Linux Debian support - CD Burning

Author

CD Burning - Comprehensive FAQ?

Clinton V. Weiss

2005-04-10, 5:46 pm

I'm looking for a FAQ that covers all the aspects of CD burning under
Debian. Specifically programs (whether CLI or X) that can burn bootable
ISO's and the proper commands to do so.

Yes, I've googled for the answer, and haven't found one that is Debian
specific.

Thank you,
Clinton

Andy Fraser

2005-04-10, 5:46 pm

Clinton V. Weiss <cvweiss@comcast.net> wrote:

> I'm looking for a FAQ that covers all the aspects of CD burning under
> Debian. Specifically programs (whether CLI or X) that can burn bootable
> ISO's and the proper commands to do so.

Check out K3b for X (front end to CLI tools, requires kdelibs and qt),
cdrecord and cdrdao for CLI. Downoaded bootable ISOs just need to be
burnt to CD with cdrecord or whatever (burn as image for K3b). Check out
mkisofs for creating bootable ISOs.

> Yes, I've googled for the answer, and haven't found one that is Debian
> specific.

That's because there isn't anything Debian specific, or even GNU/Linux
specific really. It's exactly the same whether you use Debian, Gentoo,
Mandrake, Fedora or some other Linux or Unix based OS.

--
Andy.

Clinton V. Weiss

2005-04-10, 5:46 pm

Andy Fraser wrote:

> Check out K3b for X (front end to CLI tools, requires kdelibs and qt),
> cdrecord and cdrdao for CLI. Downoaded bootable ISOs just need to be
> burnt to CD with cdrecord or whatever (burn as image for K3b). Check out
> mkisofs for creating bootable ISOs.

I've tried a couple of cdrecord front ends, and they burn just fine.
However, the CDs they burn are not bootable.

The other issue I've encountered is that despite having a blank CD in
the drive, the programs are unwilling to continue - they are asking me
to insert a blank CD into the drive. Is there a fix / workaround for this?

Robert Tucker

2005-04-10, 5:46 pm

Clinton V. Weiss wrote:

>
> I've tried a couple of cdrecord front ends, and they burn just fine.
> However, the CDs they burn are not bootable.
>
> The other issue I've encountered is that despite having a blank CD in
> the drive, the programs are unwilling to continue - they are asking me
> to insert a blank CD into the drive. Is there a fix / workaround for
> this?

This sounds like the problem encountered with the 2.6.8 kernel - I'm
currently just using the 2.6.7, though I believe the 2.6.9 is supposed
to be OK in this respect and I've not read anything against the 2.6.10

Andy Fraser

2005-04-10, 5:46 pm

Clinton V. Weiss <cvweiss@comcast.net> wrote:

>
> I've tried a couple of cdrecord front ends, and they burn just fine.
> However, the CDs they burn are not bootable.

If the ISO is bootable and you burn it as an image and not as an ISO
file the CD will be bootable.

> The other issue I've encountered is that despite having a blank CD in
> the drive, the programs are unwilling to continue - they are asking me
> to insert a blank CD into the drive. Is there a fix / workaround for this?

Run cdrecord directly and post any errors or messages. My first thought
would be fault media or a faulty drive without more information. I've
had no end of problems burning with kernel versions > 2.6.8 as a user so
I run K3b or cdrecord as root. That might be your problem too. I've
heard cdrdao works as a user with these kernels but haven't tried it.

--
Andy.

Clinton V. Weiss

2005-04-11, 2:46 am

Robert Tucker wrote:
> This sounds like the problem encountered with the 2.6.8 kernel - I'm
> currently just using the 2.6.7, though I believe the 2.6.9 is supposed
> to be OK in this respect and I've not read anything against the 2.6.10

Perhaps, since I am running 2.6.8
I've tried 2.6.10 previously, but it doesn't seem to like my laptop.
Network doesn't work, sound doesn't work, can't find a cdrom, etc. But
that's a whole other thread for another time.

I might give 2.6.7 a shot tomorrow, don't feel like rebooting tonight.

Clinton V. Weiss

2005-04-11, 2:46 am

Andy Fraser wrote:

> If the ISO is bootable and you burn it as an image and not as an ISO
> file the CD will be bootable.
I'm quite sure I'm burning it correctly. When I mount the cdrom after
the burn, it appears to have been burned properly. However, it does not
boot. This goes for any bootable image I've tried.

> Run cdrecord directly and post any errors or messages. My first thought
> would be fault media or a faulty drive without more information. I've
> had no end of problems burning with kernel versions > 2.6.8 as a user so
> I run K3b or cdrecord as root. That might be your problem too. I've
> heard cdrdao works as a user with these kernels but haven't tried it.

I'd like to, but the front end that I'm currently attempting to work
with - graveman - doesn't give me the any type of error message. The
other frontend, xcdroast which doesn't have a problem doing the burns,
is burning the unbootable cd's from bootable ISOs.

Using cdrecord directly has the same result as I get with xcdroast. I
can't seem to emulate the "insert blank cdrw" from the CLI when I do
have a blank cd inserted.

Andy Fraser

2005-04-11, 7:46 am

In alt.os.linux.debian, Clinton V. Weiss uttered the immortal words:

> I'm quite sure I'm burning it correctly. When I mount the cdrom after
> the burn, it appears to have been burned properly. However, it does not
> boot. This goes for any bootable image I've tried.

Is your BIOS definitely set up to boot from CD before HDD? You're 100% sure
the ISO is supposed to be bootable? What is this ISO anyway?

>
> I'd like to, but the front end that I'm currently attempting to work
> with - graveman - doesn't give me the any type of error message. The
> other frontend, xcdroast which doesn't have a problem doing the burns,
> is burning the unbootable cd's from bootable ISOs.
>
> Using cdrecord directly has the same result as I get with xcdroast. I
> can't seem to emulate the "insert blank cdrw" from the CLI when I do
> have a blank cd inserted.

That sounds more like a problem with graveman than anything else.

--
Andy.

Bill Marcum

2005-04-11, 5:47 pm

On Sun, 10 Apr 2005 23:05:15 -0400, Clinton V. Weiss
<cvweiss@comcast.net> wrote:
> Andy Fraser wrote:
>
> I'm quite sure I'm burning it correctly. When I mount the cdrom after
> the burn, it appears to have been burned properly. However, it does not
> boot. This goes for any bootable image I've tried.
>
Have you checked the md5sums? Is your BIOS set to boot from cdrom?

--
"I deleted a file from my PC last week and I have just realized that I
need it. If I turn my system clock back two weeks will I have my file
back again?"

Clinton V. Weiss

2005-04-12, 7:46 am

Bill Marcum wrote:
> On Sun, 10 Apr 2005 23:05:15 -0400, Clinton V. Weiss
> <cvweiss@comcast.net> wrote:
>
>
> Have you checked the md5sums? Is your BIOS set to boot from cdrom?
>
>

Of course the BIOS is setup properly... Of course the ISO is bootable:
I've tested it with an emulator, and it boots just fine.

It is the latest release of Gentoo that I am trying to burn.

Christopher Nelson

2005-04-12, 8:45 pm

Clinton V. Weiss showered this wisdom of the ages upon us:
> Bill Marcum wrote:
>
> Of course the BIOS is setup properly... Of course the ISO is bootable:
> I've tested it with an emulator, and it boots just fine.

Did you test the image in the emulator or the burned CD? If the latter
you might want to have a look at your BIOS, it may be out of date.

This may sound elementary, but you are seeing the contents of the ISO,
and not foo.iso when you mount it? I know I made that mistake the first
couple times I burned an image.

What are you passing to cdrecord?

> It is the latest release of Gentoo that I am trying to burn.

--
Christopher Nelson - Chris AT cavein DOT org
Knight Errant of the Most Radiant Order of the Shield
Love is in the offing. Be affectionate to one who adores you.

Clinton V. Weiss

2005-04-12, 8:45 pm

> Did you test the image in the emulator or the burned CD? If the latter
> you might want to have a look at your BIOS, it may be out of date.

I've tested the image, but not the CD - thats a good idea.

> This may sound elementary, but you are seeing the contents of the ISO,
> and not foo.iso when you mount it? I know I made that mistake the first
> couple times I burned an image.

It is burning correctly, that is, I'm not burning the .iso as a file to
the CD, I am burning the image.

> What are you passing to cdrecord?

cdrecord -v speed=2 dev=/dev/hdc packages-x86-2005.0.iso

I've tested at varying speeds as well, which doesn't make any difference.