Need help! Is this a rewritable DL DVD? (Pics attached)

[Mohammed Rayan]

There's "RW" on the disc. Which means it should be rewritable, correct? However, I can't erase the disc now. Earlier there was an option to "Erase this disc" when you right-click on the DVD drive from windows file explorer. I clicked on it, and the whole computer stopped working. Had to reboot the system which seems to have somehow corrupted the disc and now the "Erase this disc" option has gone. ImgBurn also says it's non-erasable under disc information. I had burned some movie into this disc many years ago and now I'd like to erase it and use it for a different purpose, I can't even verify or make an .iso of this disc without getting some kind of "L-EC Uncorrectable Error" error. The movie plays just fine though. Please help. I'll provide more info if required.

[dbminter]

DVD+R DL is WORM (Write Once, Read Many).  Meaning, it can't be erased.  It can be written to once and exactly once.  The RW logo is just the logo for the DVD+RW standard/forum.

 

There are no rewritable DL media for DVD.  There were supposed to be some released years ago, but that never got to actual production stage.

Edited October 4, 2018 by dbminter

[Mohammed Rayan]

2 minutes ago, dbminter said:

DVD+R DL is WORM (Write Once, Read Many).  Meaning, it can't be erased.  It can be written to once and exactly once.  The RW logo is just the logo for the DVD+RW standard/forum. 

Isn't "RW" on the disc a bit misleading then? I was under the impression that it was rewritable. Oh well.

[dbminter]

The whole RW thing was an attempt to make money.  The DVD-R people were making all the money off of recordable DVD so a group of other companies started DVD+RW and a new format war so they could cash in.  The RW logo just means the DVD+RW consortium.  They force the use of the logo because it costs manufacturers to put the logo on the media to "certify" it.  It's just a cheap, money making ploy.  While +R/RW media has its advantages, it just started more headaches with a new format war until Sony created the first dual format DVD burners.  Then, it didn't matter what your personal preference.  It only mattered, back then, that DVD-R was more compatible with older players.  Now, it doesn't matter anymore.

 

In order to be rewritable, it must say DVD+RW on it.  Not just the RW logo.  As your photos show, it has the RW logo on it, but it says DVD+R DL.  DVD+R and DVD+R DL are write once media.

 

Why your Windows out trying to format something it couldn't is beyond me.  But, if you put that disc in ImgBurn, it will tell you if it can be written to or not.  It may not be salvageable because Windows tried to format it as a giant floppy and failed.  That would be what Windows would try to do if you selected Format on a DVD+R DL, I would guess.  If it failed then the disc is useless, which may be why Windows now says it cannot write to that disc.  ImgBurn would also tell you if that disc can be written to or not anymore.