OS X 10.4.4 burning to USB Plexwriter ?

[chironomid]

I have 400 Mhz Power Mac G4 (AGP graphics) with update to OS X 10.4.4 from 10.4.3 and am trying to use Burn Folder technique under Finder to burn to CD-R in Plexwriter 48/24/48U recognized as Plextor CD-R PX-W4824A with Firmware version 1.02, interconnect USB, Burn Support Yes (Unsupported), CD-Write -R,-RW, Burn Underrun Protection CD Yes, Write Strategies CD-TAO, CD-SAO, CD-Raw. The disc image technique using Disk Utility encounters no problems, but I cannot complete the burning session with Finder & Burn Folder because it hangs up in the disk verification process that follows the preliminary burning of the files and folders onto the disc from the Burn Folder. The freeze is so complete that I can only break free by turning off the Plexwriter. Subsequent inspection of the CD shows and opens the burned files but the volume information in partion 1 of the CD is garbaged and multiply repeated. Is this problem an inherent bug of the 10.4.4 update, an incompatibility with the firmware version 1.02, or a corruption of some file in the system? Onyx, Disk Utility, and the various fsck -fy commands can correct any reported hard disk errors that result but do not prevent this problem. The European site for Plextor (not the American one) has Mac compatible firmware updates through version 1.06. Any other suggestions or recommendations for fixing this situation?

 

[chironomid]

After running fsck -fy seven times in a row and rechecking with Disk Utility afterwards, the problem was abruptly gone. However, I recommend that others using the Burn Folder technique follow the instructions precisely: When burn folder is opened as the window, use only the burn button in it; when burn folder is in the side bar use only the radiation icon beside it; etc. Moreover place blank disc in drive AFTER the above steps and wait, wait, wait until it is activated and displays instructions. Do NOT put the disc in first and try to follow those alternate instructions.