Thinkpads Forum

Hi, what's the easiest, most definite way to check that that an Ultra-Slim DVD Burner for a T60 will indeed burn DVD's and CD's? Up until now, to check the following 4 functions, this is what I've been doing:

(1) Plays Cd's----> I play a CD for a few minutes (no brainer)
(2) Plays DVD's----> I play a DVD for a few minutes (no brainer)
(3) Burns CD's-----> I use IBM Record Now, and choose "Exact copy" to burn a copy of a music CD
(4) Burns DVD's----> I use IBM Record Now, and choose "Exact copy" to burn a copy of a DVD movie

I am pretty sure I could either just use PC Doctor to check the DVD Burner and CD burner functions of the drive by inserting a data disc and following the steps OR use Windows to just burn a file to a Data CD and burn a file to a Data DVD to make sure the burner works. That would sure save a lot of time and also a lot of blank CD's and DVD's.

I have to test and sell some DVD burners so I wanted to go the extra mile and make sure. Is there someone here who can say for sure that burning just a short video or music file to CD and likewise DVD will definitely assure that the burning functions work? I don't want to list these burners as fully tested and then someone says, oh it doesn't burn correctly. If that's the case then I'll just burn a complete copy of a CD and a DVD as I've been doing, just takes a lot of time and blank media

Daniel.

I wouldn't necessarily trust PCDoctor's diagnostics, but you can save blank media, by using a burning program such as Nero and running Simulation without the actual Burn.

You can burn something really short to save time. Usually fundamental problems cause immediate errors.

To be very thorough though would take a lot of time since you would have to try all of the following media - CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+RW and DVD-RAM. My experience has been that failing drives rarely fail completely. More like they stop recognizing/burning certain media types.

To save time, I would check CD-RW and DVD+RW, since DVD- tends to be easier and more compatible than DVD+. If a drive does DVD+, chances are it will do DVD-. DVD-RAM is probably of interest to almost no one anyways.

For testing you could also use the reusable CDRW and DVDRW discs.

You should absolutely be using rewritable media for this testing. WORM media is so wasteful. It is not natural like a mulberry. Let me know if you would like a DVD+RW.

To test CD-RW, I burn any large image, then scan for C2 errors.
This is what I would do to test DVD. I would fetch an image of a libre operating system (such as Debian), one that has a checksum file. Burn the image. Then verify the checksums. And if you don't have checksum software, or don't know how to use it, then: boot from the disc and choose to check it rather than load the OS. Easy.

Thanks everyone for all of your suggestions. You guys are great.

automobus wrote:You should absolutely be using rewritable media for this testing. WORM media is so wasteful. It is not natural like a mulberry. Let me know if you would like a DVD+RW.

To test CD-RW, I burn any large image, then scan for C2 errors.
This is what I would do to test DVD. I would fetch an image of a libre operating system (such as Debian), one that has a checksum file. Burn the image. Then verify the checksums. And if you don't have checksum software, or don't know how to use it, then: boot from the disc and choose to check it rather than load the OS. Easy.

I have to learn about checksum software. Will read up on that...
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So I took a TDK CD-R80 and simply used Windows to copy a folder of 11 large video files to it as a data CD. Then I played a couple of the files to check that it burned properly. I closed off the session and also played a couple of the files in another laptop.

I did the same thing with a Staples brand DVD+R RW disc. Everything worked perfectly.

This all took about 15 minutes. I can reuse the CD and DVD to check some other DVD burners.

Then I said a little Blessing over the DVD burner. Now I'm packing it to ship to a Forum member all the way up in Norway. If there's a problem with the burner I'm sending you guys all on an expedition to Norway to help the poor chap LOL

Daniel.

The problem with video and multimedia is, it forgives errors. It is hard to notice a missing frame of video here and there. If you burn a CD or DVD of Ubuntu or the like, then boot from the disc, just choose "check for defects" and it will check itself. Easy. It will take longer than your video playback test, because it is a more thorough check.
Everyone hates to face a error partway through installing a new operating system. Few mind if a fraction of a second of dialogue is missing. Therefore, "the Ubuntu disc test" is better.

By the way, these were video music files I burned and then watched, no skipping, and they played perfectly, but I understand what you're trying to say.

automobus wrote: If you burn a CD or DVD of Ubuntu or the like, then boot from the disc, just choose "check for defects" and it will check itself.

Isn't that similar to when IBM Record Now or a similar burning program of decent quality "Verifies" a disc after burning it? Also, if errors were found using your method, couldn't it be a defective CD or DVD disc and maybe not the DVD burner? In any case that's why I thought maybe burning a complete disc especially XP SP2 reinstallation CD or Windows 7 Pro reinstallation DVD and then checking by booting from that created disc in another laptop might be a more thorough method, which is what I'm done before. I've also used that disc I created to install XP on another laptop, which involves reading many detailed files. Likewise with Windows 7 Pro DVD's. I've never had a problem with a disc created successfully by IBM Record Now (and therefore the CD or DVD burner used). I would imagine error checking is built into the program, likewise with just basic Windows 7 formatting and copy commands.

I would like to try your method. I think I have a copy of Ubuntu collecting dust somewhere. If not, is there a web site where I can download it? I know I have a Linux CD. Never actually used Ubuntu or Linux. I have no experience with any non-Windows operating systems except some experience playing around on a Mac and limited knowledge of DOS commands of course. But always willing to learn

Daniel.

Thinkpad Lover wrote:Isn't that similar to when IBM Record Now or a similar burning program of decent quality "Verifies" a disc after burning it? Also, if errors were found using your method, couldn't it be a defective CD or DVD disc and maybe not the DVD burner?

Yes, it is likely similar. Not everyone uses burning software with a "verify after write" option. For that reason, Debian discs have a checksum file and a checker-routine.
If you have bad media, I imagine would give a false negative with any testing method. So that is a benefit of RW media: if it is known good, you can keep on using it.

Thinkpad Lover wrote:In any case that's why I thought maybe burning a complete disc especially XP SP2 reinstallation CD or Windows 7 Pro reinstallation DVD and then checking by booting from that created disc in another laptop might be a more thorough method, which is what I'm done before. I've also used that disc I created to install XP on another laptop, which involves reading many detailed files.

A mere boot test only tells you that the parts relating to booting came out okay. In my experience, when a optical drive gets errors, it is usually in the far-out data. I think a Windows 7 DVD is only 2.5 Go or so, while a DVD can hold like 4.7 or so Go. So your Windows 7 test does not tell you how well the drive can access the outer sectors. Also, while installing Windows XP involves reading many detailed files, the Debian/Ubuntu installation discs check every file.

Thinkpad Lover wrote:Likewise with Windows 7 Pro DVD's. I've never had a problem with a disc created successfully by IBM Record Now (and therefore the CD or DVD burner used). I would imagine error checking is built into the program.

It very well may be. But again, by burning Windows 7, you are only checking 3/5 or so of the capacity. And it is in the farther data that problems are more likely to emerge. A better test would be
debian-6.0.2.1-i386-DVD-1.iso … 4.67 Go in size, where a DVD holds 4.7 Go

Thinkpad Lover wrote:If not, is there a web site where I can download it?

There sure is, though BitTorrent is nicer, and more fault-tolerant.
For Debian torrent, http://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/6.0 ... 86/bt-dvd/
For Ubuntu http, http://cdimage.ubuntulinux.org/releases/11.04/release/

The Ubuntu DVD is just 4.2 Go or so; I would prefer to use a Debian DVD. They really pack 'em tight!



I'm no expert at this. Every day, I am learning how to use computers! In time, I hope someone will suggest a smart answer to this problem, a solution more elegant than downloading a whole DVD image.