DirectCD Disk Thrashing - the Kiss of Death?

jason wrote:
I burn CDRW disks using the Adaptec DirectCD program that came with my
computer. All of a sudden, the disk I use for backup is thrashing around
and freezing my system. I can't access the disk at all, and have to eject
it. My CDRs and audio CDs work fine, so the drive itself is not the
problem. I reinstalled a fresh copy of DirectCD...same problem. Does that
mean the disk is bad? Is there any way I can recover it? Is something
else happening?

It means that the TOC can no longer be read - the disc is essentially
dead. This is discussed in the usual references, the CD-R FAQ and the
primer at my WWW site. Briefly:

The theoretical life of an erasable is rarely approached in practice.
Each time a changed fixed-length packet disc is removed from the drive,
the TOC is written. A few dozen to perhaps a hundred such operations is
all that you can expect of the medium.

You can try to recover files from the disc with (registered) ISOBuster
or with CD/DVD Diagnostic (both linked from my site). Or you can pay for
a professional recovery service.

Mike
--

http://www.mrichter.com/

.. --------------------------------------
Roxio is the Firestone of CDR software
--------------------------------------


jason wrote:

I burn CDRW disks using the Adaptec DirectCD program that came with my
computer. All of a sudden, the disk I use for backup is thrashing around
and freezing my system. I can't access the disk at all, and have to eject
it. My CDRs and audio CDs work fine, so the drive itself is not the
problem. I reinstalled a fresh copy of DirectCD...same problem. Does that
mean the disk is bad? Is there any way I can recover it? Is something
else happening?

The usual recovery programs cannot do much when the disc is not
recognized. There's not much you can do with the disc.

What you can do, however, is to bring class action lawsuit against Roxio
(Adaptec) for not giving out any warning whatsoever about data loss when
using DirectCD.

.. --------------------------------------------------------
"the fault is not with the software but with the format"

Only sleazy, slimeball scam artist
spew such cockamamie drivel!
--------------------------------------------------------


Mike Richter (Friggin' ****) splattered:

Each time a changed fixed-length packet disc is removed from the drive,
the TOC is written.

No kidding!

This Friggin Freak does not even know what TOC is !!

.. --------------------------------------
Mike Richter, were you born with
"Scam Artist" emblazoned on your face?
--------------------------------------
(Mike Richter, any Material Connection w/ Roxio?)


Mike Richter (Roxio Shill) splattered:

The theoretical life of an erasable is rarely approached in practice.
Each time a changed fixed-length packet disc is removed from the drive,
the TOC is written. A few dozen to perhaps a hundred such operations is
all that you can expect of the medium.

No doubt gleaned from this "extensive" experience?

======================
From: Mike Richter (Lying Scum)
Date: 11/28/02

I have had extensive experience with erasable media.

======================
From: Mike Richter (Slimy Scum)
Date: 5/12/04

the fragility of erasables means that I use them only for test,
so I don't have a body of experience to report.
======================

--------------------------------------
Mike Richter, were you born with
"Scam Artist" emblazoned on your face?
--------------------------------------

(BTW, did you coin the term "erasable"?)

This is a media problem.

"smh" wrote in message
...
. --------------------------------------
Roxio is the Firestone of CDR software
--------------------------------------


jason wrote:

I burn CDRW disks using the Adaptec DirectCD program that came with my
computer. All of a sudden, the disk I use for backup is thrashing
around
and freezing my system. I can't access the disk at all, and have to
eject
it. My CDRs and audio CDs work fine, so the drive itself is not the
problem. I reinstalled a fresh copy of DirectCD...same problem. Does
that
mean the disk is bad? Is there any way I can recover it? Is something
else happening?

The usual recovery programs cannot do much when the disc is not
recognized. There's not much you can do with the disc.

What you can do, however, is to bring class action lawsuit against Roxio
(Adaptec) for not giving out any warning whatsoever about data loss when
using DirectCD.

.. --------------------------------------
Mike Richter, were you born with
"Scam Artist" emblazoned on your face?
--------------------------------------
(Mike Richter, any Material Connection w/ Roxio?)

http://groups.google.com/groups?selm...mindspring.com
(Messages 10, 12 -- 34, 54 -- 69)

( No pipsqueaks have been able to prove ANY of the above is a libel )
( -- despite Mikey claimed to have proof of misquotes !! )
'

jason wrote:
smh wrote:
jason wrote:

I burn CDRW disks using the Adaptec DirectCD program that came with my
computer. All of a sudden, the disk I use for backup is thrashing around
and freezing my system. I can't access the disk at all, and have to eject
it.

The usual recovery programs cannot do much when the disc is not
recognized. There's not much you can do with the disc.

What you can do, however, is to bring class action lawsuit against
Roxio (Adaptec) for not giving out any warning whatsoever about data
loss when using DirectCD.

The thing is, the disk is practically brand new. I've only been using it
for about two months. I use it for backup, but I only back up a few files
a week.

Man, I went thru the same thing with a Zip drive. I encountered the
dreaded "click of death". I hadn't heard there was anything similar with
CDRWs.

So I'm wondering what I should learn from all this. Should I use a CDRW for
only ONE month instead of two? Or is there a better program? The disks I
used were made in Japan...which are supposedly the best.

CD-RW's don't go bad after only 8 writes or in only two months,
especially the ones made in Japan. But with DirectCD, anything is
possible:

-----------------------------------------------------
Should CD-RW's have such extreme problems so quickly?
-----------------------------------------------------

==================================
From: Arthur Lipscomb
Subject: File Integrity Errors
Date: 10/13/01

Mike Richter (Slimy Scum) spewed:

Arthur Lipscomb wrote:

I am using Easy CD Creator 5 Platinum on a Windows Me computer. I ran
scandisk on a CDRW disk and it came back with a file integrity error
(this has happened several times in the past on other discs). Scandisc
was not able to copy the files to a different location, and windows copy
and paste gave the following error, "Cannot copy...Windows in unable to
find the file. This item might have already been deleted or moved."
However, the files (videos) on the disc play normally. I have copies of
all of the files on my hard drive so I formatted a brand new blank CDRW
and copied the files onto the new disk. After running scandisk again I
received the same error messages.

You are using the least reliable and most fragile format available for
storage on CD. More than that, you appear to have flaky erasable media,
possibly because they've been erased too often, possibly because they
are not well matched to your writer.

.... Or are you saying the problem is I'm formatting them as
rewriteable. Which even if it's not as reliable as formatting as read
only,

shouldn't have such extreme problems so quickly.

In the previous
example, the disc was formatted once, and I ran scandisc immediately
after transferring the files to the disc. So the problem wasn't caused
by repeatedly erasing the disc.
==================================

--------------------------------------
Mike Richter, were you born with
"Scam Artist" emblazoned on your face?
--------------------------------------

(Mike Richter, any Material Connection w/ Roxio?)

.. --------------------------------------
Mike Richter, were you born with
"Scam Artist" emblazoned on your face?
--------------------------------------
(Mike Richter, any Material Connection w/ Roxio?)

http://groups.google.com/groups?selm...mindspring.com
(Messages 10, 12 -- 34, 54 -- 69)

( No pipsqueaks have been able to prove ANY of the above is a libel )
( -- despite Mikey claimed to have proof of misquotes !! )
'

jason wrote:
smh wrote:
jason wrote:

I burn CDRW disks using the Adaptec DirectCD program that came with my
computer. All of a sudden, the disk I use for backup is thrashing around
and freezing my system. I can't access the disk at all, and have to eject
it.

The usual recovery programs cannot do much when the disc is not
recognized. There's not much you can do with the disc.

What you can do, however, is to bring class action lawsuit against
Roxio (Adaptec) for not giving out any warning whatsoever about data
loss when using DirectCD.

The thing is, the disk is practically brand new. I've only been using it
for about two months. I use it for backup, but I only back up a few files
a week.

Man, I went thru the same thing with a Zip drive. I encountered the
dreaded "click of death". I hadn't heard there was anything similar with
CDRWs.

So I'm wondering what I should learn from all this. Should I use a CDRW for
only ONE month instead of two? Or is there a better program? The disks I
used were made in Japan...which are supposedly the best.

CD-RW's don't go bad after only 8 writes or in only two months,
especially the ones made in Japan. But with DirectCD, anything is
possible:

---------------------------------------------------
Surely CDRW's don't develop errors after 5 minutes?
---------------------------------------------------

===============================
From: "BrianT"
Subject: Loosing Disk Space {formatting CDRW}
Date: 5/8/03

Mike Richter (Hit&Run) wrote...

BrianT wrote:

Hi this is strange, anyone else get this? or can explain it
When I re-format a CDRW with Drag to Disk Full Format {EasyCD
6}, the space available after format drops by between 150 and
200 Mgs and I cannot get it back. A full format on a new CDRW
is OK. I have a LG 52x24x52x and use TDK or Packard Bell 10X
CDRW. This never happened with EasyCD 5.

The space you are losing is due to sectors found to be unreliable.
It's a good sign that the disc is developing errors and is ready
for the trash. You'll also find that formatting gets slower; it
takes time to retry verification and to mark the bad sectors.

If you insist on using fixed-length packets, you ask for that as
well as losing data.

Mmm, but if I format a brand new CDRW I get the full monty then if I
immediately re-format, quick or full, I loose 150Mg. Surly CDRW's
don't develop errors after 5 minutes?

Also from your statement "If you insist on using fixed-length
packets, you ask for that as well as losing data" are you suggesting
that the Drag and Drop part of Easy CD is unreliable and should not
be used ?
===============================

--------------------------------------
Mike Richter, were you born with
"Scam Artist" emblazoned on your face?
--------------------------------------

(Mike Richter, any Material Connection w/ Roxio?)

This is a media problem, not software. Direct CD is arguably the best of its
type, but it is up against a flaky and unreliable type of format and disc
media that is not suited to the task. You could use CDR discs, but they will
fill and they are not capable of being re-written however they are cheaper
and more reliable). Better still don't use Direct CD or CDRW discs for
important backups. Create multisession ISO discs with your disc mastering
software (Easy CD?) on CDR discs.

--

Graham Mayor





jason wrote:
smh wrote:

The usual recovery programs cannot do much when the disc is not
recognized. There's not much you can do with the disc.

What you can do, however, is to bring class action lawsuit against
Roxio (Adaptec) for not giving out any warning whatsoever about data
loss when using DirectCD.

The thing is, the disk is practically brand new. I've only been
using it for about two months. I use it for backup, but I only back
up a few files a week.

Man, I went thru the same thing with a Zip drive. I encountered the
dreaded "click of death". I hadn't heard there was anything similar
with CDRWs.

So I'm wondering what I should learn from all this. Should I use a
CDRW for only ONE month instead of two? Or is there a better
program? The disks I used were made in Japan...which are supposedly
the best.

' -------------------------------------------
Graham Mayor (MS MVP), were you also born
with "Scam Artist" emblazoned on your face?
-------------------------------------------
(Does MS stand for "Mikey S-licker"?)


Graham Mayor (MS MVP) squeaked:

This is a media problem, not software.

Like these, Graham Mayor (MS MVP)?

Should CD-RW's have such extreme problems so quickly?
Surely CDRW's don't develop errors after 5 minutes?

Direct CD is arguably the best of its
type, but it is up against a flaky and unreliable type of format

Don't MS MVPs know the distinction between Standard and Implementation?

=========================================
Mike Richter on Packet Writing Format (i)
=========================================

==============================
From: Mike Richter
Date: 12/15/01
Subject: Files Disappeared From CDRW DIsc.......

Suddenly i find myself among those who are having BIG problems
with Roxios crappy software, after a reasonable amount of small
problems with it, i insert a cdrw with files on it (jpegs) and
tried to burn a few more onto it only to find Roxio software
thinks it is either, corrupted, unrecognized data or need
formatting(?)

only one file remains on the disc, the others are GONE.

My guess is that you used DCD and you have now joined
the crowd of users who have learned that

fixed-length packets are the least reliable and
most fragile format you can write to CD.

Incidentally, the fault is not with the software but with
the format and the medium.
==============================

-----------------------------------
Does MS stand for "Mikey S-licker"?
-----------------------------------

--------------------------------------
Does the "P" in MVP stand for "PRICK"?
--------------------------------------

' -------------------------------------------
Graham Mayor (MS MVP), were you also born
with "Scam Artist" emblazoned on your face?
-------------------------------------------
(Does the "P" in MVP stand for "PRICK"?)
(Does MS stand for "Mikey S-licker"?)


Graham Mayor (MS MVP) squeaked:

Direct CD is arguably the best of its type,

When DirectCD is even ditched by none other than a Roxio Shill?

=====================
From: Mike Richter (Roxio Shill)
Date: 8/19/02
Subject: Best packetwriting software?

I have used only DCD for packet writing,
have had no problems due to the software -
but too many due to the format itself

to bother with it any longer.

=====================
From: Mike Richter (Roxio Shill)
Date: 6/17/02

uninstalled DCD
when I stopped testing for Roxio
=====================

The above Mikey's statement is the first ever case in which a Shill is
rejecting the very product IT is shilling for.

With a Shill like this, Roxio doesn't need any critics!

-------------------------
Roxio, Eat Your Heart Out !!
-------------------------