Rescuing DVD re-writable discs (DVD+RW)

jimbo45

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Hi there.

Some of you still use DVD re-writable Discs - and although they are reasonably cheap it's annoying if you want to use one and you've run out. I still make the odd DVD from MP4/MKV blu ray rips for my folks who just want to play movies on a "stand alone" domestic DVD player.

Some discs that give Verify Errors with some burning software such as NERO can be often successfully "repaired". Windows 8/8.1 has an "image burning" tool built in -- and it's fast and pretty successful . No parameters though other than Verify.

1) Clean the Disc (water is fine), and dry it.

2) Insert into DVD writer -- in File explorer Right mouse click on the DVD and chose FORMAT. Unclick the Quick format. (Use the default UDF 2.01).

3) When it's complete the disc will still seem to be busy -- wait 2 mins and press the EJECT button -- you'll see a little popup saying WAIT - Windows is preparing the disc so it can be used on other computer systems.-

4) When Disc is ejected - re-insert and now use the Windows burning tool to burn your iso to the disc. It will re-erase (fine), burn the iso and finalize the disc. Ensure Verify is selected. At least 9 out of 10 discs thrown out by NERO on Verify errors have passed Windows burner by using the above method and I've had no problems playing the discs on other machines.

Cheers
jimbo
 

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Anybody still uses that ? It's like 5 times as expensive as USB sticks. Most standalone machines would not even read them and because of recording layer is hydrocarbon based, very unreliable.
 

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Hi there

Stand alone machines read these very easily -- not everybody can or wants to attach a computer to a TV for playing DVD's. We might be quite happy on the Forum using HDMI cables / laptops / movie streaming services - but there are still loads of people who just sling a DVD in a player and watch it on a TV.

Most Blanks are very cheap and a typical "Stand alone" cheap DVD player / recorder won't play a DVD from a USB stick unfortunately -- also if you are giving away a few dozen of these DVD's - it's vastly cheaper than using USB sticks !! Remember I don't want the DVD's back again. !!

I'm quite happy to use a Media server to stream high quality video to a TV but I still know a lot of people who just about can turn on a computer. !!!

Cheers
jimbo
 

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I quit using RW discs of any type years ago. They are unreliable and have been known to lose format and/or data. I only use "R" type discs.
 

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Hmmm, last two DVD players wouldn't even consider RW DVDs.
 

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I use a standalone dvd player. Very good one, lot easier than trying to link up a pc , and great quality. I don't use rewritable discs, though. I know it plays them fine. No idea how much they are.

EDIT - just checked. They are not cheap in 1 3 or 5 packs. If you get 100 pack branded, they are much less.100 unbranded for quite a lot less still. Not sure how much I would trust unbranded though. If 100 is too many, I just spotted TDK 10 pack at £6.00, so 60p each. Verbatim , 25 pack for £11.00

I don't know where you can get usb sticks anywhere near that sort of price.
 

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I use -R for archiving some things still. Don't use R/W at all anymore and hardly ever play a movie directly from DVD. Still, good info Jimbo, you get an A+ for trying to be helpful. :thumb:
 

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I use a standalone dvd player. Very good one, lot easier than trying to link up a pc , and great quality. I don't use rewritable discs, though. I know it plays them fine. No idea how much they are.

EDIT - just checked. They are not cheap in 1 3 or 5 packs. If you get 100 pack branded, they are much less.100 unbranded for quite a lot less still. Not sure how much I would trust unbranded though. If 100 is too many, I just spotted TDK 10 pack at £6.00, so 60p each. Verbatim , 25 pack for £11.00

I don't know where you can get usb sticks anywhere near that sort of price.
32 GB is about 15Euro around here.
 

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    CCM Nepton 140xl
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I use a standalone dvd player. Very good one, lot easier than trying to link up a pc , and great quality. I don't use rewritable discs, though. I know it plays them fine. No idea how much they are.

EDIT - just checked. They are not cheap in 1 3 or 5 packs. If you get 100 pack branded, they are much less.100 unbranded for quite a lot less still. Not sure how much I would trust unbranded though. If 100 is too many, I just spotted TDK 10 pack at £6.00, so 60p each. Verbatim , 25 pack for £11.00

I don't know where you can get usb sticks anywhere near that sort of price.
32 GB is about 15Euro around here.

Hi there

If you get even 3 re-uses out of a DVD+RW then IMO it's worth trying. Usually you get a lot more re-writes than 3 -- even 10 would significantly pay dividends over a pack of DVD+R's. Remember after people have seen that bunch of movies you can create another lot on the same DVD's for them.

You don't use these for long term storage or archive !!!!. Just use them a few times and then bin them. Also for the "Save the Planet" brigade -- it's much more environmentally friendly to RE-USE these than buy packs of DVD+R's -- heavy metals and toxic materials are used in the manufacture of these things.

Cheers
jimbo
 

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    SSD's * 3 (Samsung 840 series) 250 GB
    2 X 3 TB sata
    5 X 1 TB sata
    Internet Speed
    0.12 GB/s (120Mb/s)
I use a standalone dvd player. Very good one, lot easier than trying to link up a pc , and great quality. I don't use rewritable discs, though. I know it plays them fine. No idea how much they are.

EDIT - just checked. They are not cheap in 1 3 or 5 packs. If you get 100 pack branded, they are much less.100 unbranded for quite a lot less still. Not sure how much I would trust unbranded though. If 100 is too many, I just spotted TDK 10 pack at £6.00, so 60p each. Verbatim , 25 pack for £11.00

I don't know where you can get usb sticks anywhere near that sort of price.
32 GB is about 15Euro around here.

Hi there.

I wouldn't trust your Bank -- if you only got 15 EUR for 32 GBP -- the exchange rate is around 40 EUR for 32 GBP -- now if you mean that you can BUY the DVD's for 15 EUR - then that's a different issue -- also I don't think Serbia has a wallet breaking 20% VAT rate that the UK does -- not sure why they put up with that over there -- having bailed the Banks out for TRILLIONS of GBP they get trodden on with very high VAT rates too !!!

I saw in the paper today a comparison of buying food in ALDI in Germany (ostensibly an expensive country - higher wages etc) -- compared with ALDI in the UK.

Guess what -- the prices were HALF those in the UK - including things like bottles of Wine which carry extra taxes on them!!). Interestingly enough the UK actually has a 0% VAT rate on food compared with Germany's 5% or so -- Why the extra price then in the UK on Food !!! it's not the tax regime. Somebody's not telling the people something here.

Cheers
jimbo
 

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    SSD's * 3 (Samsung 840 series) 250 GB
    2 X 3 TB sata
    5 X 1 TB sata
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    0.12 GB/s (120Mb/s)
I must have collected 5-600 DVDs, all sitting in the basement now, really no use for them any more.
 

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I use a standalone dvd player. Very good one, lot easier than trying to link up a pc , and great quality. I don't use rewritable discs, though. I know it plays them fine. No idea how much they are.

EDIT - just checked. They are not cheap in 1 3 or 5 packs. If you get 100 pack branded, they are much less.100 unbranded for quite a lot less still. Not sure how much I would trust unbranded though. If 100 is too many, I just spotted TDK 10 pack at £6.00, so 60p each. Verbatim , 25 pack for £11.00

I don't know where you can get usb sticks anywhere near that sort of price.
32 GB is about 15Euro around here.

Hi there.

I wouldn't trust your Bank -- if you only got 15 EUR for 32 GBP -- the exchange rate is around 40 EUR for 32 GBP -- now if you mean that you can BUY the DVD's for 15 EUR - then that's a different issue -- also I don't think Serbia has a wallet breaking 20% VAT rate that the UK does -- not sure why they put up with that over there -- having bailed the Banks out for TRILLIONS of GBP they get trodden on with very high VAT rates too !!!

I saw in the paper today a comparison of buying food in ALDI in Germany (ostensibly an expensive country - higher wages etc) -- compared with ALDI in the UK.

Guess what -- the prices were HALF those in the UK - including things like bottles of Wine which carry extra taxes on them!!). Interestingly enough the UK actually has a 0% VAT rate on food compared with Germany's 5% or so -- Why the extra price then in the UK on Food !!! it's not the tax regime. Somebody's not telling the people something here.

Cheers
jimbo
Lol. not GBP, just GB (Gigabytes).
 

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@Jimbo,

I saw in the paper today a comparison of buying food in ALDI in Germany (ostensibly an expensive country - higher wages etc) -- compared with ALDI in the UK.

Guess what -- the prices were HALF those in the UK - including things like bottles of Wine which carry extra taxes on them!!). Interestingly enough the UK actually has a 0% VAT rate on food compared with Germany's 5% or so -- Why the extra price then in the UK on Food !!! it's not the tax regime. Somebody's not telling the people something here.

Always interesting to hear things like that.


Price is a marketing tool. Don't know how many times I have to repeat that. Generally, they will charge as much as people are prepared to pay.
 

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Strange of you.

I don't think I have that many, but I look at them every now and then. Just like the books I have.

I must have collected 5-600 DVDs, all sitting in the basement now, really no use for them any more.
 

My Computer

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  • OS
    7/8/ubuntu/Linux Deepin
    Computer type
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Strange of you.

I don't think I have that many, but I look at them every now and then. Just like the books I have.

I must have collected 5-600 DVDs, all sitting in the basement now, really no use for them any more.
Why is it strange, there are many movies and shows, music and backups, all collected during many years. Most of them are in bulk packaging cases, originals in own cases. I also collect gramophone records and have couple of hundred LPs and some original studio recording analog reel to reel tapes from '60s.
 

My Computer

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  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro
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    Home made
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    AMD Ryzen7 2700x
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    Asus Prime x470 Pro
    Memory
    16GB Kingston 3600
    Graphics Card(s)
    Asus strix 570 OC 4gb
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 960 evo 250GB
    Silicon Power V70 240GB SSD
    WD 1 TB Blue
    WD 2 TB Blue
    Bunch of backup HDDs.
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    Sharkoon, Silent Storm 660W
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    CCM Nepton 140xl
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    40/2 Mbps
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    Firefox
    Antivirus
    WD
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