DVD Burning Problems?
Published by: Codrut Nistor, in Tips & Tricks
August12th2008
If you ever tried to burn a DVD, most chances are you run into some problems. If that didn't happen at first try, it surely occurred somewhere along the way. Even more, if you managed to burn your discs successfully, but after one or two years, they started failing when read, that's still a DVD burning problem, as we're going to see today. Nothing is perfect, and even the most notorious manufacturers of optical media can deliver "duds," but when talking about DVD burning problems, there are usually two main causes: the DVD burning tools(software and hardware), and the lack of knowledge of the user behind(usually in front of...) it.
There is no perfect DVD burning recipe, as there are plenty of good burning programs, and if you are using the same settings, there won't be any big difference in burning quality. The following advices are a direct result of my experience as a user, and also what I managed to learn from the experiences of my friends. These being said, no matter if you're a beginner or experienced CD/DVD burner, here's my list of tips and tricks!
1. Use reliable media. The Media section on CDFreaks is one of the best sources of information regarding a certain CD/DVD disc. Don't be fooled by the name on the disc - it's the manufacturer that really matters! I got to know this when I ended up with a bunch of "no-name" CDs, but when I researched for the manufacturer online, I found out they were made by...Taiyo Yuden! Since then, I've been looking for media manufactured by them all the time, and I never looked at the name on the disc again. Anyway, this doesn't mean Taiyo Yuden media is the only good choice, so feel free to use whatever you want, as long as it's not a type of disc that already got bad reviews.
2. Use reliable burning software! I am not talking about crashes here, I am talking about updates. Here's why I say this - while most power users advise others to keep their burning software up to date, I am not doing that. The reason is very simple - when I got Nero 7, I ran into a lot of problems(to be read "broken DVDs"), only to find that Nero 6.6.1.15 is the best version I could ever get. No matter the software you're using, if the version you have works well, and the new version doesn't offer any feature you need, do NOT update!
3. Get to know your burning software's settings! Fine tweaking your burning software can spare you a lot of problems. Label your discs properly, use LightScribe,
if you are burning media supporting it, and be careful with those burning speeds...
4. Use that knowledge! The main part about using the knowledge you got about your program is to always use "advanced mode" and set all the options for burning manually. I never trust a computer! Some discs support very high burn speeds, but the resulting discs are not as reliable as those created at lower speeds. This is not something noticeable at first sight, but you may get to this conclusion in time. After all, what's 5 minutes, what's 10 minutes? Patience is a virtue, my friends!
5. If you're not burning discs for your enemies, be sure to make a quality check after burning each disc! While most burning programs allow you to test the burning quality, I recommend Nero CD-DVD Speed or VSO Inspector, both available free of any charge. Usually, discs that are read very slow right after being taken "out of the toaster" are very likely to fail in time faster than others.
6. Don't forget to choose your hardware wisely, and not based on your favorite brand or price! If a certain hardware manufacturer comes up with great motherboards, amazing video cards, and best monitors on the market, that doesn't necessarily mean its optical drives are also great. Try not to buy hardware that just arrived on the market, but at least a few months old, so you can check user feedback, and remember that burning quality is more important than noise levels, looks, or reading speed. As long as it supports LightScribe(if you intend to use that feature, of course) and it is compatible with a wide array of media, go get it!
7. If your computer is powerful enough, you can even play games while burning discs, but I don't recommended it at all! I am not saying to close all other applications, because we're in 2008, and most people have at least 1GB of memory(I was burning discs without any problem while surfing the Web on my old computer, with only 512MB of memory), but be sure not to open/close big applications, like Photoshop, while burning the disc. Even more, if you're browsing the files on your computer, be careful not to access the optical drive - it will result in a broken disc!
8. Be careful when labeling discs! Most of the time, I choose to catalog them using WhereIsIt, and since I usually buy bulk discs, I place them into envelopes, writing the number on the envelope, and nothing on the disc. As long as you can keep things in order, everything is great with this strategy.
9. Handle your discs with care! Try to avoid placing your fingers on any side of the disc - I guess I don't have to explain how to avoid that... Also, be sure to keep them in a cool, dry place, and NEVER move them from a very hot room to a cold one, or the other way around. Do that a few times, and you can buy a coffin for your beloved collection afterward!
10. Don't allow dust to get inside your DVD burner! If you're cleaning the house, better keep the computer aside until you are done(I am not talking about a weekly sweep, I am talking about tearing down the walls, changing the stairs, stuff like that), and no matter how clean your computer room is, NEVER leave the DVD drive tray open! Open, insert the disc, close, that's all you have to remember...
This is it for now, if I remember anything else, I'll get back to the topic, you can be sure of that! What else can I say now than.... Good luck, and may all DVD burning problems stay away from you and your discs!
There is no perfect DVD burning recipe, as there are plenty of good burning programs, and if you are using the same settings, there won't be any big difference in burning quality. The following advices are a direct result of my experience as a user, and also what I managed to learn from the experiences of my friends. These being said, no matter if you're a beginner or experienced CD/DVD burner, here's my list of tips and tricks!
1. Use reliable media. The Media section on CDFreaks is one of the best sources of information regarding a certain CD/DVD disc. Don't be fooled by the name on the disc - it's the manufacturer that really matters! I got to know this when I ended up with a bunch of "no-name" CDs, but when I researched for the manufacturer online, I found out they were made by...Taiyo Yuden! Since then, I've been looking for media manufactured by them all the time, and I never looked at the name on the disc again. Anyway, this doesn't mean Taiyo Yuden media is the only good choice, so feel free to use whatever you want, as long as it's not a type of disc that already got bad reviews.
2. Use reliable burning software! I am not talking about crashes here, I am talking about updates. Here's why I say this - while most power users advise others to keep their burning software up to date, I am not doing that. The reason is very simple - when I got Nero 7, I ran into a lot of problems(to be read "broken DVDs"), only to find that Nero 6.6.1.15 is the best version I could ever get. No matter the software you're using, if the version you have works well, and the new version doesn't offer any feature you need, do NOT update!
3. Get to know your burning software's settings! Fine tweaking your burning software can spare you a lot of problems. Label your discs properly, use LightScribe,
4. Use that knowledge! The main part about using the knowledge you got about your program is to always use "advanced mode" and set all the options for burning manually. I never trust a computer! Some discs support very high burn speeds, but the resulting discs are not as reliable as those created at lower speeds. This is not something noticeable at first sight, but you may get to this conclusion in time. After all, what's 5 minutes, what's 10 minutes? Patience is a virtue, my friends!
5. If you're not burning discs for your enemies, be sure to make a quality check after burning each disc! While most burning programs allow you to test the burning quality, I recommend Nero CD-DVD Speed or VSO Inspector, both available free of any charge. Usually, discs that are read very slow right after being taken "out of the toaster" are very likely to fail in time faster than others.
6. Don't forget to choose your hardware wisely, and not based on your favorite brand or price! If a certain hardware manufacturer comes up with great motherboards, amazing video cards, and best monitors on the market, that doesn't necessarily mean its optical drives are also great. Try not to buy hardware that just arrived on the market, but at least a few months old, so you can check user feedback, and remember that burning quality is more important than noise levels, looks, or reading speed. As long as it supports LightScribe(if you intend to use that feature, of course) and it is compatible with a wide array of media, go get it!
7. If your computer is powerful enough, you can even play games while burning discs, but I don't recommended it at all! I am not saying to close all other applications, because we're in 2008, and most people have at least 1GB of memory(I was burning discs without any problem while surfing the Web on my old computer, with only 512MB of memory), but be sure not to open/close big applications, like Photoshop, while burning the disc. Even more, if you're browsing the files on your computer, be careful not to access the optical drive - it will result in a broken disc!
8. Be careful when labeling discs! Most of the time, I choose to catalog them using WhereIsIt, and since I usually buy bulk discs, I place them into envelopes, writing the number on the envelope, and nothing on the disc. As long as you can keep things in order, everything is great with this strategy.
9. Handle your discs with care! Try to avoid placing your fingers on any side of the disc - I guess I don't have to explain how to avoid that... Also, be sure to keep them in a cool, dry place, and NEVER move them from a very hot room to a cold one, or the other way around. Do that a few times, and you can buy a coffin for your beloved collection afterward!
10. Don't allow dust to get inside your DVD burner! If you're cleaning the house, better keep the computer aside until you are done(I am not talking about a weekly sweep, I am talking about tearing down the walls, changing the stairs, stuff like that), and no matter how clean your computer room is, NEVER leave the DVD drive tray open! Open, insert the disc, close, that's all you have to remember...
This is it for now, if I remember anything else, I'll get back to the topic, you can be sure of that! What else can I say now than.... Good luck, and may all DVD burning problems stay away from you and your discs!
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