I've been scratching my head over this little problem I am having, burning DVD+R(DL) disks on my computer. I needed to burn some larger media so I bought a bunch of dual layer DVDs in order to do so. I used Alcohol 120% to burn the media, which worked fine, but then if appears as if the DVD is empty after a 25min burn. I figured my low-end LiteOn LH-20A1L drive just doesn't read dual-layer, even thought it's perfectly capable of burning. Is that possible?

Anyways, I looked into flashing the firmware for the drive but it doesn't seem like I can. So, I ordered an external DVD burner that supports dual-layer but I wanted to know if there was anything I could do in the mean time with the drive I have. I hope the DVDs actually burned, cuz I deleted the data afterward Any help would be appreciated.

What software package are you using to burn the DVD with?
My HP PC came with Cyberlink DVD Suite Deluxe...it would "burn" DVDs but then you could not view them, which in my book - is a failure.

I am using Nero Express 9.0 with good results, burning dual-layer DVDs and no problems viewing them afterwards.
Hope this helps?

Put them in perhaps three other computers of friends who have better drives, and see if you can see the data on those computers. Look for Nero 7, 8, or 9, and there is plenty other software available for free download online that is designed to do the job.
However, suspect your optical drives. All optical drives fail... some fail in 7 months... some fail in two years... but it is not the age that kills them, it is the wear and tear, the the fact that they go out of alignment.
If your drive was going out of alignment when you burned the disks, you may not find another drive which can read them.
Whatever else you do, consider buying a new optical drive, and one that has standard burner software.

Do they look like they've been written to? There is a small possibility the laser is dead/weak and it thought it burned the disk when it didn't (could be checked by enabling verification after burn).

What kind of burn, was it a data disk or a video or audio? If its data, maybe you simply forgot to close the session.

Thanks for the replies; sorry I haven't logged on in a couple days.

My optical drive is less than a year old and it burns all other types of media just fine. I use Alcohol 120% and NERO 7 to burn CD and DVD media quite regularly; usually with good results. I used Alcohol for these DVD+R(DL) disks in particular, since I was burning large image files. Taking a look at the actual dual-layer disks, it's hard to tell if there is data burned on unlike regular CD-Rs where it's quite obvious. The drive itself is a workhorse but I doubt it's wearing already; I've written data to regular DVD+R disks since trying the dual layer disks and those work fine. I did try the DL DVDs in some other DVD drives, but none of them are able to read them.

Ok, there are several components to an optical drive... each burner and each reader workes independently... It is not one device that reads and burns all disks. The fact that they do not work in another drive is further evidence of the problem you have reported.
But keep on shopping until you get advice of which you are fond.

I know how an optical drive works, so next time you feel like posting some sarcastic blabber, just start a new thread and label it accordingly, or don't post at all.

Then your explanation is...