Yesterday I burnt a data CD with no problems. Today when burning a compilation music CD the process had almost finished -- with all buffers emptied -- when Nero came up with the message:

Track following error, burn process failed at 16x (2,400 KB/s)

and I had a coaster. I tried a number of different settings and also tried burning one single track. I now have six shiny new coasters. I'm using TDK gold disks which I've used many times before. I tested burning a copy of a bought music CD and it worked fine. The burner is 24x/10x/40x capable.

Hunter Wilson, Camperdown, NSW

Here's what Nero has to say:

Track following error

This error message appears for one of the following reasons:

• The CD Writer has problems writing on the CD-R/RW. Please resort to another brand mark of CD-R/RW. Please ask the vendor of your CD burner for recommended brands of CD-R/RW. You will also find information in problematic CD-R/RW.
• The power supply of your computer is not providing enough power.
• You are using an external device. Please check the power supply and for test purposes install the burner in the computer.
• Numerous graphics cards require a lot of power. The same goes for numerous CPUs and some hard disks.
• The mains cable or the plug is defective. Please use another plug cable for test purposes.
• The computer vibrates to such an extent that the laser can not stay in the track. In particular if a CD-ROM drive is being used as the read drive.
• The device has become hot - only operate in cool conditions.
• If you have one of the following CD writers:

Grundig CDR100IPW, HP 4020, Kodak CDR240, Mitsubishi CDVR2X4, Mitsumi CD-R CR-2401TS, Philips CDD2000, Plasmon CDR4220, Plasmon RF4100, Plasmon RF4102, Wearnes CDR-432

or are using one of the following:

HP 6020, Mitsubishi CDVR2X6, Mitsubishi CDVR, Philips CDD2600, Wearnes CDR-632P

then it could be a case of the well-known grease problem. In particular if the error has only been occurring recently. Other CD Writer are also affected, in which it may help to grease the axles with silicon grease (Warning: We don't guarantee anything!) Further information on this is available.

If your CD burner is in the first group, go to http://village.flashnet.it/~fn023975/cdd2000.html (Information on how to fix
the Philips CDD2000 'Spring problem'). Users report that firmware 1.25 reduces the problem.

If your CD burner is in the second group: http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Bay/6893/fix.htm

• The lens of the write laser is dirty.
• The CD-R itself is not clean or is of bad quality. In particular if writing with 8x, conditions like this become noticeable.
• If 80 minute CD-Rs are being used, then the cause can be that the track distance is too small, on the limit of the specification. It is possible that you are using a CD Writer , which has problems writing on these.
• Older driver versions of the file CDR4VSD.VXD (driver from Easy CD) also cause the above mentioned error message
• The error message can also occur if the CD Writer has not been set up correctly. Please set the system settings as described in recommended settings .
• One case is known in which the error message appeared after exchanging the motherboard. After newly setting up the motherboard (including formatting), the problem was solved.
• Or there is a hardware problem.
  
  Rose Vines