11 replies to this topic

[Erick_ImgBurn]

Does a brand new CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R or DVD-RW (and all + variants) require a quick or full erase? If so, why? Aren't they full of zeroes and formatted at the factory?

Why would you use a Quick Erase instead of a Full Erase? All I got is either to delete the first 800 sectors of data to make a disc unreadable, or delete small files that are no larger than 800 sectors of disc storage capacity. For all else, use a full erase. Am I correct?

[LIGHTNING UK!]

None of those require an erase when new... certainly not the write once media!

DVD+RW and BD-RE require formatting (done by a full erase) when new. The program takes care of everything automatically so you don't need to do anything. It'll erase/format as and when required.

[Erick_ImgBurn]

Thanks for that, Lightning. Please answer the second part of my question about when to use Quick Erase. Thank you. I have spent the last three days learning everything about burning, from file systems to sector types. I now feel I can use ImgBurn with complete confidence.

Edited by Erick_ImgBurn, 14 January 2012 - 04:41 PM.

[dbminter]

You shouldn't ever really encounter a need to do a Quick Erase manually. When using rewritable media, a Quick Erase will be performed if there is existing data on the target media when ImgBurn burns the media.


I do the occasional Full Erase if for whatever reason a write to a rewritable media fails for whatever particular reason after a Quick Erase automatically performed by ImgBurn. I Full Erase it and then burn it again to retest the media. If it fails again, the disc has reached the end of its usable life as far as I'm concerned and I junk it. On the 1st, I had to get rid of about 5 or 6 DVD-RW's that just wouldn't write correctly anymore.

[Erick_ImgBurn]

So the Quick Erase button is useless, because ImgBurn automatically deletes any existing data on the target rewritable media before burning new data?

[dbminter]

To be honest, I don't think I've ever used Quick Erase that much. I may use it to Quick Erase a disc that won't write or verify properly, but, I usually end up having to Full Erase them anyway.

[LIGHTNING UK!]

If you're loading the program with the intention of burning to a DVD-RW that already has data on it, yes, it's pointless to manually do a quick erase - because ImgBurn would do one automatically before it writes.

If you're loading the program with the intention of erasing the contents of a DVD-RW (for use in/with something else), no, it's not pointless.

[Erick_ImgBurn]

If you're loading the program with the intention of erasing the contents of a DVD-RW (for use in/with something else), no, it's not pointless.

See, that's the only part I don't get. Why would you ever want to erase just 800 sectors instead of all sectors on a disc? The only two reasons I can think of are (1) to make the disc unreadable, to protect private information and (2) to completely erase a disc that has no more than 800 sectors of data, like one or two small files.

Surely not to erase a disc that has over 800 sectors of data, as you would overwrite only some of the data and the rest of it would still be on the disc, requiring a full erase the next time you want to write new data to the disc.

Edited by Erick_ImgBurn, 17 January 2012 - 09:27 AM.

[LIGHTNING UK!]

The 800 sectors thing is for discs that support direct overwrite (DVD+RW, DVD-RAM, BD-RE, you can just overwrite existing data without erasing/zeroing). Their 'Status' cannot be returned to 'Blank' by erasing/formatting, it'll always say 'Complete'.

For other discs there's an actual quick erase/format command you can issue that'll return them to 'Blank' status.

Zeroing the first 800 is enough to wipe out the file system and make the disc appear blank. Some programs just won't write to a disc unless it's blank (those without an auto erase function and aren't aware of direct overwrite).

[Erick_ImgBurn]

I finally understand the purpose of the Quick Erase.

Does DVD-RW require a full erase (format) too when brand new?
Does ImgBurn also perform a Quick Erase on CD-RW and DVD+RW discs with existing data on them before writing new data?
Does DVD-RW support direct overwrite?

[LIGHTNING UK!]

Does DVD-RW require a full erase (format) too when brand new?

No.

Does ImgBurn also perform a Quick Erase on CD-RW and DVD+RW discs with existing data on them before writing new data?

CD-RW, Yes.

DVD+RW, No. (it supports direct overwrite as I mentioned earlier)

Does DVD-RW support direct overwrite?

No. (Just DVD+RW, DVD-RAM, BD-RE as I mentioned earlier)

[Erick_ImgBurn]

Oh, that's right, the direct overwriting. It all makes complete sense now. Thanks, Lightning.