Finally got the chance to flash my Toshiba/Samsung. My K8T board with via Vt8237 picked it up just fine and flashed via USB FDD without a hitch. Tested on my original perfect dark zero and game booted up fine so I assumed the flash was good. Went to install new dual layer burner (Sony DRU-820a -- auto sets booktype to DVD-ROM) and test some backups. Tries both using Wxripper and xtreme way (both properly SS patched) of 2 different games and neither will boot. The 360 just says "Open Tray" at the bottom of the dashboard like nothing is in there, just for kicks I stuck in my WinXP CD to see if it could read recordable media and it indeed did show as "Mixed Media CD". I tried burns with both DVDDecryptor and CloneCD. With CloneCD I got the Overburn error msg because of the required/available "bug" and chose "write to end of media". Are you supposed to select "Overburn" ? Also, I noticed in CloneCD the image seemed to burn reasonably fast but the LeadOut took quite some time to write. I know these images were created correctly and properly SS patched so the only thing I can think of would be these Fuji discs I'm using might be crap (the 29.99 sale pack at BestBuy). Saw one person who reported success with "Fuji" media in the pinned topic thread but didn't mention a specific type of FUji media. Or is it possible it could be a bad flash? I dunno, I'm at a loss here, I think tommorow I'll go and buy some Verbatims as it seems people do well with those, but if that doesn't work I don't know what to think.

sounds like a bad burn/media

if your getting errors at the end of writing the disc it likely means the session is open

if the session is open the dvdrom wont read the disc

I dont recall seeing any error messages on my burns. Is the extended time for writing the leadout indicative of a burn error? About to try some Verbatim's so thatll tell me if it is indeed a burn error.

Here's what my DVDDecrypter log says (this was for the Fuji discs which are apparently rebranded Ritek's -- burn did not work)

I 02:56:54 DVD Decrypter Version 3.5.4.0 started!
I 02:56:54 MS Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600)
I 02:56:54 Initialising SPTI...
I 02:56:54 Searching for SCSI / ATAPI devices...
I 02:56:54 Found 1 DVD-RAM/±RW!
I 02:58:06 Operation Started!
I 02:58:06 Source File: G:\X360\Oblivion\Oblivion.dvd
I 02:58:06 Source File Sectors: 3,697,696 (MODE1/2048)
I 02:58:07 Source File Size: 7,572,881,408 bytes
I 02:58:07 Source File Implementation Identifier: Daikin U.S. Comtec Lab
I 02:58:07 Destination Device: [1:0:0] SONY DVD RW DRU-820A 1.0b (F:) (ATA)
I 02:58:08 Destination Media Type: DVD+R DL (Disc ID: RITEK-D01-01) (Speeds: 2.4x, 4x)
I 02:58:08 Destination Media Sectors: 4,173,824
I 02:58:08 Write Mode: DVD
I 02:58:08 Write Type: SAO
I 02:58:08 Write Speed: 2.4x
I 02:58:08 Link Size: Auto
I 02:58:08 Test Mode: No
I 02:58:08 BURN-Proof: Enabled
I 02:58:08 User Specified L0 Data Zone Capacity: 1,913,760
I 02:58:42 Filling Buffer...
I 02:58:44 Writing LeadIn...
I 02:58:48 Writing Image...
I 03:37:29 Synchronising Cache...
I 03:37:30 Closing Track...
I 03:37:32 Finalising Disc...
I 03:39:59 Operation Successfully Completed! - Duration: 00:41:52
I 03:39:59 Average Write Rate: 3,186 KB/s (2.3x) - Maximum Write Rate: 3,340 KB/s (2.4x)

You should try one backup on expensive media. If thats bad it could be your laser. I could not run a single backup on ANY media. All of them said "open tray". Originals worked fine. I ordered a new laser for like $30 and fixed all my problems. Now they all work. Everyone here seems to think open tray always means a bad burn. Sometimes that's true. The console might be too warm and needs to sit for 5-20 minutes or the laser could be at fault.

The burner is brand new, just installed it yesterday so I doubt the laser is bad. Or do you mean the laser in the TS-H943? Im burning Oblivion again on a HQ Verbatim media, if it doesn't work I think Ill swap out my burner for something else. According to Sony, it auto sets booktype to DVD-ROM. I tried loading up DVDInfoPro and seeing if I could verify the setting but its greyed out for DVD+DL, might exchange for a drive which DVDInfoPro can "force" into DVD-ROM.

I mean the laser in the TS-H943.

Oblivion loaded up first try on the Verbatim media =)

So for me at least, my particular TS-H943 (fw=ms25) does not read ritek/fuji DVD+DL

Awesome

Stay away from that other shit media.

burned two backups on Mitsubishi dvd+r dl discs. they have same media code as Verbatim.
plays fine here

thats why I was surprised the Fujis didnt work for me. They read as Ritek's and I've read of much success with ritek media and even some people with these fujis in particular. I guess it depends on the particular laser of your drive.

like stated in my other thread i have the same issue with those Fuji's but here's another funny thing

i always have perfect results using Ritek Media - and those Fuji's read as Ritek - but they don't work with my Samsung FW ms=25

the strange thing is that i burned a platinum media DL (also RITEK) and that one works perfectly on mmy 360

unfortunately i don't have any more of those platinum (bought them in europe)

will buy verbatim - even though i think they're too expensive

I have the DRU-820A and Ive used Clone, DVDDecrypter AND IMGBurn. None worked. Ive also tried to change the settings with DVDInfopro and it locks up my PC.... Im using Memorex DVD's are those crap? Im going to try Verbatim and see if those work