Can't burn CD even with Toast

Question

Level 1

54 points

Can't burn CD even with Toast

Ok, I tried all of the suggestions and still couldn't burn an audio CD, so I went ahead and purchased Toast 9. Still can't burn CDs. Is my only option to get an external CD so my husband can burn CDs of the music purchased from iTunes to play in his car? If so, which CD burner should I buy?

Barbara

MacPro 15" laptop, Mac OS X (10.5.2)

Posted on May 14, 2008 5:57 PM

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Answer 1

ThomasG

Level 5

6,745 points

May 14, 2008 7:10 PM in response to barbaraok

Barbara, Toast cannot burn iTunes Music Store downloads because only iTunes has the right to remove the copy protection when burning an audio CD.

You say your Mac Pro cannot burn CDs after upgrading to OS 10.5. I believe this means you need to reinstall the OS (using archive and install). I once received a new Mac directly from Apple that couldn't burn discs. When I reinstalled the OS the disc burning worked. I don't know if your situation is similar to what I experienced, but it sounds like something didn't install properly.

If you want to try alternatives to reinstalling the OS you can download and apply the latest Combined System Update on top of your existing install (i.e. install the 10.5.2 combined update on your existing 10.5.2). You also could run Disk Warrior if you have it.

As for external drives the ones sold by LaCie are excellent with Macs. Get a Firewire one.

To burn audio CDs with iTunes go to iTunes Preferences, choose the Advanced tab, click burning and choose Audio CD as the format. You then can burn playlists to disc (assuming your OS is letting you burn discs).

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Answer 2

barbaraok Author

Level 1

54 points

May 15, 2008 7:09 AM in response to ThomasG

I'm sorry, it wasn't iTunes, it was some old photos that I tried first. It came back with an Medium Error message and wouldn't write anything, even though I designated a 2x speed. This is so aggrevating since I could burn before Leopard, but can't now! 24 years with Macs and this is the first time that I've come close to thinking about something else!! BTW - I do have 10.5.2 running. Are you suggesting downloading and installing again?

Barb

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Answer 3

May 15, 2008 7:18 AM in response to barbaraok

What's happening with your current drive? Is it reading CDs/DVDs? Are there any error messages?

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Answer 4

barbaraok Author

Level 1

54 points

May 15, 2008 3:29 PM in response to Topher Kessler

Yes, I can play CDs. The message I get from iTunes is "The attempt to burn a disc failed. The device failed to calibrate the laser power level for this media."

Mind you, before I upgraded to Leopard, I burned CDs as backup. And I posted this question several months ago, tried all of the zapping pram, etc., that everyone else suggested. A couple of times it worked for one album, then the same thing all over again. I should have known not to upgrade to Leopard for at least a year!

Barbara

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Answer 5

ThomasG

Level 5

6,745 points

May 15, 2008 4:23 PM in response to barbaraok

Yes I am suggesting downloading the 10.5.2 Combined System Update and running that install. It does not remove anything and will do no harm. Sometimes users experience odd problems after running an incremental system update (such as from 10.5.1 to 10.5.2) via the Software Update which are fixed by running the combined system update. I don't know if the problem that has happened to your Mac can be fixed this way but it is worth a try.

By the way, have you shut down your Mac, let it sit for about 10 minutes and then start it again? That also can reset some things so it is worth a try.

Still, my bet is that you'll need to reinstall OS 10.5 from the install disc to fix this issue.

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Answer 6

May 15, 2008 5:10 PM in response to barbaraok

Have you tried a different brand of media?

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Answer 7

barbaraok Author

Level 1

54 points

Jun 24, 2008 10:59 AM in response to Al Van Malsen

I've tried everything that was suggested, no help. Downloaded the newest system update, no help. So I guess that I'm at the point where buying an external CD Burner is my only options. Thanks Apple for nothing. I still have an original 128K Mac and this is the first time I've been so thoroughly disgusted. Should never have updated to Leopard, I could do everything with Tiger that I wanted!

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Answer 8

hamhal

Level 1

0 points

Jun 25, 2008 1:27 PM in response to barbaraok

Hi,

I've tried today to burn a CD with some files.... forget it ... it is imposssible..... With Toast you get a synch error or so..... creating a folder for burning .. i received a message of "not able to calibrate the laser".....

Well I do not burn cd's evrey day.... not even every month but i know that this was working fine all the times that I've used it before....

I'm really loosing my nerves with this updates.... I was able to use some Power PC Programs (Macromedia) in the beginning of january 2008.... Then after an update... forget it..... ... now this...

Guys (Apple guys) I hope that you are not going the "Microsoft way" with your development....

Most disturbing and annoying..... May be I get another Apple.... install panther on it.... and start moving back slowly....

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