eMac CD burning issue

[mrbigstuff]

this is a perennial issue with a family machine (not my immediate family). the CD appears to burn the first track and spins and spins. then it stops. and it gets stuck in the machine since it is still looking for data, apparently.
this happens with iTunes and with shareware burn apps.

any ideas? i cannot update the OS as this time. It's running 10.3.9

thanks

[Bill in NC]

Plug in an external burner or swap the internal with a Pioneer DVD burner (about $30 from newegg)