CD Burning Help

August 15, 2006 4:52 PM

MacBook doesn't seem to want to burn any CD-Rs. I'm trying to back up my data for the first time, but as soon as burning starts I get an error message: "Burning the disc failed because an unexpected error occurred. (Error code 0x80020000)" It doesn't seem to be one particular disc, and I've never had a problem like this before on any other mac. Any advice?
posted by roofus to Computers & Internet (14 answers total)

How are you backing up your data? Are the files currently open?
posted by k8t at 4:54 PM on August 15, 2006

Response by poster: I'm using a "smart folder" to gather all recently modified documents. I tried closing down all the apps, and it still happens.
posted by roofus at 5:20 PM on August 15, 2006

I have had errors with crappy discs. Had a stack of Office Depot-branded discs and only about every third one would burn properly. I got some good discs and the errors went away.
posted by amanda at 5:21 PM on August 15, 2006

Try slowing down the burn speed.
posted by robcorr at 5:27 PM on August 15, 2006

hey alright! did you get a refurb black one by any chance?

this is what was wrong with mine. it took me a couple of days between the genius bar and the applecare phone people, but i convinced them that it was bad hardware (and it is...) and i got a new macbook...
posted by joeblough at 5:27 PM on August 15, 2006

btw: this happened with 3 different brands of media, including taiyo yuden, which produce pristine burns in my other burners.
posted by joeblough at 5:29 PM on August 15, 2006

One of two things. Either the drive is bad or the media is bad.

Just burn one file and possibly make a coaster.

If every disk is bad, it's the drive.
posted by filmgeek at 6:08 PM on August 15, 2006

Try making a CD form iTunes or something to rule out the app. If that fails, it is probably the drive.
posted by birdherder at 6:26 PM on August 15, 2006

* Try different media.
* Take it to a Genius Bar. Apple is interested in hardware failures with the MacBook units.
* Often you'll hear the "reformat & reinstall to rule out software" suggestion. Since you have a MacBook, and the drives are easy to swap out, don't do this. Let the Genius Bar folks swap a blank drive into the unit. This is what I do with the MacBooks we have at work.

Oh, and let us know what happens.
posted by drstein at 6:50 PM on August 15, 2006

Did you perhaps upgrade tiger recently?

I had a very similar problem with a powerbook g4 after an upgrade. Everyone said it was cheap media, but it wasn't.

I solved the problem by cleaning up a lot using cocktail and a few other programs. Do a search for the best, most thorough way to clean an intel mac running tiger and follow it.
posted by milarepa at 7:20 PM on August 15, 2006

My old PowerBook G4 will ONLY burn Verbatim disks. It's very picky. Before you give up in despair, try that. I went through 4 other kinds before I learned my lesson.
posted by clarkstonian at 4:42 AM on August 16, 2006

Response by poster: Update: It was the media. I picked up some different yet equally cheap CD-Rs and they burn fine. Thanks for the help!
posted by roofus at 6:49 AM on August 16, 2006

Google the error message. You'll get good message board advice from Mac sites.
posted by UncleHornHead at 10:54 AM on August 16, 2006

try some DVDs too, just to make sure.
posted by joeblough at 11:22 AM on August 16, 2006