Not able to erase my RW DVD Topic is solved

[viking60]

I have been playing around with rescue tools and cloning etc (I will report if I can make any sense of it) but in the process I have used some DVD RW and I cannot erase them
Brasero has no option but there must be a program out there that does the job?
It is not recognized as a RW DVD it seems....

[viking60]

I have tried every command Google has to offer so I seriously suspect that the label on those Disk is wrong. They simply are not RW as it says, according to all the software in the world.
I cant remember where I bought them so I don't know who to kill either

[rolf]

I haven't used RW media in a long time but thought k3b had a blanking option.

Looking at wodim, maybe there is some difference between blanking a CD and a DVD. See the manual

wodim dev=/dev/sr1 -format

perhaps Of course, the proper device is needed.

Code: Select all

-format
              Format a CD-RW/DVD-RW/DVD+RW disc.  Formatting is currently only
              implemented  for DVD+RW media.  A 'maiden' DVD+RW media needs to
              be formatted before you may write  to  it.   However,  as  wodim
              autodetects  the  need for formatting in this case and auto
              formats the medium before it starts writing, the -format option  is
              only needed if you like to forcibly reformat a DVD+RW medium.


Oh, that reminds me I don't remember so much blanking CD-RW before writing over it. Perhaps it's not needed.

[viking60]

Hmm looks like it is busy - I need to unmount it first...

:) sudo wodim dev=/dev/sr0 -format
[sudo] password for thomas:
Error trying to open /dev/sr0 exclusively (Device or resource busy)... retrying in 1 second.
Error trying to open /dev/sr0 exclusively (Device or resource busy)... retrying in 1 second.
Error trying to open /dev/sr0 exclusively (Device or resource busy)... retrying in 1 second.
Error trying to open /dev/sr0 exclusively (Device or resource busy)... retrying in 1 second.
Error trying to open /dev/sr0 exclusively (Device or resource busy)... giving up.
WARNING: /dev/sr0 seems to be mounted!
wodim: Device or resource busy.
Cannot open SCSI driver!
For possible targets try 'wodim --devices' or 'wodim -scanbus'.
For possible transport specifiers try 'wodim dev=help'.
For IDE/ATAPI devices configuration, see the file README.ATAPI.setup from
the wodim documentation.

Stay put.. unmounting and repeating:

:) sudo wodim dev=/dev/sr0 -format
Device type : Removable CD-ROM
Version : 5
Response Format: 2
Capabilities :
Vendor_info : 'TSSTcorp'
Identification : 'CDDVDW SH-S223B '
Revision : 'SB01'
Device seems to be: Generic mmc2 DVD-R/DVD-RW.
Using generic SCSI-3/mmc DVD-R(W) driver (mmc_mdvd).
Driver flags : SWABAUDIO BURNFREE
Supported modes: PACKET SAO
Speed set to 11080 KB/s
Starting to write CD/DVD at speed 8.0 in real FORMAT mode for single session.
Last chance to quit, starting real write in 0 seconds. Operation starts.
wodim: media format asked
Error: only support DVD+RW formating, ignoring.
This drive or media does not support the 'FORMAT media' command
wodim: Cannot format disk, aborting.

And there you see why I suspect that the engraved RW on those disks is wrong. Although it does state

Code: Select all

Device seems to be: Generic mmc2 DVD-R/DVD-RW.


Maybe that command does not handle DVD?
Going for the K3b approach...
And when I run that as root (not recommended) I get the interesting message that it cannot find growisofs which is essential in handling DVD's I think we are getting closer to something here....
So I try to install the dvd+rw-tools that k3b told me to

Code: Select all

sudo urpmi dvd+rw-tools
Pakka dvd+rw-tools-7.1-3mdv2010.1.x86_64 er allerede installert <---- already installed


And the DVD RW is still not recognized as something that can be formated (or written to).....
I seem to remember that my old DVD -player was able to format these disks and record the movies on them when I transfered my VHS to DVD some time ago - so it should be possible somehow
Well time to check that out then going away from my PC and replace it with a DVD player and a remote control - and oh wonder it does in fact format the DVD.
So that is it.
My PC hardware is obviously not able to record or erase DVD's (but it is able to play them). I always forget that And the RW DVD's are re-writable.

Let this be a lesson to you

Still my laptop does indicate DVD and RW on the HW - and I did not manage it there either
The bizarre situation is that I can erase my movies and record new movies on those DVD's but I cannot format them with a computer!
Not with Windows and not with Linux - how very embarrassing.

[rolf]

Formatting is currently only
implemented for DVD+RW media.

-from the wodim manual/info page. Some years ago I was reading the words of a developer of one of these softwares and he said to stick with CD|DVD+RW, that -RW did not work as reliably. For all the years since, I have only been buying +RW media...

[dedanna1029]

Ditto.