This model has released recently and currently no information available.

Q: Where I can get "Windows 98 Second Edition 1394 Storage Supplement" program as instructed in owner's manual?
A: You can find the information here. Make sure to download the appropriate language version of supplement program to your operating system.

Q: What brand of disc do you recommend to be used with the Yamaha CRW8824IX recorders?
A: The Yamaha web site has the list of recommended brands of discs, posted. 

Q: What happens if the size of the written files is beyond the capacity of the disc?
A: When the file is bigger than the capacity of the CD-R, it creates unreadable discs.

Q: What IEEE1394 interface card Yamaha recommend?
A: We have verified compatibility with following cards:  

    Advansys ASB30400 (PCI card) and SIIG NN2603 (PCI card). 

Q: How can I create a Compilation Audio CD in order to be played on audio CD player properly? 
A: In general, most audio CD players cannot read multi-session CDs.  Therefore, the entire contents of a CD must be written at one time.  This is achieved by extracting tracks from multiple CDs, writing them to the hard drive, and copying them to a CD in one session.  

Q: I get a lot of noise in duplicated audio CD's.  What should I do? 
A: For a good quality audio CD copy, extract tracks with slower reading speed, create image files on the hard disk, and write at slower speed.  By doing this, you can avoid buffer underrun error and noticeable noise.  If you are getting too much noise, it can be the hardware problem.  Please follow the Quick Step Trouble Shooting Guide to diagnose your Yamaha recorder.  Some WAV editors have been known to cause this when used with certain Mastering software applications.  If you are using a WAV editor, try creating a CD without the WAV editor to see if that is the cause.

Q: Why does the extracted audio tracks has a lot of noise even if the source disc is played back with no noticeable noise?  Doesn't the correction work for audio extraction?
A: If the source disc is scratched or damaged in some ways, the extracted file will be damaged as well.

Q: Why my Yamaha recorder recognizes data CD as an Audio CD? 
A: Two causes are known at this time.  One is simply old drivers for your scsi card.  Just download the latest drivers from your scsi card manufacturer. (Note: when it's a driver related problem, you'll find you are able to write CD's with no problems, and the Data CD that is reporting as Audio will be seen as the Data CD under Windows Explorer.  And you can pull data from it.)  The Second cause appears to be the motherboards PCI Bus.  When this is the cause, you will be unable to write or read properly.  All Data CD's will report as Audio.  The only solution to date is to put in an ISA scsi card to bypass the PCI bus, or to replace the motherboard of your computer. 

Q: I've heard that burning a CD-R at quad speed or faster is better than single speed recording.  Is this true? 
A: There is some truth to this.  The physics, chemistry and thermodynamics of the recording process seem to produce more consistent and readable marks within the CD-R recording layer when the recording speed is 4x or higher.  This may be due to the annealing process of pit formation at 1x where the heat caused by the laser remains focused on the pit for a longer time.  Newer recorders and disc are tuned better at its maximum recording speed (although the Orange Book, Part II, until revised, only guarantees interchangeability at 1x and 2x recording speeds). 

Q: My Yamaha Recorder did not come with a Users Manual or Registration Card. How can I get one?
A: The Yamaha Recorder does not come with a Registration Card nor have on-line registration system. You may need to contact your store/dealer for registration.  Hopefully your dealer can supply with you the Users Manual, but if they can not, you may get an electronic version of the Users Manual from our web site in PDF format.

Q: Where do I go for help on First Time Installation under Windows 95/98 for the Yamaha recorder? 
A: We have PDF format manual dedicated to help you configure your Yamaha recorder for Windows 95/98.

Q: My Yamaha Recorder will not write, or I always get the message "No disc in Drive"?
A: Please use this Quick Step Trouble Shooting Guide to diagnose your Yamaha Recorder.

Q: I have following symptom with the unit.  Is something wrong with the unit?

Symptom1. The CD is inserted into the Yamaha recorder.  The "ON/DISC" light blinks green for a few seconds, but never goes solid green and then the "ON/DISC" light goes AMBER.

Symptom2. After powering up the unit, I attempt to insert a disc or a Caddy with a disc inside and the drive ejects the disc/the Caddy right away, before it even has a chance to drop down and be read.
A: Please check the unit with Quick Step Trouble Shooting Guide to diagnose your Yamaha Recorder.

Q: Upon powering up the unit, both "ON/DISC" & "READ/WRITE" LEDs are solid AMBER.
A: This is a symptom of a Yamaha recorder with damaged or incomplete firmware upgrade.  This can occur if you were attempting to upgrade the Yamaha Recorder to the latest firmware level and the process did not complete.  Just power down everything, then re-power your system and attempt to upgrade the drive again.  It will usually complete the upgrade the second time around.  If it fails, the drive needs to be returned for repair.

Q: I attempted a Write operation and received an error. Where can I find help on this error code?
A: Yamaha website has the complete list of Errors generated by the Yamaha Recorder, and the Adaptec Error Code, posted.

Q: My Yamaha Recorder gets a "Buffer Underrun" error message every time I attempt a write operation. Why?
A: These days with the Yamaha Recorder having a 4MB buffer, your mastering software doing it's own buffering, and the fact your Mastering software of today only takes up 2% to 5% of your CPU time, there is no reason for "Buffer Underruns". Unless you have a problem or conflict on your system or you have a CD-ROM drive that just can not extract data fast enough. A list of possible causes are...
1) Defective or fragmented Hard Drive
2) Virus on the system, such as NYB
3) CD-ROM drive that just can not extract data at a steady 150kb/sec, 300kb/sec, or 600kb/sec rate.
4) Driver conflict or old driver for your SCSI Controller Card.
5) Bad SCSI Controller ( but shows not sign in day to day usage)
6) Bad SCSI cable, SCSI Cable connection, or Termination issue
7) Software or Program running in the back ground.
8) A DOS Memory Manager loading on boot up in your Config.sys or Autoexec.bat files.
9) You may have two hard drives, your C: drive is an older version with 2gigs of space, and your D: drive is another 2gig dedicated to CD Recording. Your C: drive may have the mastering software installed on it, and due to it's slow performance it causes a buffer underrun.
10) You've selected a LARGE number of small files in some cases 5 directory's deep or more. The mastering software is unable to build, mount, and write the image On the Fly and causes the buffer underrun.
11) You may have an ISA SCSI Controller and an older Pentium computer. Some mother boards had trouble intermitting commands when going from ISA to PCI devices and this would cause a buffer underrun.
And the list just goes on and on. Each system has to be debugged independently. Each bug listed above actually happened to one or more users.

Q: How can I avoid Buffer Underrun Errors by writing Data CD's from the Hard Drive? 
A: Creating data CDs from slower input devices, such as Zip drives, Jaz drives, older CD-ROMs, or over a network, will often result in Buffer Underrun errors.  To help insure a more efficient writing session and to avoid the Buffer Underrun errors, it is recommended that the files first be copied to the Hard Drive before writing the CD. 

Q: What Mastering software works with the Yamaha CRW8824 Recorders, or what mastering software does Yamaha recommend using with their Yamaha Recorders?
A: The supported applications have been listed on our web site and check with each software company for the support version for your unit.

Q: Where can I get the patch or the upgrade for my software?
A: Please contact the software developer for more information on the upgrade.

Q: The CDR/CRW is not recognized by software.  What is wrong with it?

A: If the recorder is not recognized by the mastering software, check with the ASPI driver.  It may not be installed or have an older version.  Look at the Winaspi32.dll Properties, for example, to check with the version you have.   Especially if you are using Windows NT 4.0, you must install the ASPI driver unless the software has it.  You may also have an old version of your Mastering software which will not support your Yamaha Recorder.  Please check with the Developer to find out what release of their Mastering supports our model Yamaha Recorder.

ADAPTEC Easy CD Creator Q&A

Q: How do I get a Manual for the EasyCD Creator mastering software? It did not come with the recorder.
A: Adaptec does not have a Users Manual for the CD Creator software. They have a very extensive HELP ME index, that has all the information you would need and more. In most cases, much more helpful than your average users manual.

Q: Is the Easy CD Creator compatible with Windows NT4.0? 
A: Yamaha CDR/CRW drives will install as a CD-ROM reader on Windows NT4.0 without the requirement of mastering software.  Unfortunately, Adaptec's Easy CD Creator software is not compatible with Windows NTFS (the system that Windows NT uses for storing and retrieving files on a hard disk.)  If a NTFS configuration is required, try CeQuadrat's WinOnCD or any similar product that is compatible with NTFS.

Q: How do I extract Audio from a CD to .WAV file on the Hard Drive with the EasyCD Creator software?
A: Just insert an Audio CD into the Yamaha Recorder. Launch the EasyCD Creator Software, the Creator WIZARD will open up and offer you the choice of [AUDIO].  Choose Audio CD and then a window will come up and will list your AUDIO CD that you have in the Yamaha, click on the tracks in the top right corner of the window to highlight and then right click on them to save as wave file.  Then choose "Extract to file ..." option.  It will load the tracks on the CD in a Work Window.  Then select a name for the .WAV file you are about to save and a path if you do not want the default path to save it on.

Q: How do I upgrade my EasyCD Creator Mastering software?
A: All upgrades must be obtained from Adaptec directly. You can find most upgrades posted on Adaptec's web site at www.adaptec.com.

Q: How do I copy Record LP's or Cassette tapes to the Yamaha Recorder with the Adaptec EasyCD Creator software?
A: This feature is part of Adaptec's CD Creator Deluxe package and is only sold through Adaptec or Adaptec direct OEMs. You must contact Adaptec for support on this issue. Yamaha has never tested and therefore can not help with this feature.

Q: Why can only my Yamaha Recorder read the CD-RW disc and all my other CD-ROM drives get an error message? I have no problems with CDR disc, only the CD-RW disc written on the Yamaha Recorder.
A: In order to read the CD-RW disc, your CD-ROM drive must support "MultiRead" capabilities or "Level 3 ISO". 

Q: Why am I only able to write at 2x with my Yamaha CRW8824S/CRW8824E recorder and CD-RW disc? I can not even select 4x, since the option is not there.
A: You can only write to CD-RW disc at 4x speed if it is truly 4x certified CD-RW disc.  When the CD-RW disc is inserted into the recorder, the recorder is able to detect if the disc is 4x certified CD-RW disc by a bit set on the CD-RW disc in manufacturing. If this is not 4x CD-RW disc, the mastering software and recorder will not allow you to select 4x write speed. We recommend using Yamaha, Fuji Film, Imation, Kodak, Mitsubishi, Philips, Ricoh, Sony, TDK or Verbatim brand CD-RW 4x disc.

Q: Where can I find a list of error messages for the EasyCD Creator Mastering software?
A: You will find a list of error messages for the EasyCD Creator software posted on Adaptec's web site at www.adaptec.com. For a list of error messages generated by the Yamaha Recorder you can find them posted on Yamaha's web site.

Q: I get an error code with the Yamaha Recorder when ever I attempt a write operation. Where can I find a list that describes this error message so I know what is going on with my recorder?
A: Yamaha has a complete list of error codes generated by the Yamaha Recorders and even a list of error codes generated by some mastering software or SCSI Controllers. To see this list click here.

Q: My Yamaha Recorder gets a "Buffer Underrun" error message every time I attempt a write operation. Why?
A: With the Yamaha Recorder CRW8824 having a 4MB buffer, your mastering software doing it's own buffering, and the fact your Mastering software of today only takes up 2% to 5% of your CPU time, there is no reason for "Buffer Underruns". Unless you have a problem or conflict on your system or you have a CD-ROM drive that just can not extract data fast enough. A list of possible causes are...
1) Defective or fragmented Hard Drive
2) Virus on the system, such as NYB
3) CD-ROM drive that just can not extract data at a steady 150kb/sec, 300kb/sec, or 600kb/sec rate.
4) Driver conflict or old driver for your SCSI Controller Card.
5) Bad SCSI Controller ( but shows not sign in day to day usage)
6) Bad SCSI cable, SCSI Cable connection, or Termination issue
7) Software or Program running in the back ground.
8) A DOS Memory Manager loading on boot up in your Config.sys or Autoexec.bat files.
9) You may have two hard drives, your C: drive is an older version with 2gigs of space, and your D: drive is another 2gig dedicated to CD Recording. Your C: drive may have the mastering software installed on it, and due to it's slow performance it causes a buffer underrun.
10) You've selected a LARGE number of small files in some cases 5 directory's deep or more. The mastering software is unable to build, mount, and write the image On the Fly and causes the buffer underrun.
11) You may have an ISA SCSI Controller and an older Pentium computer. Some mother boards had trouble intermitting commands when going from ISA to PCI devices and this would cause a buffer underrun.
And the list just goes on and on. Each system has to be debugged independently. Each bug listed above actually happened to one or more users.

ADAPTEC TOAST Q&A

Q: Why will my Toast not see my Yamaha CRW8824S as a Recorder?
A: The Yamaha CRW8824S was not supported as a recorder by Toast until Release 4.0.2. 

Q: How can I UPGRADE my Toast /Toast JAM software?
A: All upgrades must be obtained through Adaptec directly. Many upgrades can be obtained from their web site directly at www.adaptec.com.

Q: Why am I unable to get a true zero second Pre-gap between songs with the Toast and the Yamaha CRW8824S Recorder?
A: This is a feature of the Adaptec Toast software. If you want to be able to get true zero pre-gap between songs in order to create a MASTER Audio CD, you must use Adaptec's Toast JAM.

Q: Is there any tips to avoid Buffer Underruns in Toast on a Mac when creating an Audio CD with the Yamaha CRW8824S?
A: Buffer Underruns occur when information is not being transferred to the CD Recorder fast enough.  CDR/CRW drives need to write data or audio continuously, without stopping or pausing.  Most standard CD-Roms from Apple are very slow when extracting audio.  Extracting audio to the Hard Drive (HD) first, before writing, will help insure a quality recording.

WinOnCD Q&A

You can find variety of useful information on Yamaha Systems Technology Europe site.

Packet Writing Software Q&A

Q: What Packet Writing software will work with the Yamaha CDR8824S/CRW8824E series Recorders?
A: DirectCD Standard version 3.01c or Deluxe version 3.01d for Windows 95/98/NT4.0/Windows 2000 (from Adaptec).

Q: Can I use Packet writing software to copy audio CD's?
A: Packet writing software is best suited for backing up data files.  It may not work well for mastering CD-ROM's.  Please use other software for mastering files. 

Q: Is there a quick tip for trouble shooting DirectCD software from Adaptec?
A: Yes. There are no error codes supplied by Adaptec for this software, so it is not easy to debug. All you can really do is remove any other mastering software you have as well as DirectCD. Then reinstall DirectCD by itself. If the problem persists, reinstall Windows 95/98, NT 4.0 or Windows 2000 operating system. This is what most Tech Support Rep's will ask you to do, and other than upgrading the DirectCD software or the firmware on the recorder, there is not much more you can do.

Q: I get the following error message when I start Direct CD.  What is wrong?

     Module:<unknown>, address : 0000:82b782dc

     Registers:

     EAX=00000001 CS=014f EIP=82b782dc EFLGS=00010202

     EBX=00000000 SS=0157 ESP=006afae8 EBP=82b582c4

     ECX=01811c0c DS=0157 ESI=00421630 FS=2367

     EDX=00000003 ES=0157 EDI=bfed1561 GS=0000

     Bytes at CS:EIP:
A: Check the "Auto insert notification" checkbox on the "settings" tab in the Control Panel/System/Device Manager/ CD-Rom/Yamaha CDR/CRW.  If this is turned off, you may get this error when starting Direct CD.

Q: Does Direct CD cause conflicts with other software?
A: Direct CD will not work if any other Packet writing software is installed in the same computer.  Also, if Internet Explore 4.0 and Direct CD are installed in the same computer, the system may freeze.

Q: Is it true that some ISO9660 discs cannot be read even with the proper setting for the interchangeability?
A: Depending on the CD-ROM drive, ISO9660 discs cannot be read regardless of the setting for the ISO9660 interchangeability.  Multi-Extension (ISO9660 Level3) supported CD-ROM is required.

Q: How do I obtain a copy of DirectCD 3.01c or later from Adaptec?
A: You must contact Adaptec directly for this at www.adaptec.com.

Q: What formats will the Yamaha CD Recorder support? Will it do Packet Writing? Can it extract Audio at 16x speeds? Can it do Disc-At-Once (DAO) writing? Will it support the CD+G format?
A: The Yamaha Recorders support all the above formats and more. The CRW8824S/CRW8824E supports just about every format available except for Kodak Bar Coding and SCMS.

Q: What brand of disc do you recommend to be used with the Yamaha CRW8824S/CRW8824E Recorders?
A: The Yamaha web site has the list of recommended brands of discs, posted. 

Q: What happens if the size of the written files is beyond the capacity of the disc?
A: When the file is bigger than the capacity of the CD-R, it creates unreadable discs.

Q: I have CRW8824S/CRW8824E, but the drive does not record CD-RW at 4x speed.  Why?
A: Please make sure to use the 4x supported CD-RW disc.  All other CD-RW discs may only be used for 2x speed.

Q: The recorded CD-RW disc can be read by CRW drive, but not with my CD-ROM drive.  Was the disc recorded properly?
A: Check with the manufacturer of your CD-ROM drive if it supports Multiread function. The drive must support this function in order to read CD-RW discs.  Yamaha CRW drive supports this function, so the drive reads recorded CD-RW discs.

Q: I used the "Quick Erase", but it did not work well.  Does this mean that the disc is no longer usable?
A: "Quick Erase" may not work well if the disc was previously used with a different software or recorded with a different recorder.  If so, try the "Full Erase" instead.  The disc should become usable.

Q: After formatting the CD-RW disc, the available space on the disc was reduced to 490MB or 530MB.  Why?
A: It takes some space for formatting, so the available space will be reduced.  For Packet Writing, the data will be divided into small "Packets" when it is being recorded.  The space will be used for the link block, for these "Packets" to be read as a file.  Compare to CD-R discs, CD-RW discs take more space for formatting to allow sequential or random erase.  The available space after formatting will be different depending on the software or the software version.

Q: How can I create a Compilation Audio CD in order to be played on audio CD player properly? 
A: In general, most audio CD players cannot read multi-session CDs.  Therefore, the entire contents of a CD must be written at one time.  This is achieved by extracting tracks from multiple CDs, writing them to the hard drive, and copying them to a CD in one session.  

Q: I get a lot of noise in duplicated audio CD's.  What should I do? 
A: For a good quality audio CD copy, extract tracks with slower reading speed, create image files on the hard disk, and write at slower speed.  By doing this, you can avoid buffer underrun error and noticeable noise.  If you are getting too much noise, it can be the hardware problem.  Please follow the Quick Step Trouble Shooting Guide to diagnose your Yamaha recorder.  Some WAV editors have been known to cause this when used with certain Mastering software applications.  If you are using a WAV editor, try creating a CD without the WAV editor to see if that is the cause.

Q: Why does the extracted audio tracks has a lot of noise even if the source disc is played back with no noticeable noise?  Doesn't the correction work for audio extraction?
A: If the source disc is scratched or damaged in some ways, the extracted file will be damaged as well.

Q: Why my Yamaha recorder recognizes data CD as an Audio CD? 
A: Two causes are known at this time.  One is simply old drivers for your scsi card.  Just download the latest drivers from your scsi card manufacturer. (Note: when it's a driver related problem, you'll find you are able to write CD's with no problems, and the Data CD that is reporting as Audio will be seen as the Data CD under Windows Explorer.  And you can pull data from it.)  The Second cause appears to be the motherboards PCI Bus.  When this is the cause, you will be unable to write or read properly.  All Data CD's will report as Audio.  The only solution to date is to put in an ISA scsi card to bypass the PCI bus, or to replace the motherboard of your computer. 

Q: I've heard that burning a CD-R at quad speed or faster is better than single speed recording.  Is this true? 
A: There is some truth to this.  The physics, chemistry and thermodynamics of the recording process seem to produce more consistent and readable marks within the CD-R recording layer when the recording speed is 4x or higher.  This may be due to the annealing process of pit formation at 1x where the heat caused by the laser remains focused on the pit for a longer time.  Newer recorders and disc are tuned better at its maximum recording speed (although the Orange Book, Part II, until revised, only guarantees interchangeability at 1x and 2x recording speeds). 

Q: My system crashes in a GRI-Modul or Kernel, often just after starting the software.  I have an NCR, Symbios Logic or Asus controller.  
A: This problem occurs if you're using miniport driver other than the one delivered with Win95 or the newest driver version for your controller from the manufacturer.  Please use the current driver for your controller. 

Q: Every time my Adaptec SCSI Controller sees the Yamaha CD-Recorder upon boot-up, it hangs up for a long time before continuing with the boot process. What can I do to speed it up?
A: This is normally caused by Adaptec's "Boot from CD-Rom" option being enabled. To speed up the boot process, use "Ctrl-A" option to configure the Adaptec SCSI Controller. In the "Advanced Configuration" options you will find the "Boot from CD-Rom" option. Select it by clicking on it and then select "Disabled" for that option. Upon rebooting the systems it should now move right past the Yamaha CD-Recorder without any pause.

Q: My Yamaha Recorder did not come with a Users Manual or Registration Card. How can I get one?
A: The Yamaha Recorder does not come with a Registration Card nor have on-line registration system. You may need to contact your store/dealer for registration.  Hopefully your dealer can supply with you the Users Manual, but if they can not, you may get an electronic version of the Users Manual from our web site in PDF format.

Q: Where do I go for help on First Time Installation under Windows 95/98 for the Yamaha recorder? 
A: We have PDF format manual dedicated to help you configure your Yamaha recorder for Windows 95/98.

Q: I would like to configure the Yamaha CRW8824S as the only functioning CD-ROM on a Macintosh.
A: Yamaha CDR/CRW drives are not plug and play devices when used with a Macintosh computer.  Therefore, to configure Yamaha CDR/CRW drives to function as a CD Reader on the system, the supported mastering software must be installed.

Q: My Yamaha Recorder will not write, or I always get the message "No disc in Drive"?
A: Please use this Quick Step Trouble Shooting Guide to diagnose your Yamaha Recorder.

Q: I have following symptom with the unit.  Is something wrong with the unit?

Symptom1. The CD is inserted into the Yamaha recorder.  The "ON/DISC" light blinks green for a few seconds, but never goes solid green and then the "ON/DISC" light goes AMBER.

Symptom2. After powering up the unit, I attempt to insert a disc or a Caddy with a disc inside and the drive ejects the disc/the Caddy right away, before it even has a chance to drop down and be read.
A: Please check the unit with Quick Step Trouble Shooting Guide to diagnose your Yamaha Recorder.

Q: Upon powering up the unit, both "ON/DISC" & "READ/WRITE" LEDs are solid AMBER.
A: This is a symptom of a Yamaha recorder with damaged or incomplete firmware upgrade.  This can occur if you were attempting to upgrade the Yamaha Recorder to the latest firmware level and the process did not complete.  Just power down everything, then re-power your system and attempt to upgrade the drive again.  It will usually complete the upgrade the second time around.  If it fails, the drive needs to be returned for repair.

Q: I attempted a Write operation and received an error. Where can I find help on this error code?
A: Yamaha website has the complete list of Errors generated by the Yamaha Recorder, and the Adaptec Error Code, posted.

Q: Where can I get drivers for my Yamaha Recorder?
A: The Yamaha CRW8824S/CRW8824E are Plug-n-Play devices. Any drivers you may need, will come with your Mastering Software or SCSI Card. As long as your SCSI Card loads properly, the Yamaha Recorder will be seen and a driver letter assigned. If you have an IDE model recorder, as long as your System sees the IDE device upon boot up, it will automatically be seen as a CD-ROM drive and have a driver letter assigned to it. For Mac Users, click here.

Q: Where can I get drivers for my recorder CRW8824S/CRW8824E under Windows2000?
A: Same as on Windows95/98, CRW8824S/CRW8824E are Plug-n-Play devices.  Any drivers you may need, will come with your Mastering Software or SCSI card.  As long as your scsi card and mastering software support Windows2000, the Yamaha recorder will be seen with drive letter assigned and should be used as recorder.

Q: The CDR/CRW is not recognized.  Do I need a driver? 
A: After BIOS starts, name of your CDR/CRW should appear on the screen before Windows starts.  If the CDR/CRW is not recognized at this point, it is not electronically connected with your computer.  Please check with the SCSI/EIDE connection or if the CDR/CRW itself is defective.  Refer to the Quick Step Trouble Shooting Guide.  Also, check to see if the SCSI driver is installed properly.  The driver should come with your SCSI card.  When the recorder is connected properly, an icon should appear in Control Panel/System/Device Manager/CD-ROM.  Or the drive may not be recognized properly depending on the SCSI card you have.  Refer to the section SCSI card for more information.

Q: I would like to use the recorder under MS-DOS.  How should I do it? 
A: In order to use the driver under MS-DOS, you need to configure your system and install a proper writing software.  You need to add: 

in your "config.sys" file,

DEVICE=your SCSI driver.sys

DEVICE=your SCSI CDROM driver.sys/d:cdrom1  

(SCSI driver and the SCSI CDROM driver should come with the SCSI card.)

AND in "autoexec.bat"

MSCDEX.EXE/D:cdrom1/L:D

Please read your SCSI card manual for details.

Q: I am using the CDR/CRW under DOS/Windows 3.1/Windows NT4.0.  Where can I obtain the ASPI driver?
A: For SCSI drives, the driver usually comes with mastering software.  For EIDE drives, a generic IDE CD-ROM drivers can be used.  However, we do not provide any drivers because they usually come with the mastering software.  Please read the SCSI card manual on how to configure generic CD-ROM driver for SCSI CD-ROM drivers. 

Q: I get an error code with the Yamaha Recorder whenever I attempt a write operation. Where can I find a list that describes this error message so I know what is going on with my recorder?
A: Yamaha has a complete list of error codes generated by the Yamaha Recorders and even a list of error codes generated by some mastering software or SCSI Controllers. To see this list click here.

Q: The system hangs up or freezes during writing operation with my Yamaha CRW8824E. 
A: This is knows problem with IDE models of recorder and this is more likely to happen to audio file recording.  Please disable "DMA" option in the properties of the drive.  Even the user's manual recommends to enable this option, we found depending on computer system, this may cause operation to become unstable. 

Q: My Yamaha Recorder gets a "Buffer Underrun" error message every time I attempt a write operation. Why?
A: These days with the Yamaha Recorder having a 4MB buffer, your mastering software doing it's own buffering, and the fact your Mastering software of today only takes up 2% to 5% of your CPU time, there is no reason for "Buffer Underruns". Unless you have a problem or conflict on your system or you have a CD-ROM drive that just can not extract data fast enough. A list of possible causes are...
1) Defective or fragmented Hard Drive
2) Virus on the system, such as NYB
3) CD-ROM drive that just can not extract data at a steady 150kb/sec, 300kb/sec, or 600kb/sec rate.
4) Driver conflict or old driver for your SCSI Controller Card.
5) Bad SCSI Controller ( but shows not sign in day to day usage)
6) Bad SCSI cable, SCSI Cable connection, or Termination issue
7) Software or Program running in the back ground.
8) A DOS Memory Manager loading on boot up in your Config.sys or Autoexec.bat files.
9) You may have two hard drives, your C: drive is an older version with 2gigs of space, and your D: drive is another 2gig dedicated to CD Recording. Your C: drive may have the mastering software installed on it, and due to it's slow performance it causes a buffer underrun.
10) You've selected a LARGE number of small files in some cases 5 directory's deep or more. The mastering software is unable to build, mount, and write the image On the Fly and causes the buffer underrun.
11) You may have an ISA SCSI Controller and an older Pentium computer. Some mother boards had trouble intermitting commands when going from ISA to PCI devices and this would cause a buffer underrun.
And the list just goes on and on. Each system has to be debugged independently. Each bug listed above actually happened to one or more users.

Q: How can I avoid Buffer Underrun Errors by writing Data CD's from the Hard Drive? 
A: Creating data CDs from slower input devices, such as Zip drives, Jaz drives, older CD-ROMs, or over a network, will often result in Buffer Underrun errors.  To help insure a more efficient writing session and to avoid the Buffer Underrun errors, it is recommended that the files first be copied to the Hard Drive before writing the CD. 

Q: What Mastering software works with the Yamaha CRW8424 Recorders, or what mastering software does Yamaha recommend using with their Yamaha Recorders?
A: The supported applications have been listed on our web site and check with each software company for the support version for your unit.

Q: Where can I get the patch or the upgrade for my software?
A: Please contact the software developer for more information on the upgrade.

Q: The CDR/CRW is not recognized by software.  What is wrong with it?

A: If the recorder is not recognized by the mastering software, check with the ASPI driver.  It may not be installed or have an older version.  Look at the Winaspi32.dll Properties, for example, to check with the version you have.   Especially if you are using Windows NT 4.0, you must install the ASPI driver unless the software has it.  You may also have an old version of your Mastering software which will not support your Yamaha Recorder.  Please check with the Developer to find out what release of their Mastering supports our model Yamaha Recorder.

ADAPTEC Easy CD Creator Q&A

Q: How do I get a Manual for the EasyCD Creator mastering software? It did not come with the recorder.
A: Adaptec does not have a Users Manual for the CD Creator software. They have a very extensive HELP ME index, that has all the information you would need and more. In most cases, much more helpful than your average users manual.

Q: Is the Easy CD Creator compatible with Windows NT4.0? 
A: Yamaha CDR/CRW drives will install as a CD-ROM reader on Windows NT4.0 without the requirement of mastering software.  Unfortunately, Adaptec's Easy CD Creator software is not compatible with Windows NTFS (the system that Windows NT uses for storing and retrieving files on a hard disk.)  If a NTFS configuration is required, try CeQuadrat's WinOnCD or any similar product that is compatible with NTFS.

Q: How do I extract Audio from a CD to .WAV file on the Hard Drive with the EasyCD Creator software?
A: Version3.xx - Just insert an Audio CD into the Yamaha Recorder. Launch the EasyCD Creator Software, the Creator WIZARD will open up and offer you the choice between DATA or AUDIO. Choose Audio CD and then click on NEXT. A window will come up and will list your AUDIO CD that you have in the Yamaha, click on the AUDIO CD to highlight it and then click on the "ADD NOW" button in the bottom left corner of the window. It will load all the tracks on the CD in a Work Window. As soon as it's done loading the Audio Tracks, click on 'CANCEL' to close the current window so we can get at the one behind it.  In the new window, highlight the TRACK 1 wave file in the window. Then click on "TRACK" in the top MENU of the window and you will see an option listed under "TRACK" called "Pre-Record to Wave file...". Select Pre-Record to Wav file... and then select a name for the .WAV file you are about to save and a path if you do not want the default path to save it on your Hard Drive.

Version4.xx - Just insert an Audio CD into the Yamaha Recorder. Launch the EasyCD Creator Software, the Creator WIZARD will open up and offer you the choice of [AUDIO].  Choose Audio CD and then a window will come up and will list your AUDIO CD that you have in the Yamaha, click on the tracks in the top right corner of the window to highlight and then right click on them to save as wave file.  Then choose "Extract to file ..." option.  It will load the tracks on the CD in a Work Window.  Then select a name for the .WAV file you are about to save and a path if you do not want the default path to save it on.

Q: How do I upgrade my EasyCD Creator Mastering software?
A: All upgrades must be obtained from Adaptec directly. You can find most upgrades posted on Adaptec's web site at www.adaptec.com.

Q: How do I copy Record LP's or Cassette tapes to the Yamaha Recorder with the Adaptec EasyCD Creator software?
A: This feature is part of Adaptec's CD Creator Deluxe package and is only sold through Adaptec or Adaptec direct OEMs. You must contact Adaptec for support on this issue. Yamaha has never tested and therefore can not help with this feature.

Q: Why can only my Yamaha Recorder read the CD-RW disc and all my other CD-ROM drives get an error message? I have no problems with CDR disc, only the CD-RW disc written on the Yamaha Recorder.
A: In order to read the CD-RW disc, your CD-ROM drive must support "MultiRead" capabilities or "Level 3 ISO". 

Q: Why am I only able to write at 2x with my Yamaha CRW8424S/CRW8424E recorder and CD-RW disc? I can not even select 4x, since the option is not there.
A: You can only write to CD-RW disc at 4x speed if it is truly 4x certified CD-RW disc.  When the CD-RW disc is inserted into the recorder, the recorder is able to detect if the disc is 4x certified CD-RW disc by a bit set on the CD-RW disc in manufacturing. If this is not 4x CD-RW disc, the mastering software and recorder will not allow you to select 4x write speed. We recommend using Yamaha, Fuji Film, Imation, Kodak, Mitsubishi, Philips, Ricoh, Sony, TDK or Verbatim brand CD-RW 4x disc.

Q: Where can I find a list of error messages for the EasyCD Creator Mastering software?
A: You will find a list of error messages for the EasyCD Creator software posted on Adaptec's web site at www.adaptec.com. For a list of error messages generated by the Yamaha Recorder you can find them posted on Yamaha's web site.

Q: I get an error code with the Yamaha Recorder when ever I attempt a write operation. Where can I find a list that describes this error message so I know what is going on with my recorder?
A: Yamaha has a complete list of error codes generated by the Yamaha Recorders and even a list of error codes generated by some mastering software or SCSI Controllers. To see this list click here.

Q: My Yamaha Recorder gets a "Buffer Underrun" error message every time I attempt a write operation. Why?
A: With the Yamaha Recorder CRW8424 having a 4MB buffer, your mastering software doing it's own buffering, and the fact your Mastering software of today only takes up 2% to 5% of your CPU time, there is no reason for "Buffer Underruns". Unless you have a problem or conflict on your system or you have a CD-ROM drive that just can not extract data fast enough. A list of possible causes are...
1) Defective or fragmented Hard Drive
2) Virus on the system, such as NYB
3) CD-ROM drive that just can not extract data at a steady 150kb/sec, 300kb/sec, or 600kb/sec rate.
4) Driver conflict or old driver for your SCSI Controller Card.
5) Bad SCSI Controller ( but shows not sign in day to day usage)
6) Bad SCSI cable, SCSI Cable connection, or Termination issue
7) Software or Program running in the back ground.
8) A DOS Memory Manager loading on boot up in your Config.sys or Autoexec.bat files.
9) You may have two hard drives, your C: drive is an older version with 2gigs of space, and your D: drive is another 2gig dedicated to CD Recording. Your C: drive may have the mastering software installed on it, and due to it's slow performance it causes a buffer underrun.
10) You've selected a LARGE number of small files in some cases 5 directory's deep or more. The mastering software is unable to build, mount, and write the image On the Fly and causes the buffer underrun.
11) You may have an ISA SCSI Controller and an older Pentium computer. Some mother boards had trouble intermitting commands when going from ISA to PCI devices and this would cause a buffer underrun.
And the list just goes on and on. Each system has to be debugged independently. Each bug listed above actually happened to one or more users.

ADAPTEC TOAST Q&A

Q: Why will my Toast not see my Yamaha CRW8424S as a Recorder?
A: The Yamaha CRW8424S was not supported as a recorder by Toast until Release 3.5.7 plus patch.  If you have an earlier version, you must contact Adaptec directly first for upgrade to version 3.5.7.  And then apply patch from Adaptec to Toast folder to use with CRW8424S.  The patch is available at Yamaha Corporation of America site..

Q: How can I UPGRADE my Toast /Toast JAM software?
A: All upgrades must be obtained through Adaptec directly. Many upgrades can be obtained from their web site directly at www.adaptec.com.

Q: Why am I unable to get a true zero second Pre-gap between songs with the Toast and the Yamaha CRW8424S Recorder?
A: This is a feature of the Adaptec Toast software. If you want to be able to get true zero pre-gap between songs in order to create a MASTER Audio CD, you must use Adaptec's Toast JAM.

Q: Is there any tips to avoid Buffer Underruns in Toast on a Mac when creating an Audio CD with the Yamaha CRW8424S?
A: Buffer Underruns occur when information is not being transferred to the CD Recorder fast enough.  CDR/CRW drives need to write data or audio continuously, without stopping or pausing.  Most standard CD-Roms from Apple are very slow when extracting audio.  Extracting audio to the Hard Drive (HD) first, before writing, will help insure a quality recording.

WinOnCD Q&A

You can find variety of useful information on Yamaha Systems Technology Europe site.

Packet Writing Software Q&A

Q: What Packet Writing software will work with the Yamaha CDR8424S/CRW8424E series Recorders?
A: DirectCD 2.5d with 1.04 patch or 3.0 with 2.01 patch for Windows 95/98/NT4.0 (from Adaptec) and PacketCD 3.0 for Windows 95/98 (from CeQuadrat).

Q: Can I use Packet writing software to copy audio CD's?
A: Packet writing software is best suited for backing up data files.  It may not work well for mastering CD-ROM's.  Please use other software for mastering files. 

Q: Is there a quick tip for trouble shooting DirectCD software from Adaptec?
A: Yes. There are no error codes supplied by Adaptec for this software, so it is not easy to debug. All you can really do is remove any other mastering software you have as well as DirectCD. Then reinstall DirectCD by itself. If the problem persists, reinstall Windows 95/98 or NT 4.0 operating system. This is what most Tech Support Rep's will ask you to do, and other than upgrading the DirectCD software or the firmware on the recorder, there is not much more you can do.

Q: I get the following error message when I start Direct CD.  What is wrong?

     Module:<unknown>, address : 0000:82b782dc

     Registers:

     EAX=00000001 CS=014f EIP=82b782dc EFLGS=00010202

     EBX=00000000 SS=0157 ESP=006afae8 EBP=82b582c4

     ECX=01811c0c DS=0157 ESI=00421630 FS=2367

     EDX=00000003 ES=0157 EDI=bfed1561 GS=0000

     Bytes at CS:EIP:
A: Check the "Auto insert notification" checkbox on the "settings" tab in the Control Panel/System/Device Manager/ CD-Rom/Yamaha CDR/CRW.  If this is turned off, you may get this error when starting Direct CD.

Q: Does Direct CD cause conflicts with other software?
A: Direct CD will not work if any other Packet writing software is installed in the same computer.  Also, if Internet Explore 4.0 and Direct CD are installed in the same computer, the system may freeze.

Q: Is it true that some ISO9660 discs cannot be read even with the proper setting for the interchangeability?
A: Depending on the CD-ROM drive, ISO9660 discs cannot be read regardless of the setting for the ISO9660 interchangeability.  Multi-Extension (ISO9660 Level3) supported CD-ROM is required.

Q: How do I obtain a copy of DirectCD 2.5d or later from Adaptec?
A: You must contact Adaptec directly for this at www.adaptec.com.

Q: How do I obtain a copy of PacketCD 3.0 or later from CeQuadrat?
A: You must contact CeQuadrat directly for this at www.cequadrat.com.

Technical Support Q&A

Q: What formats will the Yamaha CD Recorder support? Will it do Packet Writing? Can it extract Audio at 16x speeds? Can it do Disc-At-Once (DAO) writing? Will it support the CD+G format?
A: The Yamaha Recorders support all the above formats and more. The CRW8424S/CRW8424E supports just about every format available except for Kodak Bar Coding, SCMS, and CD-TEXT.

Q: What brand of disc do you recommend to be used with the Yamaha CRW8424S/CRW8424E Recorders?
A: The Yamaha web site has the list of recommended brands of discs, posted. 

Q: Does my Yamaha CRW8424S/CRW8424E recorder support High-Speed CD-RW discs?
A: Due to the standard for High-Speed CD-RW disc has set up recently, the recorder do not support writing to the High-Speed CD-RW disc, though the drive is capable to read this disc. 

Q: What happens if the size of the written files is beyond the capacity of the disc?
A: When the file is bigger than the capacity of the CD-R, it creates unreadable discs.

Q: I have CRW8424S/CRW8424E, but the drive does not record CD-RW at 4x speed.  Why?
A: Please make sure to use the 4x supported CD-RW disc.  All other CD-RW discs may only be used for 2x speed.

Q: The recorded CD-RW disc can be read by CRW drive, but not with my CD-ROM drive.  Was the disc recorded properly?
A: Check with the manufacturer of your CD-ROM drive if it supports Multiread function. The drive must support this function in order to read CD-RW discs.  Yamaha CRW drive supports this function, so the drive reads recorded CD-RW discs.

Q: I used the "Quick Erase", but it did not work well.  Does this mean that the disc is no longer usable?
A: "Quick Erase" may not work well if the disc was previously used with a different software or recorded with a different recorder.  If so, try the "Full Erase" instead.  The disc should become usable.

Q: After formatting the CD-RW disc, the available space on the disc was reduced to 490MB or 530MB.  Why?
A: It takes some space for formatting, so the available space will be reduced.  For Packet Writing, the data will be divided into small "Packets" when it is being recorded.  The space will be used for the link block, for these "Packets" to be read as a file.  Compare to CD-R discs, CD-RW discs take more space for formatting to allow sequential or random erase.  The available space after formatting will be different depending on the software or the software version.

Q: How can I create a Compilation Audio CD in order to be played on audio CD player properly? 
A: In general, most audio CD players cannot read multi-session CDs.  Therefore, the entire contents of a CD must be written at one time.  This is achieved by extracting tracks from multiple CDs, writing them to the hard drive, and copying them to a CD in one session.  

Q: I get a lot of noise in duplicated audio CD's.  What should I do? 
A: For a good quality audio CD copy, extract tracks with slower reading speed, create image files on the hard disk, and write at slower speed.  By doing this, you can avoid buffer underrun error and noticeable noise.  If you are getting too much noise, it can be the hardware problem.  Please follow the Quick Step Trouble Shooting Guide to diagnose your Yamaha recorder.  Some WAV editors have been known to cause this when used with certain Mastering software applications.  If you are using a WAV editor, try creating a CD without the WAV editor to see if that is the cause.

Q: The WAVE file appears to be different from the original.  Why don't I get the exact same file? 
A: The WAVE file of the extracted audio tracks may appear to be different.  Audio tracks are extracted the way CDR reads it, and it is different depending on the reading speed or the software you use.  Even when extracting the same tracks twice with the same software, the WAVE file may not be the same.  However, there should not be any audible differences, and you can check the file by playing it back.   

Q: Why does the extracted audio tracks has a lot of noise even if the source disc is played back with no noticeable noise?  Doesn't the correction work for audio extraction?
A: If the source disc is scratched or damaged in some ways, the extracted file will be damaged as well.

Q: Why my Yamaha recorder recognizes data CD as an Audio CD? 
A: Two causes are known at this time.  One is simply old drivers for your scsi card.  Just download the latest drivers from your scsi card manufacturer. (Note: when it's a driver related problem, you'll find you are able to write CD's with no problems, and the Data CD that is reporting as Audio will be seen as the Data CD under Windows Explorer.  And you can pull data from it.)  The Second cause appears to be the motherboards PCI Bus.  When this is the cause, you will be unable to write or read properly.  All Data CD's will report as Audio.  The only solution to date is to put in an ISA scsi card to bypass the PCI bus, or to replace the motherboard of your computer. 

Q: I've heard that burning a CD-R at quad speed or faster is better than single speed recording.  Is this true? 
A: There is some truth to this.  The physics, chemistry and thermodynamics of the recording process seem to produce more consistent and readable marks within the CD-R recording layer when the recording speed is 4x or higher.  This may be due to the annealing process of pit formation at 1x where the heat caused by the laser remains focused on the pit for a longer time.  Newer recorders and disc are tuned better at its maximum recording speed (although the Orange Book, Part II, until revised, only guarantees interchangeability at 1x and 2x recording speeds). 

Q: My system crashes in a GRI-Modul or Kernel, often just after starting the software.  I have an NCR, Symbios Logic or Asus controller.  
A: This problem occurs if you're using miniport driver other than the one delivered with Win95 or the newest driver version for your controller from the manufacturer.  Please use the current driver for your controller. 

Q: Every time my Adaptec SCSI Controller sees the Yamaha CD-Recorder upon boot-up, it hangs up for a long time before continuing with the boot process. What can I do to speed it up?
A: This is normally caused by Adaptec's "Boot from CD-Rom" option being enabled. To speed up the boot process, use "Ctrl-A" option to configure the Adaptec SCSI Controller. In the "Advanced Configuration" options you will find the "Boot from CD-Rom" option. Select it by clicking on it and then select "Disabled" for that option. Upon rebooting the systems it should now move right past the Yamaha CD-Recorder without any pause.

Q: My Yamaha Recorder did not come with a Users Manual or Registration Card. How can I get one?
A: The Yamaha Recorder does not come with a Registration Card nor have on-line registration system. You may need to contact your store/dealer for registration.  Hopefully your dealer can supply with you the Users Manual, but if they can not, you may get an electronic version of the Users Manual from our web site in PDF format.

Q: Where do I go for help on First Time Installation under Windows 95/98 for the Yamaha recorder? 
A: We have PDF format manual dedicated to help you configure your Yamaha recorder for Windows 95/98.

Q: I would like to configure the Yamaha CRW8424S as the only functioning CD-ROM on a Macintosh.
A: Yamaha CDR/CRW drives are not plug and play devices when used with a Macintosh computer.  Therefore, to configure Yamaha CDR/CRW drives to function as a CD Reader on the system, the supported mastering software must be installed.

Q: My Yamaha Recorder will not write, or I always get the message "No disc in Drive"?
A: Please use this Quick Step Trouble Shooting Guide to diagnose your Yamaha Recorder.

Q: I have following symptom with the unit.  Is something wrong with the unit?

Symptom1. The CD is inserted into the Yamaha recorder.  The "ON/DISC" light blinks green for a few seconds, but never goes solid green and then the "ON/DISC" light goes AMBER.

Symptom2. After powering up the unit, I attempt to insert a disc or a Caddy with a disc inside and the drive ejects the disc/the Caddy right away, before it even has a chance to drop down and be read.
A: Please check the unit with Quick Step Trouble Shooting Guide to diagnose your Yamaha Recorder.

Q: Upon powering up the unit, both "ON/DISC" & "READ/WRITE" LEDs are solid AMBER.
A: This is a symptom of a Yamaha recorder with damaged or incomplete firmware upgrade.  This can occur if you were attempting to upgrade the Yamaha Recorder to the latest firmware level and the process did not complete.  Just power down everything, then re-power your system and attempt to upgrade the drive again.  It will usually complete the upgrade the second time around.  If it fails, the drive needs to be returned for repair.

Q: I attempted a Write operation and received an error. Where can I find help on this error code?
A: Yamaha website has the complete list of Errors generated by the Yamaha Recorder, and the Adaptec Error Code, posted.

Q: Where can I get drivers for my Yamaha Recorder?
A: The Yamaha CRW8424S/CRW8424E are Plug-n-Play devices. Any drivers you may need, will come with your Mastering Software or SCSI Card. As long as your SCSI Card loads properly, the Yamaha Recorder will be seen and a driver letter assigned. If you have an IDE model recorder, as long as your System sees the IDE device upon boot up, it will automatically be seen as a CD-ROM drive and have a driver letter assigned to it. For Mac Users, click here.

Q: Where can I get drivers for my recorder CRW8424S/CRW8424E under Windows2000?
A: Same as on Windows95/98, CRW8424S/CRW8424E are Plug-n-Play devices.  Any drivers you may need, will come with your Mastering Software or SCSI card.  As long as your scsi card and mastering software support Windows2000, the Yamaha recorder will be seen with drive letter assigned and should be used as recorder.

Q: The CDR/CRW is not recognized.  Do I need a driver? 
A: After BIOS starts, name of your CDR/CRW should appear on the screen before Windows starts.  If the CDR/CRW is not recognized at this point, it is not electronically connected with your computer.  Please check with the SCSI/EIDE connection or if the CDR/CRW itself is defective.  Refer to the Quick Step Trouble Shooting Guide.  Also, check to see if the SCSI driver is installed properly.  The driver should come with your SCSI card.  When the recorder is connected properly, an icon should appear in Control Panel/System/Device Manager/CD-ROM.  Or the drive may not be recognized properly depending on the SCSI card you have.  Refer to the section SCSI card for more information.

Q: I would like to use the recorder under MS-DOS.  How should I do it? 
A: In order to use the driver under MS-DOS, you need to configure your system and install a proper writing software.  You need to add: 

in your "config.sys" file,

DEVICE=your SCSI driver.sys

DEVICE=your SCSI CDROM driver.sys/d:cdrom1  

(SCSI driver and the SCSI CDROM driver should come with the SCSI card.)

AND in "autoexec.bat"

MSCDEX.EXE/D:cdrom1/L:D

Please read your SCSI card manual for details.

Q: I am using the CDR/CRW under DOS/Windows 3.1/Windows NT4.0.  Where can I obtain the ASPI driver?
A: For SCSI drives, the driver usually comes with mastering software.  For EIDE drives, a generic IDE CD-ROM drivers can be used.  However, we do not provide any drivers because they usually come with the mastering software.  Please read the SCSI card manual on how to configure generic CD-ROM driver for SCSI CD-ROM drivers. 

Q: I get an error code with the Yamaha Recorder when ever I attempt a write operation. Where can I find a list that describes this error message so I know what is going on with my recorder?
A: Yamaha has a complete list of error codes generated by the Yamaha Recorders and even a list of error codes generated by some mastering software or SCSI Controllers. To see this list click here.

Q: The system hangs up or freezes during writing operation with my Yamaha CRW8424E. 
A: This is knows problem with IDE models of recorder and this is more likely to happen to audio file recording.  Please disable "DMA" option in the properties of the drive.  Even the user's manual recommends to enable this option, we found depending on computer system, this may cause operation to become unstable. 

Q: My Yamaha Recorder gets a "Buffer Underrun" error message every time I attempt a write operation. Why?
A: These days with the Yamaha Recorder having a 4MB buffer, your mastering software doing it's own buffering, and the fact your Mastering software of today only takes up 2% to 5% of your CPU time, there is no reason for "Buffer Underruns". Unless you have a problem or conflict on your system or you have a CD-ROM drive that just can not extract data fast enough. A list of possible causes are...
1) Defective or fragmented Hard Drive
2) Virus on the system, such as NYB
3) CD-ROM drive that just can not extract data at a steady 150kb/sec, 300kb/sec, or 600kb/sec rate.
4) Driver conflict or old driver for your SCSI Controller Card.
5) Bad SCSI Controller ( but shows not sign in day to day usage)
6) Bad SCSI cable, SCSI Cable connection, or Termination issue
7) Software or Program running in the back ground.
8) A DOS Memory Manager loading on boot up in your Config.sys or Autoexec.bat files.
9) You may have two hard drives, your C: drive is an older version with 2gigs of space, and your D: drive is another 2gig dedicated to CD Recording. Your C: drive may have the mastering software installed on it, and due to it's slow performance it causes a buffer underrun.
10) You've selected a LARGE number of small files in some cases 5 directory's deep or more. The mastering software is unable to build, mount, and write the image On the Fly and causes the buffer underrun.
11) You may have an ISA SCSI Controller and an older Pentium computer. Some mother boards had trouble intermitting commands when going from ISA to PCI devices and this would cause a buffer underrun.
And the list just goes on and on. Each system has to be debugged independently. Each bug listed above actually happened to one or more users.

Q: How can I avoid Buffer Underrun Errors by writing Data CD's from the Hard Drive? 
A: Creating data CDs from slower input devices, such as Zip drives, Jaz drives, older CD-ROMs, or over a network, will often result in Buffer Underrun errors.  To help insure a more efficient writing session and to avoid the Buffer Underrun errors, it is recommended that the files first be copied to the Hard Drive before writing the CD.