[vox-tech] CD-RW's Don't Last

[Peter Jay Salzman]

On Thu 09 Sep 04, 11:45 AM, Robert G. Scofield <rscofield at afes.com> said:
> I've been using Memorex and Yamaha ultra speed 24X CD-RW's to back up my 
> work files.  They are not lasting.  They seem to die after about 3 or 4 
> or 5 burns.  In fact they've gone so quickly that I at first thought my 
> CD reader was not working  I can't risk not having my work backed up 
> because the CD goes bad.
> 
> Yesterday I tried a CD-R and backed things up and my CD reader could 
> read the back up.
> 
> So has anybody had a problem with ultra speed CD-RW's not lasting? 
> 
> Do the slower CD-RW's last longer?
 
it's my understanding that slower *burning* not slower rated disks will give 
you longer lasting CD's in addition to making the CD's easier to read by
drives that have trouble reading recorded media.

i just read about this about 3 weeks ago --- faster burns are, roughly,
sloppier than slower burns.  drives that have difficulty reading CDR and CDRW
material have an easier time reading slower burned disks.

> I had to waste resources, but I'm thinking of switching to CD-R's to 
> back up my work.  Does anybody have an opinion on this?
 
there's also an issue with the type of dye used for the media.  there are
essentially two types of dye.  one type is longer lasting (longer shelf life)
but harder to burn correctly.  some drives may have trouble reading these
types of disks, especially if they're burned at fast speed.

the other dye has a shorter shelf life, but produces disks that are easier to
read by the widest variety of drives.

i forget which is which.  i stumbled across the article while googling.

pete