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Sense key= Medium Error, Sense Code= 0X73, 0X03

Although the cd gets to 100%, I'm getting this error before the point of verification everytime!

"Sense key= Medium Error, Sense Code= 0X73, 0X03"

I've already repaired my permissions and reset my PRAM.

Does anyone have any idea how to fix this?

I'm using Toast. Whenever I try to burn a CD with Itunes, I just get a "medium error" at the end instead. BTW, I'm referring to a G5 PowerMac that I'm using at work with a combo-drive.

Intel Core Dual 2 Macbook, Mac OS X (10.5.2)

Posted on May 2, 2008 4:13 PM

Reply
8 replies

May 2, 2008 6:58 PM in response to Ray Lee

A medium error most often is a result of the drive not able to burn properly to a particular brand or batch of media. The first thing I'd try is a different brand (not Memorex or a store brand). Also, in Toast you can set the burn speed after the blank disc is inserted. Instead of Best choose a slower speed such as 8X.

May 3, 2008 7:13 AM in response to Ray Lee

Hi, I had this problem before and before Roxio charging 2 bucks a minute there were a couple of people that helped me and I actually took down the notes because it happens from time to time. These days, they are NOT friendly nor helpful at all. Thus, this is what I did.

I have a Macbook pro and using Toast 8. I use Memorex DVDs. What it is apparently is a preference issue with the software. When we went to the original environment the burning was fine. Thus, if you go through your user name and your harddrive library, preferences, what you need to do is delete any file containing the words roxio or toast and then delete the file: apple.finder.plist. These are plugged into several preference folders so you MUST find them all and delete them. After that shut down and restart. It has fixed my problems 3 times already although this last attempt was a little harder than the first two times because it was embedded deeper than before.

I don't believe it's the brand issue but something to do with the stupid preferences.

Let me know if you have questions.

May 6, 2008 12:26 AM in response to Kerrolin16

Thanks for your reply. Out of all the replies, I think yours is the most useful.

Everybody tells me that it's a bad batch of CDs but I don't think so. I've been using Memorex CDs but when I use this same batch on another Mac I don't have this problem.

I think that I first encountered this error after I installed toast so I'm gonna look in deleting this .plist file and I'll let you know what happens.

Thanx!

Message was edited by: Ray Lee

Jun 7, 2008 11:35 AM in response to Ray Lee

I have had the same problem (Disk Utility & Finder said something "could not calibrate the laser for this media and Toast 9 Titanium gave me the error "Sense key= Medium Error, Sense Code= 0X73, 0X03".

I just solved the problem by running a CD/DVD Laser Lens Cleaner CD from Hama. It has a small brush afixed to the surface. The Lens Cleaner CD plays a 30 second track (Carmen Fantasy) and when the track has completed the procedure is complete.

I have read in other threads that other people has resolved the problem by blowing compressed air into the CD Drive.

In other words - the problem seems at least in my case to be hardware oriented. Luckily the problem was easily fixed for 10 bucks.

Jul 19, 2008 11:43 AM in response to Steve Boultbee

Hmm, there may be something to the Memorex; I've used them succesfully in the past but just had to return a batch of DVD+R DLs to the store because they gave sense key errors in 3 different macs in 2 buildings: an intel core2duo mini, an old G4 with superdrive, and a Xeon Quad with built in superdrive. Choked every one. Gonna steer clear of Memorex from now on.

Jul 20, 2008 7:59 PM in response to Hug0

Since I had the same results across 3 macs, mine wasn't cleaning, but I may have stumbled across a helpful suggestion, I bought some Office Deot brand DVD+R DL, at the swell price of $20 for 25. They were only rated 4x, as opposed to the 8x ratings of the name brands. the 4x perform flawlessly where the 8x had failed. My burner is rated 8x for dl, but I have never set it higher than 4x; I burn cautiously low to prevent coasters. I've noticed though that Toast, despite my telling it a specific burn speed, will often exceed, in bursts, the speed I've set. May mean nothing.
What I can say for certain, these no-name DL discs are working like a charm over name brand 8x. Duh, guess I;ll research what makes a 4x different from 8x? Materials? Reflectivity?

Sense key= Medium Error, Sense Code= 0X73, 0X03

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