" IDE Sony DRU-700A (dual layer burner)
G4/AGP Tower running 10.3.3

I have replaced my original DVD-Ram drive with this burner using 10.3.3. Before installing patchburn II, none of the iApplications noticed the drive as it is listed as non supported drive by system profiler. After installing patcburn II, the most recent iPhoto and iTunes let you burn using DRU700A.
Have not burned DVD's yet, but iDvd 4.0.1 seemed to notice the burner. (Assuming pressing the burn button in iDVD ejected to prompt for a disc. But iDVD doesn't support burning to DVD+R discs (the 8.5GB dual layer is DVD+R), so you'd use DVD-Rs for any iDVD burns. There's an old tip about mounting a DVD-RW in the Finder before running iDVD which was said to allow burning to a DVD-RW, but I haven't tried that for over a year to see if it still works in iDVD4/10.3.3.-Mike)

The burner works fine using Toast 5.2.3 with or without patchburn. (Toast has never relied on Apple OS X burn support for a drive and basically works with most any drive, but based on the PR last week, you'd see no dual-layer disc burning support without an update.)

The drive has no problem booting from 10.3 CD.
Tom S.
(Tom later sent an email with more comments)
Hi mike! Thank you very much for some advise on the DVD media. I have tested DVD burning on the sony's DRU-700A patchburn II tuned, the result was no so far. Although the drive is noticed and accepts DVD-R and DVD-RW disks, the drive ejects right after it gets to stage 4 in iDVD. Error found during burning process in stage 4. DVD reported illegal request. Invalid field in cdb (0x24, 0x00). I will try and reinstall iDVD4 (and iDVD 4.01 update) tomorrow, and try again, but if you have any information about this error, please advise! Thank you very much for great site!
Tom S. "

The Roxio PR mentioned a Toast 6 update for dual-layer burn support, but didn't mention any update to Toast 5 for it. I'm also waiting for a mac owner with an NEC-2500A to try the flash to 2510 Dual layer burner firmware mentioned in last week's news page. (PC required to flash the drive - if the flasher supports USB cased drives, using VPC with a supported USB case is another option.)
As some have mentioned before - at 2.4x (max), dual layer burning takes a long time and the media I suspect is rare as hen's teeth, which is why (for now) I'm going to stick with my 8x single sided DVD burners.

I've not tested this personally, but MU today lists Don't go there GURLfriend! 1.0 which claims to fix the help:// exploit in Safari mentioned yesterday.

"(from http://isophonic.net/ source site)

Don't Go There, GURLfriend 1.0
18 May 2004
We've just released Don't Go There, GURLfriend! 1.0 . DGTGF is an application you can use to patch away the OS X exploit found at http://bronosky.com/pub/AppleScript.htm quickly and efortlessly."

Many (understandably) are leery of running this sort of thing however.
A MU reader posted another suggestion (similar to what was suggested yesterday as a better option that just disabling opening 'safe' files) - remapping the Help association using More Internet prefs pane to use a text editor instead.
Another reader wrote with his suggested fix:

" Hi Mike, here's a quick, and harmless (read; reversible) fix for the help autolaunch vulnerability:

First, make a Backup copy of /Library/Documentation/Help/MacHelp.help.

Next do a show contents on the original, and
find:Contents/Resources/English.lproj/shrd/OpnApp.scpt
Make the change as shown below (adding the two dashes in front of "open file completeParam of the startup disk" (This comments out that line of code, so it won't run.)

on <event helphdhp> (completeParam)
-- localizable text
set cancelBtn to "Cancel"
set errorText to "The item cannot be
opened. It may be disabled or not installed."
--end localizable text

try
tell application "Finder"
-- open file completeParam of the startup disk
end tell

on error errMsg number errNum
display dialog errorText buttons
{cancelBtn} default button 1 with icon 0
return
end try
end <event helphdhp>

Save the file.
Remove all your foreign language versions of the same help file (at the Resources level)

After doing this, the help file will still run, but will not be able to "open xyz for me"
Later on, you can replace your patched copy with the backup copy of MacHelp.help you made in step one, and apply Apple's (forthcoming) fix to it.
Meanwhile, you'll be safe from that exploit.
hth
Cordially, Tracy V. "

• Sonnet G4/1.4GHz in G4 Cube (rated 9)
• Sonnet G4/1.2GHz in (QS) G4/AGP (rated 10)
  
  (My reviews of G4 and G3 upgrades w/apps/game tests, install info, etc. are linked on the CPU upgrades page. OC/CPU module articles are on the Systems page.)

(Warning - Overclocking may not be reliable and could lead to hardware failure or corrupted data.) You can find the full reports by searching the database selecting the indicated Mac model and upgrade card brand/type. If you've upgraded the CPU on your Mac, please post an entry in the database. Search the database for entries from most every upgradable Mac model *before* you buy. (Searchable by mac model/upgrade brand). For detailed reviews with performance tests and install tips, see the CPU Upgrades page.)

DVD-ROM Drives:
• OWC (sold) Slot-Loading (didn't note specs) in iMac slot-loading (OS 9.2)
  (listed under "other" brands. requested he repost a report with drive brand/model and more information (he refers to someone's past report with no real details)
  
  DVD-R Drives:
• IDE Toshiba SD-R5112 in B&W G3 (OS X)
  (Illustrated CD drive install guide here covers G4 towers up to the Digital Audio Model, Beige G3 MT and B&W G3 Macs)
  
  DVD+R/RW + DVD-R/RW Drives:
• Firewire (Cased) Pioneer DVR-107 used w/Dual G4 (OS X 10.3)
  
  Hard Drives:
• IDE Hitachi Travelstar 7K60 (7200rpm) 60GB in Powerbook G4 (OS 9.2)
  (noted concerns over drive heat)
  (This drive reviewed last year on the IDE and FW topics pages.
  PowerBook G4 Ti 15in. LCD illustrated Hard Drive install guide here
  Alum. PB G4 15in take-apart guide here.
  Powerbook G4 12in LCD illustrated Hard Drive install guide here)

You can find full owner reports (latest shown first) by searching the database by drive/brand/interface/mac models (the latest reports are shown first in searches). For guides to installing CD/CDRW/DVD drives or Hard drives in many mac models, see the IDE Articles page. The Firewire articles page also has guides on case kits, installing drives, etc.
If you've added a IDE, SCSI, Firewire or USB hard drive, CDRW, tape drive, etc. make sure you add a report to the database. (If you post an updated entry - make sure you use the same name, etc. as you did before so I can find your past entry. Thanks.)
(Incomplete entries are deleted. Do not post questions in the database, it's for drive reports not questions on what drive to buy - for that try searching the database for reports from owners of your mac model on the drive type/brand/interface, etc. you're interested in.)