cdrecord woes... anybody want a coaster?

[Gabriel M. Beddingfield]

Friends,

[NOTE:  Please CC me on replies.  Thanks.]

I'm having trouble with cdrecord when recording audio CD's.  During 
the write process, a buffer underrun will occur and cdrecord will 
stop and report the error.  This typically happens around the 5th 
track.  When I try again, it happens almost immediately.  Further, my 
hard drive continuously cranks away and they system becomes hardly 
useable.  A 'halt -p' takes about 30 minutes to completely shut down 
the computer... and that's the only way I've found to stop it.  Upon 
review, after the first failure the system becomes sluggish.  After 
the second failure it becomes unusable.

This doesn't appear to happen when recording data disks.  This 
happened with several brand new CD-R disks (which are now 
coasters).  This happens at 1x, 4x, and 8x speed.  Happens in -DAO 
and -TAO.  This happens even in -dummy mode.  Happens when su'ed to 
root... happens when logged in as root.  I first noticed it when 
running K3B... but I've since isolated it as a cdrecord problem.

Questions:  Is this happening to anyone else?  STFW yields 
nothing.  Is it me, or is it a bug?  If a bug in cdrecord -- how do I 
report it when the Fedora distribution has "altered" it to add "DVD" 
and so the program spits out the disclaimer "do not notify the author 
of problems with this version?"

...following is way too much information.  :-)

Thanks in advance!

Peace,
Gabriel

Versions:
=========
$ uname -a
Linux pleiades.local 2.6.8-1.521 #1 Mon Aug 16 09:01:18 EDT 2004 i686 
i686 i386 GNU/Linux
$ cdrecord --version
Cdrecord-Clone 2.01-dvd (i686-pc-linux-gnu) Copyright (C) 1995-2004 
Jörg Schilling
Note: This version is an unofficial (modified) version with DVD 
support
Note: and therefore may have bugs that are not present in the 
original.
Note: Please send bug reports or support requests to 
http://bugzilla.redhat.com/bugzilla
Note: The author of cdrecord should not be bothered with problems in 
this version.
$ k3b --version
Qt: 3.3.3
KDE: 3.2.2-8.FC2 Red Hat
K3b: 0.11.14
$ cat /proc/ide/hdc/model
LG CD-RW CED-8080B
$ cat /etc/cdrecord.conf | grep -v "#"
CDR_DEVICE=cdrom

CDR_SPEED=4

CDR_FIFOSIZE=4m

cdrom=          ATA:1,0,0       -1      -1      burnfree


Sample command lines:
=====================
/usr/bin/cdrecord -v gracetime=2 dev=/dev/hdc speed=4 -dao -eject 
-useinfo -pad -shorttrack 
-audio /tmp/kde-root/k3b_audio_0_01.wav /tmp/kde-root/k3b_audio_0_02.wav
/tmp/kde-root/k3b_audio_0_03.wav /tmp/kde-root/k3b_audio_0_04.wav
/tmp/kde-root/k3b_audio_0_05.wav /tmp/kde-root/k3b_audio_0_06.wav
/tmp/kde-root/k3b_audio_0_07.wav /tmp/kde-root/k3b_audio_0_08.wav
/tmp/kde-root/k3b_audio_0_09.wav

cdrecord -audio *.wav

cdrecord -speed=8 -dummy -audio *.wav

(etc...)

Sample error output from a K3B session (unedited):
==================================================

System
-----------------------
K3b Version:0.11.14
KDE Version: 3.2.2-8.FC2 Red Hat
QT Version: 3.3.3

cdrecord
-----------------------
scsidev: '/dev/hdc'
devname: '/dev/hdc'
scsibus: -2 target: -2 lun: -2
Linux sg driver version: 3.5.27
/usr/bin/cdrecord: Warning: using inofficial libscg transport code 
version (schily - Red Hat-scsi-linux-sg.c-1.83-RH 
'(a)(#)scsi-linux-sg.c 1.83 04/05/20 Copyright 1997 J. Schilling').
SCSI buffer size: 64512
Cdrecord-Clone 2.01-dvd (i686-pc-linux-gnu) Copyright (C) 1995-2004 
Jörg Schilling
Note: This version is an unofficial (modified) version with DVD 
support
Note: and therefore may have bugs that are not present in the 
original.
Note: Please send bug reports or support requests to 
http://bugzilla.redhat.com/bugzilla
Note: The author of cdrecord should not be bothered with problems in 
this version.
TOC Type: 0 = CD-DA
Using libscg version 'schily-0.8'.
atapi: 1
Device type    : Removable CD-ROM
Version        : 0
Response Format: 1
Vendor_info    : 'LG      '
Identifikation : 'CD-RW CED-8080B '
Revision       : '1.04'
Device seems to be: Generic mmc CD-RW.
Using generic SCSI-3/mmc   CD-R/CD-RW driver (mmc_cdr).
Driver flags   : MMC SWABAUDIO
Supported modes: TAO PACKET SAO SAO/R96P SAO/R96R RAW/R16 RAW/R96P 
RAW/R96R
Drive buf size : 1024000 = 1000 KB
Drive DMA Speed: 46080 kB/s 261x CD 33x DVD
FIFO size      : 4194304 = 4096 KB
pregap1: -1
Track 01: audio   55 MB (05:29.66) no preemp copy
Track 02: audio   40 MB (04:01.93) no preemp copy
Track 03: audio   35 MB (03:32.84) no preemp copy
Track 04: audio   27 MB (02:40.53) no preemp copy
Track 05: audio   26 MB (02:35.22) no preemp copy
Track 06: audio   26 MB (02:39.60) no preemp copy
Track 07: audio   33 MB (03:16.80) no preemp copy
Track 08: audio   35 MB (03:32.13) no preemp copy
Track 09: audio   44 MB (04:27.16) no preemp copy
Total size:      325 MB (32:15.89) = 145192 sectors
Lout start:      326 MB (32:17/67) = 145192 sectors
Current Secsize: 2048
ATIP info from disk:
  Indicated writing power: 5
  Is not unrestricted
  Is not erasable
  Disk sub type: Medium Type A, high Beta category (A+) (3)
  ATIP start of lead in:  -11634 (97:26/66)
  ATIP start of lead out: 359848 (79:59/73)
Disk type:    Short strategy type (Phthalocyanine or similar)
Manuf. index: 3
Manufacturer: CMC Magnetics Corporation
Blocks total: 359848 Blocks current: 359848 Blocks remaining: 214656
Speed set to 706 KB/s
Starting to write CD/DVD at speed   4.0 in real SAO mode for single 
session.
Last chance to quit, starting real write in 2 seconds.
   1 seconds.
   0 seconds. Operation starts.
Waiting for reader process to fill input buffer ... input buffer 
ready.
trackno=0
Performing OPC...
/usr/bin/cdrecord: WARNING: Drive returns wrong startsec (0) using 
-150
Sending CUE sheet...
Writing pregap for track 1 at -150
Starting new track at sector: 0
Track 01:    0 of   55 MB written.
Track 01:    1 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 01:    2 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 01:    3 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 01:    4 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 01:    5 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 01:    6 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 01:    7 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 01:    8 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 01:    9 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 01:   10 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 01:   11 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 01:   12 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 01:   13 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 01:   14 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 01:   15 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 01:   16 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 01:   17 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 01:   18 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 01:   19 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 01:   20 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 01:   21 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 01:   22 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 01:   23 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 01:   24 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 01:   25 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 01:   26 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.0x.
Track 01:   27 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 01:   28 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.0x.
Track 01:   29 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 01:   30 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.0x.
Track 01:   31 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 01:   32 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.0x.
Track 01:   33 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 01:   34 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.0x.
Track 01:   35 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 01:   36 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.0x.
Track 01:   37 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 01:   38 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.0x.
Track 01:   39 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 01:   40 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.0x.
Track 01:   41 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 01:   42 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.0x.
Track 01:   43 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 01:   44 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 01:   45 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 01:   46 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 01:   47 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 01:   48 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 01:   49 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 01:   50 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 01:   51 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 01:   52 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 01:   53 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 01:   54 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 01:   55 of   55 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 01: Total bytes read/written: 58153200/58153200 (24725 sectors).
Starting new track at sector: 24725
Track 02:    0 of   40 MB written.
Track 02:    1 of   40 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.0x.
Track 02:    2 of   40 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 02:    3 of   40 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 02:    4 of   40 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 02:    5 of   40 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 02:    6 of   40 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 02:    7 of   40 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 02:    8 of   40 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 02:    9 of   40 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 02:   10 of   40 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 02:   11 of   40 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 02:   12 of   40 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 02:   13 of   40 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 02:   14 of   40 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 02:   15 of   40 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 02:   16 of   40 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 02:   17 of   40 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 02:   18 of   40 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 02:   19 of   40 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 02:   20 of   40 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 02:   21 of   40 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 02:   22 of   40 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 02:   23 of   40 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 02:   24 of   40 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 02:   25 of   40 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 02:   26 of   40 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.0x.
Track 02:   27 of   40 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 02:   28 of   40 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  93%]   4.0x.
Track 02:   29 of   40 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 02:   30 of   40 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.0x.
Track 02:   31 of   40 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 02:   32 of   40 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.0x.
Track 02:   33 of   40 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 02:   34 of   40 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.0x.
Track 02:   35 of   40 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 02:   36 of   40 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.0x.
Track 02:   37 of   40 MB written (fifo  98%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 02:   38 of   40 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.0x.
Track 02:   39 of   40 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  93%]   4.1x.
Track 02:   40 of   40 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.0x.
Track 02: Total bytes read/written: 42677040/42677040 (18145 sectors).
Starting new track at sector: 42870
Track 03:    0 of   35 MB written.
Track 03:    1 of   35 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 03:    2 of   35 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 03:    3 of   35 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 03:    4 of   35 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 03:    5 of   35 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 03:    6 of   35 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 03:    7 of   35 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 03:    8 of   35 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 03:    9 of   35 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 03:   10 of   35 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 03:   11 of   35 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 03:   12 of   35 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 03:   13 of   35 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 03:   14 of   35 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 03:   15 of   35 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 03:   16 of   35 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 03:   17 of   35 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 03:   18 of   35 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  93%]   4.0x.
Track 03:   19 of   35 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 03:   20 of   35 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 03:   21 of   35 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 03:   22 of   35 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 03:   23 of   35 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 03:   24 of   35 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 03:   25 of   35 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 03:   26 of   35 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.0x.
Track 03:   27 of   35 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 03:   28 of   35 MB written (fifo  98%) [buf  94%]   4.0x.
Track 03:   29 of   35 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  93%]   4.1x.
Track 03:   30 of   35 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 03:   31 of   35 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 03:   32 of   35 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.0x.
Track 03:   33 of   35 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  93%]   4.1x.
Track 03:   34 of   35 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.0x.
Track 03:   35 of   35 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  93%]   4.1x.
Track 03: Total bytes read/written: 37544976/37544976 (15963 sectors).
Starting new track at sector: 58833
Track 04:    0 of   27 MB written.
Track 04:    1 of   27 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 04:    2 of   27 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 04:    3 of   27 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.3x.
Track 04:    4 of   27 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 04:    5 of   27 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 04:    6 of   27 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 04:    7 of   27 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 04:    8 of   27 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 04:    9 of   27 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 04:   10 of   27 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 04:   11 of   27 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 04:   12 of   27 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 04:   13 of   27 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 04:   14 of   27 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 04:   15 of   27 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 04:   16 of   27 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 04:   17 of   27 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 04:   18 of   27 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 04:   19 of   27 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 04:   20 of   27 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 04:   21 of   27 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 04:   22 of   27 MB written (fifo  95%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 04:   23 of   27 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 04:   24 of   27 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 04:   25 of   27 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 04:   26 of   27 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  94%]   4.0x.
Track 04:   27 of   27 MB written (fifo  78%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 04: Total bytes read/written: 28318080/28318080 (12040 sectors).
Starting new track at sector: 70873
Track 05:    0 of   26 MB written.
Track 05:    1 of   26 MB written (fifo  53%) [buf  94%]   4.0x.
Track 05:    2 of   26 MB written (fifo  26%) [buf  94%]   4.1x.
Track 05:    3 of   26 MB written (fifo   3%) [buf  94%]   4.2x.
Track 05:    4 of   26 MB written (fifo   4%) [buf  90%]   3.9x.
/usr/bin/cdrecord: Success. write_g1: scsi sendcmd: no error
CDB:  2A 00 00 01 1C 56 00 00 1B 00
status: 0x2 (CHECK CONDITION)
Sense Bytes: 70 00 03 00 00 00 00 0A 00 00 00 00 0C 00 00 00
Sense Key: 0x3 Medium Error, Segment 0
Sense Code: 0x0C Qual 0x00 (write error) Fru 0x0
Sense flags: Blk 0 (not valid)
resid: 63504
cmd finished after 0.001s timeout 200s
/usr/bin/cdrecord: A write error occured.
/usr/bin/cdrecord: Please properly read the error message above.
write track data: error after 4508784 bytes
Writing  time:  294.205s
Average write speed   6.6x.
Min drive buffer fill was 90%
Fixating...
Fixating time:    0.001s
/usr/bin/cdrecord: fifo had 2762 puts and 2699 gets.
/usr/bin/cdrecord: fifo was 7 times empty and 2585 times full, min 
fill was 0%.

cdrecord comand:
-----------------------
/usr/bin/cdrecord -v gracetime=2 dev=/dev/hdc speed=4 -dao -eject 
-useinfo -pad -shorttrack 
-audio /tmp/kde-root/k3b_audio_0_01.wav /tmp/kde-root/k3b_audio_0_02.wav
/tmp/kde-root/k3b_audio_0_03.wav /tmp/kde-root/k3b_audio_0_04.wav
/tmp/kde-root/k3b_audio_0_05.wav /tmp/kde-root/k3b_audio_0_06.wav
/tmp/kde-root/k3b_audio_0_07.wav /tmp/kde-root/k3b_audio_0_08.wav
/tmp/kde-root/k3b_audio_0_09.wav

[Randy Kelsoe]

Gabriel M. Beddingfield wrote:

> Friends,
>
> [NOTE:  Please CC me on replies.  Thanks.]
>
> I'm having trouble with cdrecord when recording audio CD's.  During 
> the write process, a buffer underrun will occur and cdrecord will 
> stop and report the error.  This typically happens around the 5th 
> track.  When I try again, it happens almost immediately.  Further, my 
> hard drive continuously cranks away and they system becomes hardly 
> useable.  A 'halt -p' takes about 30 minutes to completely shut down 
> the computer... and that's the only way I've found to stop it.  Upon 
> review, after the first failure the system becomes sluggish.  After 
> the second failure it becomes unusable.
>
> This doesn't appear to happen when recording data disks.  This 
> happened with several brand new CD-R disks (which are now 
> coasters).  This happens at 1x, 4x, and 8x speed.  Happens in -DAO 
> and -TAO.  This happens even in -dummy mode.  Happens when su'ed to 
> root... happens when logged in as root.  I first noticed it when 
> running K3B... but I've since isolated it as a cdrecord problem.
>
> Questions:  Is this happening to anyone else?  STFW yields 
> nothing.  Is it me, or is it a bug?  If a bug in cdrecord -- how do I 
> report it when the Fedora distribution has "altered" it to add "DVD" 
> and so the program spits out the disclaimer "do not notify the author 
> of problems with this version?"
>
>   
>  
I just tried to burn an audio cd with k3b for the first time since 
upgrading cdrecord and k3b. After burning the cd, I went to listen to 
it, and it was just noise. I tried again, and had the same symptoms you 
had: It wrote for a while, then hung. My system was very slow, and the 
disk access light was on constantly. I was able to still run programs, 
but they were very, very slow. Restarting X did not help. Rebooting did. 
I have this is my /var/log/messages:

Nov 11 22:43:32 quicksilver kernel: oom-killer: gfp_mask=0x1d2
Nov 11 22:43:52 quicksilver kernel: DMA per-cpu:
Nov 11 22:43:53 quicksilver kernel: cpu 0 hot: low 2, high 6, batch 1
Nov 11 22:43:53 quicksilver kernel: cpu 0 cold: low 0, high 2, batch 1
Nov 11 22:43:53 quicksilver kernel: Normal per-cpu:
Nov 11 22:43:53 quicksilver kernel: cpu 0 hot: low 32, high 96, batch 16
Nov 11 22:43:53 quicksilver kernel: cpu 0 cold: low 0, high 32, batch 16
Nov 11 22:43:53 quicksilver kernel: HighMem per-cpu: empty
Nov 11 22:43:53 quicksilver kernel:
Nov 11 22:43:53 quicksilver kernel: Free pages:        4156kB (0kB HighMem)
Nov 11 22:43:53 quicksilver kernel: Active:1688 inactive:12572 dirty:1 
writeback:10501 unstable:0 free:1039 slab:3495 mapped:2057 pagetables:1005
Nov 11 22:43:53 quicksilver kernel: DMA free:2028kB min:12kB low:24kB 
high:36kB active:756kB inactive:168kB present:16384kB
Nov 11 22:44:30 quicksilver kernel: protections[]: 6 508 508
Nov 11 22:45:37 quicksilver kernel: Normal free:2128kB min:1004kB 
low:2008kB high:3012kB active:5996kB inactive:50120kB present:1032128kB
Nov 11 22:47:07 quicksilver kernel: protections[]: 0 502 502
Nov 11 22:47:08 quicksilver kernel: HighMem free:0kB min:128kB low:256kB 
high:384kB active:0kB inactive:0kB present:0kB
Nov 11 22:47:08 quicksilver kernel: protections[]: 0 0 0
Nov 11 22:47:09 quicksilver kernel: DMA: 1*4kB 7*8kB 29*16kB 25*32kB 
9*64kB 1*128kB 0*256kB 0*512kB 0*1024kB 0*2048kB 0*4096kB = 2028kB
Nov 11 22:47:10 quicksilver kernel: Normal: 32*4kB 0*8kB 3*16kB 1*32kB 
0*64kB 1*128kB 1*256kB 1*512kB 1*1024kB 0*2048kB 0*4096kB = 2128kB
Nov 11 22:47:10 quicksilver kernel: HighMem: empty
Nov 11 22:47:11 quicksilver kernel: Swap cache: add 1250133, delete 
1238940, find 183044/383177, race 0+2
Nov 11 22:47:11 quicksilver kernel: Out of Memory: Killed process 8208 
(evolution).
Nov 11 22:47:12 quicksilver kernel: oom-killer: gfp_mask=0xd2

which goes on and on and keeps killing processes (killing everything 
that was running).

I just tried to burn an iso image with cdrecord, and it worked fine.