Ugh. I have a Phillips DVD+-RW SDVD8820 on my laptop. I'm trying to burn DVDs of video files from Christmas, but I keep getting an error message saying the files can't be copied to the DVD. I remember having this problem before and finding a solution, but can't for the life of me remember what that was. Any ideas?

I've found with burning DVD's and getting errors, that it's typically the burner doesn't like the media. Have you used that media in that burner before? If not, try a different brand.

I'm pretty sure I have, but it's been like nine months.

vw bug, one of the problems I've been having lately with my dvd burner is that the laptop forgets it's a recordable drive. The way to fix that is to go to My Computer, right-click on the dvd drive, open up properties, and click the box that says "record on this device" or wtte.

I don't know if that's your problem, but it was driving me NUTs.

Thanks, guys! I figured it out. I have to use a special software to make it work. I had forgotten that step, and actually Consuela reminded me. So, thank you muchly!

The saddest of sad sadness. The G4 tower has a wonky logic board, according to the lovely folk at the Apple store. Two different advisors...one AS and one at the Mac Upgrade place they referred me to...each gave me a deadpan "Replace it" when asked for the most practical option.

Which, of course. But. It's nice that people think I can pull $700 out of my backside...would that I could...but nsm.

Okay, bit of a step off the usual computer/media area.

2001 Ford Windstar. Wouldn't start, fuel pump not engaging. Replaced fuel pump fuse which was blown, et voila, started.

But now the starting is intermittent; sometimes it won't engage the fuel pump when the key is in pre-start as it should.

Theory: Fuel pump relay (not fuse) may need replacing.

Question: Can a relay give me intermittent power to the pump? Or does a relay just "poof" blow like a fuse?

Question: Can a relay give me intermittent power to the pump? Or does a relay just "poof" blow like a fuse?

Some relays can reset themselves. I had a '72 Mercury that had a relay on the headlight circuit - if I drove too fast with the headlights on, the headlight switch would get hot and eventually the relay would trip and the lights would go off. Once I slowed down, the lights would come back on.

Anyway, dunno of that's what's happening for you. I'd double-check that the contacts for the relay and fuse are clean, but that's just a guess. (Maybe check all fuel-pump related connections?) What I do know is intermittent electrical problems are of the suck.

One of my bosses knows quite a lot about cars - if I remember I'll ask him about this tomorrow.

Thanks, tommyrot, I'd appreciate it.

relays can be sticky and act wonky. If its got a bit of gunk it the mechanism, it might not always make a clean connection. Or if there is something inhibiting it's movement, it might not fully close. Either way, it could be the problem. But I do not know enough about automobiles to say that it *is* the problem.