my cd writer wont write to a cd from my cd rom on the fly (both are ide)

Okie, and what would you like us to do about that now we know you cant copy on the fly ? :)

First, theres a forum for CDR/CDRW for CDROM problem

Second, You need to post more information on your current setup in order for people to help. :)

Are they on separate IDE cables? If not split them up, with the writer as a master on IDE2 & the cd as slave on IDE1. Might help

As duffy90210 said, need to know more m8.

System details/OS and most important of all *what* software are you trying to burn with? :)