Verify Error Handling

[The Worker]

Hi,

 

Great product. I use it to perform a nightly backup to DVD for a server by running a CMD file as a scheduled task. Everything works great provided the disk writes and verifies 100%. But if there is a verify error, IMGBURN pops up a dialog box notifing me of the error.

 

The only problem is that when running as a scheduled task there is no GUI. So the dialog cannot be acknowledged.#39;( All I can do is kill the process in Task Manager.

 

I typically get the following error:

E 21:10:53 Failed to Read Sector 737212 - L-EC Uncorrectable Error

 

Can I please have a /NOGUI or /QUITE type CLI option to supress the error dialogs? Maybe even have a /MaxErrors option to abort the verify if this threshhold is reached?

 

I can easily parse the log file for errors as they are written there.

 

Or does this functionality exist but I just haven't found it yet?

 

Cheers,

The Worker

[LIGHTNING UK!]

The CLI options automate gui checkboxes and stuff like that. If you want a CLI program, try one of the tools from the DOS version of cdrwin - www.goldenhawk.com. At the end of the day, ImgBurn is a GUI app and I actually don't want to make it any easier for people to use it without the end user being made aware of it.

 

As for your verify issue, might I suggest you try and fix your drive/firmware/media combo so these kinds of issues don't pop up.

[The Worker]

The CLI options automate gui checkboxes and stuff like that. If you want a CLI program, try one of the tools from the DOS version of cdrwin - www.goldenhawk.com. At the end of the day, ImgBurn is a GUI app and I actually don't want to make it any easier for people to use it without the end user being made aware of it.

 

As for your verify issue, might I suggest you try and fix your drive/firmware/media combo so these kinds of issues don't pop up.

 

The problem arises after many cycles on a RW disk.

 

I agree that I should fix the problem. When it occurs the disk is filed to never be used again. But even in the GUI app the error dialog boxes is annoying.

 

DVDDecrypter had options to ignore read errors as well as Read and Write error threshholds.

 

Cheers,

The Worker

[LIGHTNING UK!]

DVDDecrypter had options to ignore read errors as well as Read and Write error threshholds.

 

As does ImgBurn.

 

A verify is not what I consider a read operation. Just because DVD Dec / ImgBurn will retry on a failed read does not mean the OS / other programs will - hence it's important that the Verify DOES NOT retry automatically.

 

I'm fairly sure DVD Dec's verify didn't auto retry either.

 

btw, if you're just backing up to an RW, why not just make an image to a different hdd / machine somewhere? Then if you need to restore you can burn the image/disc as and when required. You might also like to consider using DVDRAM discs instead.

[The Worker]

btw, if you're just backing up to an RW, why not just make an image to a different hdd / machine somewhere? Then if you need to restore you can burn the image/disc as and when required. You might also like to consider using DVDRAM discs instead.

I am first building an ISO image (CreateISO) then using IMGBURN to burn the image to DVD. I manage the ISO images on the local machine with the monthly images being held for 12 months, weekly images for 4 weeks and overwite the Mon-Thur images each week. I also copy the ISO images to another PC on the network. However, the client is needing an offsite backup - hence the DVDs.

 

Until the offsite backup was required I didn't burn to DVD. IMGBURN is one of the few DVD buring applications I found that could easily be scripted through the CLI. I still use DVD Decrypter myself (and love the program) so figured that IMGBURN had good heritage...

 

Like I said, the program works great except for when a disk gets old and fails to verify it locks up because it is running as a scheduled job and the dialog boxes cannot be acknowledged. The staff on site are not too bright so I try and keep it as simple as possible. I know there has been a problem because they ring me up and say that the tray won't eject. I do all the admin remotely over a VPN after hours so I can't get onsite easily. If the program just completed the verify operation and wrote the errors to the log file I would be happy. I can parse the log file and send an email advising of the problem.

 

If you want to keep the GUI side happy, include a check box "Ignore Verify Errors"? Personally I though a /QUIET option would have been simpler.

 

Cheers,

The Worker

[LIGHTNING UK!]

An 'Ignore verify errors' checkbox is doable and I'd be much happier to implement that over a /QUIET switch that turns off all dialog box error reporting.

 

The next question is do I make that box also ignore miscompare errors? For consistencies sake, it shouldn't do.

[The Worker]

My main concern is the dialog box not being able to be acknowledged.

 

If the individual sectors fail to verify will this result in a disk level verification failure (and resultant dialog box)? If things are being written to a log window/log file and the user chooses to turn off warning/error dialogs then it is their responsibility to either examine the Log window or the log file. In the log window the errors are clearly marked with a yellow warning triangle. (If you make things idiot proof you will only encourage them to breed! )

 

This minor change will make IMGBURN an even better utility for automating backups to DVD (and hopefully BluRay) as well as a great GUI based tool. It is 99% there already.

 

I will also take your advice and look into using DVD-RAM disks as they do appear to be better suited. In the past I have only used -R and -RW for compatibility with my old hardware but that has since been replaced.

 

Cheers,

The Worker

Edited October 30, 2007 by The Worker