creating a bootable iso in Linux

OK. So call me stupid, but I rarely create bootable DVDs from iso images in Fedora. Here is how I created a bootable Ubuntu 7.10 disk using growisofs.

Burn the ISO image to a DVD
1) Put your DVD in your DVD drive

2) Make sure your drive is reading the disk properly by using dvd+rw-mediainfo. This program is part of the dvd+rw tools. The command should also give you a write speed estimate, which is handy.

[mule@ogre ~]# dvd+rw-mediainfo /dev/dvd
INQUIRY:                [HP      ][DVD Writer 940d ][3H23]
GET [CURRENT] CONFIGURATION:
 Mounted Media:         11h, DVD-R Sequential
 Media ID:              ProdiscS03  
 Current Write Speed:   4.0x1385=5540KB/s
 Write Speed #0:        4.0x1385=5540KB/s
 Write Speed #1:        2.0x1385=2770KB/s
GET [CURRENT] PERFORMANCE:
 Write Performance:     4.0x1385=5540KB/s@[0 -> 0]
 Speed Descriptor#0:    00/0 R@6.4x1385=8864KB/s W@4.0x1385=5540KB/s
 Speed Descriptor#1:    00/0 R@6.4x1385=8864KB/s W@2.0x1385=2770KB/s
READ DVD STRUCTURE[#10h]:
 Media Book Type:       00h, DVD-ROM book [revision 0]
 Legacy lead-out at:    2298496*2KB=4707319808
READ DVD STRUCTURE[#0h]:
 Media Book Type:       25h, DVD-R book [revision 5]
 Last border-out at:    2045*2KB=4188160
READ DISC INFORMATION:
 Disc status:           blank
 Number of Sessions:    1
 State of Last Session: empty
 "Next" Track:          1
 Number of Tracks:      1
READ TRACK INFORMATION[#1]:
 Track State:           invisible incremental
 Track Start Address:   0*2KB
 Next Writable Address: 0*2KB
 Free Blocks:           2297888*2KB
 Track Size:            2297888*2KB
READ CAPACITY:          0*2048=0

3) Using growisofs, burn the ISO image to a DVD. Note that I used this command on a DVD RW:
[mule@ogre ~]# growisofs -dvd-compat -Z /dev/dvd=ubuntu-7.10-desktop-amd64.iso
Executing 'builtin_dd if=ubuntu-7.10-desktop-amd64.iso of=/dev/dvd obs=32k seek=0'
/dev/dvd: "Current Write Speed" is 2.0x1352KBps.
3407872/2005147648 ( 0.2%) @0.5x, remaining 39:09 RBU 100.0% UBU 6.5%
12288000/2005147648 ( 0.6%) @1.9x, remaining 18:55 RBU 100.0% UBU 100.0%
..
1992097792/2005147648 (99.3%) @2.0x, remaining 0:04 RBU 77.9% UBU 100.0%
2001076224/2005147648 (99.8%) @1.9x, remaining 0:01 RBU 24.4% UBU 100.0%
builtin_dd: 979088*2KB out @ average 1.9x1352KBps
/dev/dvd: flushing cache
/dev/dvd: writing lead-out

The disc..she boots!
The Mule