Linux & CDROM/DVD failures

Well, I got similar problem as the poster discussing the Linux
bootup failure. In my case, it is a new PC with SATA controller.
I managed to get cdrecord running and wrote 2 DVDs and a single
CD. The device no longer writes and I suspect reading has slowed
down drammatically as well. I am guessing I got a bad DVD writer,
but do not anticipate learning that Linux has done anything to
the drive. For what it is worth, below is the error message from
cdrecord. Does this look to others here like a failed drive?

Dominic

------- from cdrecord during a cd write -----------------------

Sending CUE sheet...
/cdrecord-prodvd-2.01.01b03-i686-pc-linux-gnu: WARNING: Drive returns
wrong
startsec (0) using -150
Writing pregap for track 1 at -150
Starting new track at sector: 0
Track 01: 1 of 3 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf 100%]
0.3x./cdrecord-prodvd-2.01.01b03-i686-pc-linux-gnu: Input/output error.
write_g1: scsi sendcmd: no error
CDB: 2A 00 00 00 02 C9 00 00 1F 00
status: 0x2 (CHECK CONDITION)
Sense Bytes: F0 00 03 00 00 00 E9 0A 00 00 00 00 0C 08 00 00 00 00
Sense Key: 0x3 Medium Error, Segment 0
Sense Code: 0x0C Qual 0x08 (write error - recovery failed) Fru 0x0
Sense flags: Blk 233 (valid)
cmd finished after 0.120s timeout 200s

write track data: error after 1460224 bytes
/cdrecord-prodvd-2.01.01b03-i686-pc-linux-gnu: A write error occured.