[Dvdrtools-users] Re: Can't write with LG DVD-RW drive -- It's a 4G DVD-RAM drive ...

[Bryan J. Smith]

Quoting Nico <address@hidden>:
> Hi,
> I have an LG GMA 4020b DVD-RW drive that is reported as DVD-RAM.

That's because it is!  Re:
  http://www.lgeus.com/Product/CD/GMA4020b.asp  

It's a 4th Generation DVD-RAM drive.  They have the same capabilities as a 2G+ 
DVD-RAM (2x) 
drive and a 1G DVD-RW (2/1x R/RW) drive.  Re:  
  
http://www.smithdot.net/display.php?category=hardware&article=dvdbygeneration.txt
  

> I can format my disks,

DVD-RAM works _natively_ with Linux (has since 1998).  In 2.4.x, you can use 
the /dev/scd0 
(block) device _directly_ in /etc/fstab:
   /dev/scd0   /mnt/dvdram    auto    noauto   0 0

That should work _regardless_ of whether the media is read-only or read-write.

I'm also curious if you can use DVD-RW disks, or even CD-RW disks, directly as 
well via this 
method?  [ I haven't had a 4G DVD-RAM to play with yet ]  I assume so since it 
uses the DVD-RAM 
firmware for access.

> but whenever I run a normal burning session I get the following error:
> ... cut ...

That's because the drive has DVD-RAM firmware.  You need to get ProDVD to 
record with this drive 
to the /dev/sg0 (character) device.  CDRecord 2.0 with patches may work as well 
(I don't know, 
haven't tried myself).

> My kernel is custom a 2.4.20 with ide-scsi and support for scsi cdrom 
> and scsi-generic.

Kernel has _nothing_ to do with /dev/sg0 (character) other than providing the 
device node and 
interface.  100% of the "brains" for "recording" is in the CDRecord/ProDVD 
software.

Now the kernel _does_ provide random-access/packet-writing support for DVD-RAM. 
 That's 
where the /etc/fstab entry I wrote above comes into play.


-- 
Bryan J. Smith     (suffix-free title for your protection)
mailto:address@hidden             http://www.thebs.org
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