Bus Address [0,0]
CD-ROM Drive, _NEC DVD_RW ND-3550A, Bus Type ATA, Bus Address [1,0]

If you have multiple drives on the same IDE or SCSI bus, these drives may interfere with each other.
Some computers need an update to the ATA or IDE bus driver, or Intel chipset. If iTunes has problems recognizing CDs or hanging or crashing while importing or burning CDs, check the support site for the manufacturer of your computer or motherboard.

D: _NEC DVD_RW ND-3550A, Rev 1.06
Audio CD in drive.
Found 22 songs on CD, playing time 72:01 on Audio CD.
Track 1, start time 00:02:32
Track 2, start time 03:49:20
Track 3, start time 06:09:05
Track 4, start time 08:50:05
Track 5, start time 12:41:20
Track 6, start time 16:12:02
Track 7, start time 19:20:57
Track 8, start time 23:04:67
Track 9, start time 26:53:57
Track 10, start time 29:30:35
Track 11, start time 32:17:17
Track 12, start time 37:06:40
Track 13, start time 41:18:05
Track 14, start time 44:01:00
Track 15, start time 47:38:32
Track 16, start time 51:23:55
Track 17, start time 54:59:30
Track 18, start time 56:59:65
Track 19, start time 59:52:45
Track 20, start time 62:50:20
Track 21, start time 65:17:50
Track 22, start time 68:46:40
Audio CD reading succeeded.
Get drive speed succeeded.
The drive CDR speeds are: 8 16 24 32 40 48.
The drive CDRW speeds are: 8.
The drive DVDR speeds are: 8.
The drive DVDRW speeds are: 8.

E: SAMSUNG DVD-ROM SD-616E, Rev F501
Drive is empty.

Writing CD text is turned on in the preferences. If you're having problems burning CDs, try turning this preference off.

The last failed data CD or DVD burn had error code 261(0x00000105). It happened on drive D: _NEC DVD_RW ND-3550A on DVD+R media at speed 0X.

hope we get a fix soon