Burned DVD lost everything

[freeloader]

Last time I was around here, I had just purchased my Sony DRU500A. All has seemed to be going well.
I purchased the DVD burner specifically to archive large image files, ~120MB *.tif files and have been getting 35 to 40 images on each disc. I've also used it to to make backup images of my hard dride partitions. I've been using Memorex DVD-R media for the archiving, and Memorex DVD+RW for the partition images.

I just pulled out the first DVD-R that I burned *.tif files onto. It now is blank! I can find no image files on it. I just D/L'd a copy of IsoBuster, it says the DVD is blank. I know it had image files on it. I have copied some off of it.

I burned the disc back in Jan or Feb. The top surface now has a golden or coppery sheen to it. The second one I burned also seems to be turning a coppery color. The files on it are still accessible as they are on all subsequently burned discs.

Does anyone know what is going on here?

Thx for any help on this.
FF

[tazdevl]

Where and how did you store them?

[freeloader]

I've placed them into a plastic box I picked up from CompUSA. It was sold as a CD storage container. It came with about 100 two-disc sleeves. It seems to be made of a translucent (milky clear) polyethylene type of material. I keep it on top of a 4-drawer filing cabinet where it does not get direct sunlight, but is in a well lighted area. Ity has only a few times been left on a desktop exposed to direct sunlight. The disc that is now blank is the top-most and most exposed to light....
Humidity: normal to low.
Temps: Occasional hot day may reach 80 to 85*F
I can't think of anything else that may be at play here.

FF

[freeloader]

Well, I've finally begun the process of replacing this bad DVD. It has taken me so long because it is a major endeavor, 35 to 40 slide images to be located and re-scanned at about 20min each. After several hours of searching and the scanner running all night and morning they're a little over half done. I am prompted to ask my question all over again.
I've attached pics to illustrate the problem.

DSC_0563.jpg shows the color change I was trying to describe. The L disc is the bad one.
DSC_0567.jpg shows the container they are kept in. They are in a bright room but not in direct sunlight. Temperatures are normal household temps, 60*F to 75*F max range. Only the first [front] disc seems to be affected.

Yesterday I tried a CD/DVD recovery s/w with no success. Per WinXP's WinExplorer and the recovery s/w there is nothing on the disc. I know there were about 37 image files and they were cataloged with ACDSee, which can no longer find them on it either.
Anyone have any ideas as to what has happened?
As long as I have the slides I can always replace the scanned images. But, the film will degrate with time. I do not want to have to do this again. I'm paranoid about the viability of disc media being used as archiving material. My big worry now is that I have finally made the move from film to digital. If digital images are lost in the same way they cannot be recovered. They will be lost permanently.

So, again any idea as to what is going on ang how to deal with it?
Thx for any help with this.

[Dartman]

Memorex disks are a crap shoot as to what you actually get as far as media, could be anything but probably low grade stuff most of the time these days.
Looks like light is degrading the disks as the one seem to be a different shade unless thats just the way the camera caught the shot and isn't the true color.
You might want to try better quality media with a TY/Yuden mid, made in Japan if you can find any and see how they hold up for you. Sony made in Japan with octagonal foam spacers used to be TY media if any is left in the stores these days. Best Buy has Sony 50 packs for 15 this week so you might get lucky or price match to other stores that might have some of the good stuff left. AND try putting them where no light can get at them and they don't get to extremes of temp or humidity.

[freeloader]

Thx dartman
Yes, that is a very close approximation of the actual color difference between the discs. I ran [or tried to run] it through Nero CD/DVD Speed. I could get no disc info as far as Mfgr and such. Plus, it balked at the ScanDisk operation. So far the first 12 of 49 discs burnt about that time [~3 years ago] are still 100% per ScanDisk and the files are accessible. Although, I know there is at least one disc in there somewhere with some corrupt files. It [they] will require re-burning when I find it [them]. I just haven't gotten to 'em yet.

The other Memorex discs from the original burning were mfgd by CMC MAG, no other ID than that. The one I did the re-burn on, also a Memorex was a CMC MAG M01 [000]. I've found out that it is a 3rd rated class of DVD media. That hurts!

I burnt those original discs with a Sony DRU500AX. I had problems with it recognizing and burning many brands of CDs and DVDs. Sony discs were among the ones I had trouble with. I suspect the corrupt files are a result of that problem.

I've since built a new PC with a pair of Lite On SOHW1673Ss. I have very few problems with them other than the UDMA getting reset to PIO occasionally.
Now for my next question:
How can one find out who the manufacturer of the media is prior to purchasing it?
The sales people in the stores haven't a clue, or will tell you anything to make the sale.
Thx

[Dartman]

Read the sale places like Slick deals and fat wallet, check the deals sections here and on CD freaks and others, and people will usually end up posting what type of disks they find in brand packages as far as MID and maker of whatever brand of disk is on sale. CMC makes some crappy to fair disks, especially when you bought them so they might be more senitive to light and time then some of the better makers. You still might want to check out the Sony's at Best Buy and other shops to see if you can get lucky with some made in Japan TY stuff.

[freeloader]

Spent several hours "shopping" today. We've only got 2 good big box places for 'puter related things around here, CompUSA and Best Buy. Then there's Office Depot and Office Max, marginal at best, finally the discount warehouses: Sam's and COSTCO. I'm locked into Sam's. So, I hit Best Buy, CompUSA and Sam's today.

Best Buy had the Sony DVD 16x+/-R /50 pack for ~$15, but they had the round foam spacer. Their primary brand carried is Memorex. They also have Fuji [in new packaging] at a bit higher price than Memorex. I had excelent results with Fuji using it in the Sony DRU500AX. It was my brand of choice for that persnickety burner. I'm tempted to go back to it again.

Comp USA also had Sony with the round spacer but at a higher price. Their primary brand on the shelf is TDK.

Sam's has Verbatim 16X +/-R /100 packs at ~$30 or a little under.

Any thought as to how Memorex, TDK, Verbatim and Fuji compare as to quality in general?

I'm reluctant to buy media mail-order. I'm in Alaska. Most online vendors will only ship Fed-Ex or UPS. That means it has to come by 2 to 3 day air as the cheapest way. If the item is less than $25, shipping can sometimes total more than the item. At best, generally shipping makes purchasing locally more cost effective, unless I look at case prices. I don't think so.

Thx for your advice.

[Dartman]

The normal sony made disk burn pretty well in my BenQ 1655 but not my Pioneer 111 so they are hit and miss. The Verbatims can be very good but the quality seems to be pretty variable, even on the same cakebox for me.
I don't think Fuji sells any TY any more but if you find any that are made in Japan its a good bet they are. You also have to rember you said those disk were like 3? years old so even CMC makes a bit better disks now.
Now supposedlyRitek media doesn't last very long according to some users so considering what you want to do you might want to avoid any of those.
I usually buy what's on sale if it looks like I might have a chance of getting some really good media in unknown packages but most of the time I end up with Ritek and CMC, so lately I've been hunting for the TY/Sony stuff when I can find it.

[Coyote]

I can acknowledge that Memorex and CMC media is crap. I had some Memorex CD-R's go bad on me. I burned them, and also verified them before putting in storage. I placed them in a CD wallet and stored them in my closet. About one year passed, and I took them out to verify them. Several discs could not be read. Mine did not turn colors, but I noticed the dye looked very uneven on the Memorex. There were splotches in several areas. Bad quality!

Since then, I've learned to buy better media and find media codes on the discs. For CD-R's I buy TY Fuji Made In Japan. For DVD+/-R's - Maxell and Fuji Made In Japan. For DVD+R/DL, Verbatim MIT.

Basically, if it was made in Japan, you are almost guaranteed a good media code. They don't make CMC or other crap media over in Japan. But for Dual-Layer, the Verbatim is the only "good" ones available now.