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Burner - device failed to calibrate the laser power level for this media.

The burn to the MATSHITA DVD-R UJ-845E drive failed. The device failed to calibrate the laser power level for this media.

Huh?? Have no idea what this means, after a forum search am more confused... I don't think I've installed any software that has effected it (suggested in other discussions) The only other one that might have been useful was archived and I couldn't work out how to read all the threads so if anyone can help with this error message that would be awesome.

G4 12 inch powerbook, Mac OS X (10.4.11)

Posted on Oct 15, 2008 4:47 PM

Reply
116 replies

Jan 1, 2017 6:05 PM in response to jjweber55

I have had the same issue on both macbook and windows the problem is a burn bit rate. What the best option in this case whether in iTunes or finder in burning a disc is to burn at a slower speed. If you in theory can burn at 16X cut it in half and try at 8X. Keep slowing it down till you can burn. I have had to slow mine down to 2X recently. Hope this helps you.

Nov 1, 2017 8:18 AM in response to itspaz

I spoke too soon: SimplyBurns looked like it was burning a disc but it failed as well. The remedy was to buy some Verbatim DVD-R discs which work fine; the discs I had been trying to burn were Memorex DVD+R discs. Now I can successfully burn files from the Finder's "Burn [Filename] to Disc ..." command.


A Google search for "best DVD discs" resulted in several lists that included Verbatim discs and others. No list that I saw included Memorex discs.


One of the articles I saw said DVD-R discs are the most compatible across various hardware platforms. I prefer DVD+R discs for archival storage of large numbers of photographic images but I can easily copy my files to two DVD-R discs rather than one DVD+R disc. A minor hassle but workable.

Nov 15, 2008 11:52 AM in response to itspaz

Just a couple of things to try that may resolve your issue.
Go up to you Blue Apple upper left. Then select Software Update and download all the updates your computer needs.
2nd Go to Google and type in Matshita-UJ-845E and then look for any driver Firmware or Updates available and download them.
3rd Make sure you use high quality media like Maxell 16X DVD-R. Read the packaging and you will see that this media will burn on older and newer burners as well, meaning it will burn at 1X, 2X, 4X, 8X, 16X.
Don't forget to Verify, and Repair Permissions as well, Restart your computer and you should be good to go.

Dec 9, 2008 8:49 AM in response to Donald Morgan

I'm having the same problem. I'm using Memorex 16x DVD-R, and i successfully burned a few discs several weeks ago. Now all of a sudden i can't get anything to work. I tried restarts, changing the language of my computer (was suggested on a different forum), but no dice.

I need to have 50 discs burned by tomorrow... this is ridiculous.

Feb 22, 2009 5:57 AM in response to itspaz

Just two days ago I ran into this "Sense key" / "cannot calibrate the laser" error. I tried changing the languages (bring English US to top of list in International, according to another forum), reset SMC controller, no dice. I am trying to record a 2.3GB Video TS folder on a TDK DVD+R RW disc (have recently used some from the same spindle with no issues). So far I've gone through 6 of them. Used Toast, Burn, Disk Utility. Never had another issue with either the drive or the batch of discs.

Now, just the other week, I upgraded to 10.5.6 from 10.5.2. Could it be related? I've only now tried to burn an optical disc since the 10.5.6 upgrade.

Mar 7, 2009 4:43 AM in response to Alex Zachopoulos

My Mac Pro developed this "cannot calibrate laser power" as well. Both DVD burners in my machine report the error.

After trying the "toggle language" routine, a lens cleaner and Apple branded media I broke down and called Apple tech support.

First step was to reset the power management. On a Mac Pro that is accomplished by unplugging all the cables and waiting 30 seconds. That did not solve the problem.

The second step was a very illuminating exercise. We determined if my devices can read DVDs. Turns out my drives cannot read DVD-R media on which data has been previously burned. However, they can read OEM DVDs, such as the Mac OS X install disc.

The interpretation is not so clear, but it might suggest something in the optics that are on the ragged edge. Give it a good, robust OEM disc and there is no problem. DVD-R media is maybe just too noisy for it to handle. I'm talking out of my hat here.

Anyway, my machine is still under hardware warrantee and Apple is sending me two new drives.

Sep 4, 2009 9:16 AM in response to marine_microbe

I just wanted to share my experience with this issue:

Early 2008 Mac Pro with two 16x SuperDrives (Sony NEC Optiarc 7170A). BOTH SuperDrives stopped working properly at the same time. After a few months of burning only CDs, I suddenly found myself unable to burn DVDs.

I could read and write CDs, but I could only read, not write, DVDs. Attempts to burn DVDs gave the dreaded "could not calibrate laser for this media" message in Finder, Disk Utility, and Burn. (console Burn error: 0x8002006D The device failed to calibrate the laser power level for this media.)

The fact that both SuperDrives went bad at the same time made me think that it had to be either the media or a software/firmware glitch.

I tried Memorex, TDK, and Verbatim media; neither would write. I tried canned air, a DVD-cleaning-disc kit, resetting SMC and PRAM (which of course involved rebooting), the International pref pane trick, even tried flashing the drive firmware with new and old firmware revisions. My last resort was to install Snow Leopard on a blank partition; I still got the same error message when trying to burn a DVD from the brand new, fresh OS install.

It seemed ridiculous to have a $3,000 machine unable to burn DVDs, so I ended up purchasing two new SuperDrives from MacSales/OWC. (Apple Original Pioneer DVR-112D-BK Internal [Black Bezel] 'SuperDrive' up to 16X DVD+/-R, up to 8X DVD+/-RW, Up to 8X Dual Layer +/-R DL, up to 32X CDR/RW Burner.) These were available to ship the same day for $34/ea.

I just received them; it took only 15 minutes to swap out the old drives with the new ones. They work perfectly, on all my media.

I suppose $70 for two new drives is more than worth the frustration of trying to resolve this problem by other means. I hope my experience can help others with this same issue.

Burner - device failed to calibrate the laser power level for this media.

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