[SOLVED] WTF??? problem with recovering files from saved DVDs

kevinbenko · 11-21-2020, 01:43 AM

I had to restore some archives I made of music from archived DVDs (don't ask) I had about 40-some odd DVDs

It was OK, as each DVD took less than 5 minutes to copy back to disk.

BUT...

One DVD in particular took several HOURS to copy back to disk?

What's up with that?

Any suggestions???

{{In the end, I had "re-acquired" that music (the entire Bach collection) and just killed the DVD process, and threw the DVDs in the trash}}.

Although the problem has been solved already, I am still wondering as to why I this happened in the first place.

Your wisdom is appreciated.
Thank you for any help/clues you can give me, and have a GREAT day!!

berndbausch · 11-21-2020, 01:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kevinbenko

I
One DVD in particular took several HOURS to copy back to disk?

Reputedly, DVDs can keep data for a long time, much longer than CDs I read, but they are not immune to deterioration. I suppose this particular DVD was simply broken.

ondoho · 11-21-2020, 01:49 AM

^ ...and the drive was trying again and again to read bad sectors, hoping it would succeed evtl.
This is configurable though.

Shadow_7 · 11-21-2020, 04:15 AM

Optical media is prone to degradation when exposed to UV light. Sometimes bad when new, if your retailer kept them on a window facing shelf (for probably six+ months before you bought them). And some discs are just not that good anyway. Always verify your burns. With backup methodologies, one is none, yada yada yada...

kevinbenko · 11-21-2020, 10:16 AM

Thank you!
As an aside, the DVDs were living in a drawer that was rarely opened.
Thank you for your answer.

NOW.... I just need a more permanent solution.....

Have a great day, guys!

computersavvy · 11-21-2020, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kevinbenko

Thank you!
As an aside, the DVDs were living in a drawer that was rarely opened.
Thank you for your answer.

NOW.... I just need a more permanent solution.....

Have a great day, guys!

Any optical disk deteriorates over time, no matter how well protected. This fact got you this time.

A more permanent solution would be multiple backups, with the source on a raid5 or raid6 array so one failure will not lose the data. Then renew the backups periodically and verify the backup each time.

It has been said repeatedly, but I will again say it. At least one of those backups should be off-site so should the worst happen (fire, flood, tornado, lightning, etc) the data will have at least one good copy. Businesses use multiple data centers with the data in each a redundant copy of the other(s). HDD prices are now mostly affordable so you could have 2 or more copies on portable HDDs and arrange a storage situation to keep at least one in a separate location.