Sorry guys, but the worst advice you can give someone is that the problem is a BAD DRIVE. You have to explore all options before you assume that. 99 times out of a 100 it's not the drive.
Millieboppers,
There are a few things you should check first. Is the CD-RW drive on its own IDE channel, or is it sharing it with another device? If so, then arrange it so that it's on the secondary IDE by itself (just as a test).
Also, you can check to see if the drive is using DMA. Most CD-RW drives should be using it. How to check depends on your version of Windows and the make/model of your motherboard.
My guess is that it's NOT the software and probably has to do with a Windows or hardware configuration. However, it doesn't hurt to make sure you're on the latest version. Be sure to visit the software's website (Roxio or Nero) for all the latest updates.
~cdogg
"The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources."
- A. Einstein