DVD+RW "Formatted: No (Started)"

[Falcon]

Okay... odd problem.

 

I like to use DVD+RWs for my OS installations whenever possible because they burn fast, and install even faster. However, with my drive and ImgBurn, I'm encountering an odd problem. Sometimes ImgBurn likes to tell me the disc isn't formatted - when it VERY CLEARLY is (by the fact that there's readable data on it, and it's acting like a normal disc!).

 

Book type is DVD+RW. It identifies it as a DVD+RW. It identifies the data on it (by the TOC information), it identifies that it is formatted. But it continues to tell me that I can't burn it without a FULL FORMAT.

 

Full formats on DVD+RW's, as I've read, shorten their life. If I understand DVD+RW structure as well, it also erases the bad sector information and leaves it to start from scratch again. Bad stuff. I'm not doing another full format on this disc. I also only have precisely one DVD+RW disc to work with, a 4x Memorex disc.

 

What is the up?

 

Here's the full status page:

----

TSSTcorp CDDVDW SH-S203N SB01 (ATAPI)
Current Profile: DVD+RW

Disc Information:
Status: Complete
Erasable: Yes
Formatted: No (Started)
Supported Write Speeds: 2.4x, 4x

TOC Information:
Session 1...
-> Track 01  (Mode 1, LBA: 0 - 2295103)
-> LeadOut  (LBA: 2295104)

Physical Format Information (ADIP):
Disc ID: INFODISC-A10-01
Book Type: DVD+RW
Part Version: 2
Disc Size: 120mm
Maximum Read Rate: Not Specified
Number of Layers: 1
Track Path: Parallel Track Path (PTP)
Linear Density: 0.267 um/bit
Track Density: 0.74 um/track
First Physical Sector of Data Area: 196,608
Last Physical Sector of Data Area: 2,491,711
Last Physical Sector in Layer 0: 0

Physical Format Information (Last Recorded):
Disc ID: INFODISC-A10-01
Book Type: DVD+RW
Part Version: 2
Disc Size: 120mm
Maximum Read Rate: Not Specified
Number of Layers: 1
Track Path: Parallel Track Path (PTP)
Linear Density: 0.267 um/bit
Track Density: 0.74 um/track
First Physical Sector of Data Area: 196,608
Last Physical Sector of Data Area: 614,047
Last Physical Sector in Layer 0: 0

Current Format Capacity:
Sectors: 2,295,104
Size: 4,700,372,992 bytes
Time: 510:03:29 (MM:SS:FF)

Preferred Format Capacity:
Sectors: 2,295,104
Size: 4,700,372,992 bytes
Time: 510:03:29 (MM:SS:FF)

Maximum Format Capacity:
Sectors: 2,295,104
Size: 4,700,372,992 bytes
Time: 510:03:29 (MM:SS:FF)

[Cynthia]

Did you erase/format a disc that ImgBurn wants to format with another program?

 

Formatted: No (Started)

If it's not 'Formatted: Yes'. ImgBurn will always ask to format.

 

http://forum.imgburn.com/index.php?showtopic=1264

 

[Falcon]

No, in fact, the disc still contains data from the LAST time I had to do a second full format due to ImgBurn's apparent glitch.

 

Nothing at all was written to the disc between the last time I used ImgBurn to burn an image, and this time.

 

However, it may be a strange condition that I don't use DVD+RW's for video data. Most people probably expect to use that. I use it to burn images typically burned on CD-R/RW's, and maybe it contains data that's messing up the format in ImgBurn's eyes.

 

I did (thanks to that topic) find the option to not necessarily prefer "properly formatted" DVD+RW's. But it is very strange that ImgBurn would randomly slip from "Formatted: YES" to "Formatted: NO" after only some READING actions in another computer... =\

[LIGHTNING UK!]

The 'Formatted' status value is reported by the drive itself, it's not the program making it up.

 

Formatting on one drive and then trying to write on another can have the same effect. (Drives prefer discs they've formatted themselves)

 

If the formatted status changes when you've only just ejected + reinserted the disc, I'd have to say the drive is having trouble initialising it properly. Maybe you should try some other/better rewritables?

 

I've got some 8x Verbatim ones that certainly don't have this problem.

 

I do my initial full format on the disc when it's unwrapped and that's it then.... direct overwrite from then on

 

btw, if you burn onto the disc with Nero it'll kill the 'Formatted: Yes' status and set it back to what yours currently says.

[Falcon]

That's very strange. It's a brand new (well, relatively - about 3 months old) SATA Samsung (TSST) DVD+RW drive. A very old disc though (which means it should be well supported).

 

And like I've mentioned before, I've only written it in drive A (TSST) -> read it in drive B (Sony DVD+RW) -> tried writing it in drive A again (TSST) and it then says it's no longer formatted. And I hate formatting the disc - I actually posted this in an effort to try keeping from doing it yet again!

 

So far I've bypassed the "properly formatted" check and it works like a dream, I've rewritten it at least 3 times today and it works quite well.

 

For me and DVD+RWs (even another brand I tried in the past), keeping a disc formatted seems to be a roll of the dice problem. 'Sup with that?

Edited April 3, 2008 by Falcon

[LIGHTNING UK!]

As I say, it's out of my hands.

 

If the drive reports that it's not properly formatted (and 'prefer properly formatted +RW' is enabled) then I'll act on it.

[Falcon]

Alright, well, thanks anyway!

 

Oh, and I saw the work you did on the new "OS install CD detection" dialog. Sweet work, thanks for listening!