The device failed to calibrate the laser power level for this media

[Shroombaker]

Quote: Originally Posted by ThreeBKK Shroombaker: What Mac model are you using? Until just recently most Mac models haven't supported dual layer +R media. Dual layer -R media has been supported for longer, and on more machines. Double check your Mac's capabilities in System Profiler.

MacBook Pro

MATSHITA DVD-R UJ-857E:

Firmware Revision: ZA0E
Interconnect: ATAPI
Burn Support: Yes (Apple Shipped/Supported)
Cache: 2048 KB
Reads DVD: Yes
CD-Write: -R, -RW
DVD-Write: -R, -R DL, -RW, +R, +RW, +R DL
Burn Underrun Protection CD: Yes
Burn Underrun Protection DVD: Yes
Write Strategies: CD-TAO, CD-SAO, DVD-DAO
Media:
Media Type: CD-ROM
Blank: No
Erasable: No
Overwritable: No
Appendable: No

[ThreeBKK]

Interesting. Were the recordable discs of the same brand, or not?

[rsonnens]

I just solved this problem a different way after trying the above recommendations without any success--well I tried everything but replacing the drive. The solution came to me when I did a thought exercise about power levels and what could cause them to be off.

First the system. I have an Intel MacMini Core Duo (Not a core two duo) and to it I have an hard drive in a case that looks like it was designed to sit above/below a MacMini that takes firewire (400) and usb. It is connect using both connectors and I have 1 or two USB devices connected to this hard drive enclosure. The drive itself has its own power supply. The drive is mainly used for time machine backups.I also have 3 other USB devices connect to the MacMini (iPhone...)

I burned a few DVDs using the same media when I first got the system a few years ago, I don't think I had the external drive then but the media was the identical media that I am now having trouble with. I have had no issues with CDRs.

My Theory:

Something was drawing power from the MacMini and it did not have enough juice to power the laser correctly.

My proposed solution:

I unmounted the volumes on the drive and I powered off the external drive.

The results:

Burning DVDs now work (even using the exact discs the it kicked out earlier!) I didn't even need to reboot the mac or even log out or back in.

[globalmag]

I'm getting the same error message on a MacBook Pro 17 running 10.5.6

The only I can burn at the moment is by burning at X1 speed...

all other speeds throw up the error...

[bobtheiss]

Quote: Originally Posted by bobtheiss The trick did not work for me now but I found some interesting info which might be relevant to the topic. When I first experienced the problem I have tried to write TDK DVD+R for 3 times and then 3 different discs from the same brand too. I just wrote the brand to show that I did not use any noname brand. I got the error message each time and I get it ever since. But, here comes the interesting part, whenever I try to write DVD-R I have totally no problems doing so. The same happens with CD-R or CD-RW. I never tried to write any DVD+R DL so I have no experiences with that. My assumption is that the issue has something to do with the +R format because if you read trough the posts, most people had problems related to DVD+R or DVD+R DL. Is this somehow possible? What do you think? I have a MacBook Pro 2.33 15" which I bought 2 years ago and a MATSHITA DVD-R UJ-857D. I also installed all the software updates that came out and I run Leopard.

Update:

Since last time, when I was still able to write -R DVD's it turned out now that I'm not able to do so anymore. I get the same error message now for both medias. I tried since then with several brands without any success.

[MatuX]

Hello, I'm a new Mac user...

I got the same error after burning about 7 Dual Layers. I do a LOT of burning and one of the biggest problems I've found is that devices tend to get hotter and hotter with each successive burning (d'uh).

I'm not really sure but I could bet that laser intensity for CDs, DVDs and DLs vary, and they tend to need to concentrate more power for each type of media and perhaps, make the discs spin faster, thus making things get so hot internally that the device itself can't correctly adjust the laser power for obvious reasons.

I got the exact same error. Waited 30 minutes (sometimes I need to wait 1 minute) to let the device cool down, tried again and things went marvelously.

Perhaps this is the same situation some people found:

Got really hot due to high laser power and/or high disc spinning, tried several times to burn with no success, device got colder, done some weird thing, re-tried and then things went okay because the device was already in the right temperature.

Just a thought.

[surreyfox]

Hi guys

I'm new to this simply because I wanted to write to tell you that the region code trick does seem to work. I had both the laser power level calibration message and the 0x800020022 message come up, and the drive was making dodgy noises when trying to burn a CD and reading anything. My mac is 8 months old. I tried the trick and it seemed to restore my mac drive to its old self so far. Ironically 2 days ago I put a DVD into the machine that I've never used before and it asked to change the region code - then this drive prob happens. Personally I think that fix is genuine and it works because of the region code probs.

Hope this helps others anyway.

Cheers

[lyonsbrookguy]

I have been trying to burn a DVD on my 24" iMac on many occasions now with a success rate of perhaps 1 in 5. Today I got that "The device failed to calibrate the laser power level for this media" message for the first time, and arrived in this forum (first time) by googling the problem. I then followed the unbelievable fix under International Language re-ordering." My iPhoto DVD then burned successfully. I was about to take my computer in for a new DVD. Who knew? For Mikey-San, I would be one of those who "Out of nowhere, after it's questioned, new members make their first posts to say (only) that it worked" That's because it's the first time I have ever been here - saw the solution and politely returned to say "thanks - it worked".

[nate88]

Count me among the amused set of people for whom the International Language fix worked.

I just had the 'device failed to calibrate the laser power level' error. Googled this thread. The fix LOOKS harmless enough, so I thought I'd try it. Sure enough - works for me. 24" iMac.

My initial reaction before reading the thread was also to try restarting my machine; I kind of wish I'd tried that first to see whether the international settings had anything to do with resolving the issue. Instead I tried the posted fix. Yay.

I still don't 'believe' in the fix as it doesn't seem meaningful, and I'm curious to know if anyone does find out what the true problem is. However -- I can't complain since I'm now happily burning a DVD.

+Karma for landrick, or whoever this came from. How you came up with it is a mystery....

[JDV]

I'm increasingly inclined to think this is a -cluster- of problems and not a single one; there is so much variance in the circumstances where the various fixes seem to work (or not work, as the case may be) that it seems unlikely that this is a single problem. But it does seem to be a common enough issue that I am surprised that Apple remains quiet on the issue. If there are known situations that produce the error message, Apple should comment on them and give a list of possible fixes; so far, as far as I can tell, nothing official has been said on the subject. The very length of this thread seems to indicate that it is more than just an isolated situation. I'd hope that Apple follows this forum in some way and might make some sort of enlightening contribution on the subject!

Joe VanZandt

[sleeplessj]

I've also just registered to post a reply to the above thread. And it does work! I actually use exactly the same fix when editing in FCP. I bought my macbook pro in Switzerland but I now use it in England with an english keyboard, so unless I do the language change everytime before I use FCP - none of my keyboard shortcuts work. It's annoying but not as annoying as it was trying to reprogram my shortcuts every time! Really happy to find out this works for the buning. Now I wonder if that has anything to do with my burner not burning CDs - I will have to test it - another time.

[matthewclower]

MacBook Pro 3,1
Intel Core 2 Duo 2.4 Ghz
4GB RAM

Matshita DVD-R UJ-857E:
Firmware: ZA0E

I started having this problem within the last week. Since I first noticed the problem I have been unable to burn any DVDs but CD burning still functions properly as has previously been observed. I have tried burning discs using several disc of the following media:

Memorex DVD+R RW 4.7 GB
Sony DVD+R 8.5 GB AccuCore RW

Of course, as most people, looking at the proposed solution for this problem I have doubts because the solution appears to be completely unrelated to the problem. I intend to in the short future try a few more things, but I don't have much spare time to devote to this problem. I will attempt to burn DVDs in native and virtualized instances of Windows XP, etc. Considering that this issue has been "unresolved" for over a year, I don't expect results soon. It would be nice for this to be cleared up however.

[sergemarlon]

Hey All, I am an Apple tech, I experience this issue quite often, so I'll be doing some updates from now on about this issue, I just got the error message and after googling the issue, I found this as a top hit, Unfortunately, it didn't work this time around, but I'll give it a shot every time I encounter this issue, and let you all know if it works for sure or not, the computer was an early 2008 black macbook running 10.5.6 2.4 GHz processor.

[matthewclower]

I launched Windows XP in Parallels 4.0 -- so it was virtualized under Leopard. The drive was recognized as a DVD/CD-RW, inserting a blank DVD was recognized as a blank CD, and everything after that was some kind of error message. Truthfully, I have never had the inclination or need to attempt burning anything in a virtualized environment (at least not on my MacBook Pro) so I don't know that it would have ever functioned properly in there to begin with. I copied the data I am trying to get on DVD to a drive partition that is accessible from my native XP instance, and I'll try that next time I boot natively into XP (that will probably be later today).

While this problem persists, it at least appears to be burning a DVD now. I selected 2.4x when I started to burn the disc instead of allowing it to attempt to determine the maximum burning speed of the media/drive.

Quote: Originally Posted by matthewclower MacBook Pro 3,1 Intel Core 2 Duo 2.4 Ghz 4GB RAM Matshita DVD-R UJ-857E: Firmware: ZA0E I started having this problem within the last week. Since I first noticed the problem I have been unable to burn any DVDs but CD burning still functions properly as has previously been observed. I have tried burning discs using several disc of the following media: Memorex DVD+R RW 4.7 GB Sony DVD+R 8.5 GB AccuCore RW Of course, as most people, looking at the proposed solution for this problem I have doubts because the solution appears to be completely unrelated to the problem. I intend to in the short future try a few more things, but I don't have much spare time to devote to this problem. I will attempt to burn DVDs in native and virtualized instances of Windows XP, etc. Considering that this issue has been "unresolved" for over a year, I don't expect results soon. It would be nice for this to be cleared up however.

I have found a solution to the "device could not calibrate laser power" issue, which is to reset the SMC controller, which is done by
1 Shutting down system
2 Removing A/C Power and Battery
3 Press and hold the power button for 5 seconds
4 reassemble and reboot

This resolved the laser power issue on my MacBookPro 3,1 with UJ-857E w/ ZA0E firmware. Allowed DVD+R DL burning with out issue. Hope this helps someone!

Oh, and that was using Sony DVD media, BTW

[matthewclower]

Resetting the SMC on my MBP (the exact configuration quoted) did not correct this problem for me in Leopard.

Quote: Originally Posted by enderbh I have found a solution to the "device could not calibrate laser power" issue, which is to reset the SMC controller, which is done by 1 Shutting down system 2 Removing A/C Power and Battery 3 Press and hold the power button for 5 seconds 4 reassemble and reboot This resolved the laser power issue on my MacBookPro 3,1 with UJ-857E w/ ZA0E firmware. Allowed DVD+R DL burning with out issue. Hope this helps someone!

[daniello]

I suddenly started after I have owned the system (dual Quad Core 3GHz) for over a year. I have burned many CDs and DVDs (+R, DL) on it without problem. It has been tough to figure out because I just blasted out my system with an aerosol duster for the first time. I resolved to do this bimonthly on the advice of the repair technician after having my ATI 1900XT card fail and have to be replaced due to dust build up (it was replaced in early January 09). Poorly designed card vents easily clog--but I digress. So I am considering it might be dust on the lasers but it seems odd both drives would fail at the same time.

Lacking a cleaning disc, I opted for the voodoo above which has failed to work after two times. Next I will try the SMC reset and then a cleaning disc. If all fail then it will be another Applecare house call--fortunately I am still covered.

[grayelantra001]

I don't know if this has been posted already, but I found a weird fix to this problem. When the CD is inserted, tell the computer to ignore it. iTunes should burn the disc with no problem. Don't ask me why, but I read it in another thread, tried it, and have now burned 5 cd's without a problem...
Finder screwing with the laser level maybe? I had the computer set to open finder when CD's are inserted. Maybe the OS does something in preparation for a burn that operates the burner differently than iTunes. I don't know, but give it a shot.

[grayelantra001]

In reply to my advice above, there is definitely some sort of weird bug with this. While I can burn single CD's, if iTunes prompts you to insert a blank disc (to burn a multi-cd audiobook or something) it goes right back to the level calibration message. So, the only way I can burn discs is to insert, ignore, and make sure I open iTunes AFTER the disc is inserted...
And I'm wondering to myself...why the heck would this be the case?

Ok...

And...

That didn't work. I was inserting the discs into my laptop to make sure the data was on them and that they were audio cd's, but now that I'm going back and trying to listen to them, it burned "phantom" tracks. The tracks are there, numbered and the disc thinks it is an audio disc, but the files are all 44kb and not the book.