Reading burned data discs

I have a lot of discs (CD and DVD) that I've used to back up data over the years. I've got discs dating back to 2003. Most of the discs, I can read just fine, but there are some that I can only partially read. The index of the disc shows everything that's on it, but when I attempt to copy some of the files at the END of the list (outter edge of the disc), the system simply doesn't finish copying the file - it just hangs there. I've left it for several minutes, but usually the only way to make it go away is to eject the disc.

I have two optical drives on my computer, both are DVDRW drives. One is SATA, the other parallel. It doesn't matter which drive I put the disc in, I have the same problem. I also run into issues if I attempt to open the file from the disc directly.

Recently, I thought I narrowed down the issue to hardware. I burned some backups on one drive, but when I attempted to read the same discs on the other drive, I had the same problem. I put the disc back in the original drive I burned it in and had no issues accessing all the files. I've been using a program called InfraRecorder to make these discs. If anyone knows of any issues with that software and different optical drives, please let me know.

So, ultimately, I'm curious if there is a better program for burning straight data. I don't always have internet access, so backing up to the net is out of the question. Besides, I like my discs. I'm also curious if there is a program out there that can help me recover the files from the discs that I burned before I had to change out to the current optical drives I have.

Windows 7 Ultimate
Intel Core 2 Duo
4GB DDR2-6400 (400 mhz) Ram

 

What brand of recordable media are you using? Some drives are finicky about that. For instance, my internal NEC ND-6650A "prefers" Verbatim. I've also got external Sony Optiarc and LG GP60 DVDRWs that seem to work better with the Verbatim media — less errors during verification of the burn.

Most of the people that post here use CDBurnerXP to burn their CDs/DVDs. However, I've had problems with that app seizing if there were any errors during verification so, I use Ashampoo Burning Studio 6.

 

I use all kinds of discs. Usually, whatever's on sale at the time. The discs I've been using lately are white labeled with no printing to tell me the manufacturer. However, I've used Memorex, GQ, TDK, WinData. I didn't realize that a drive would be partial to a particular brand of disc. I'm guessing the paperwork that comes with the drive might mention that.

I got to checking and found out the discs I have problems with are all Memorex.

Thank you for the suggestions. I'll look into those and see how well they'll work for me.

 

I, too, have had problems with Memorex CDRWs but not Imation (which makes Memorex). But, I haven't found Imation media recently and had read about Verbatim's wide range of drive compatibility. I've also used Polaroid DVD-R (that I pick up at my local super market) successfully. The RadioShack that's in the same Plaza carries Memorex so, I get my Verbatims from eBay.

 

Same problem with my Memorex discs

 

I've also had issues with older (6+ years) DVDs and CDs not reading properly. I think the problem can be traced to one or more of three issues:

1. What CODEC was used to burn it (mainly an issue with video). If you have video DVDs that won't play, check out the CODEC packs (usually free) in the Downloads Section.

2. Dirt or dust on the drive lens. It's a good idea to clean your drives on a regular basis using a cleaning disc. The better ones (like this) will also work with xBox, PalyStation and Blu-Ray devices.

http://www.amazon.com/MAXELL-190054...385584774&sr=8-22&keywords=maxell+dvd+cleaner

3. Chemical breakdown of the disc itself. The data on a retail video or software DVD (Red Box, Amazon, etc.) is "stamped" onto the drive like an old record album which makes it last longer than a "burned" disc. While I can't back up this statement with scientific data, I have heard it from enough people to believe (in theory, at least) it's true. Further evidence is that a few companies like Verbatim offer "archival grade" blank discs that are claimed to have a 50-100 year life span (admittedly, nobody knows if this is true since burning discs only came about around 15 years ago).