Software for Media ID and Quality Scans [GUIDE]

[admin]

The following programs are suggested:

• DVD Info (Windows) - file attached to this post
• Nero Disc Speed (Windows) - download here
• Nero CD-DVD Speed (Windows) - archived version attached to this post
  
• DVD Identifier - download here
  
• DVD Media Inspector (Mac OS X) - file attached to this post
• dvd+rw-tools (Linux) - download here

Also:

• In Windows, DVD burning programs such as ImgBurn and DVD Decrypter also show the media ID.
• In Mac OS X, software such as Toast shows the ID. And then basic info about blank optical media is available in the System Profiler when a blank is inserted into the drive.

NOTE: You'll need to be a registered Free Member (or Premium Member) to download the files.

After Downloading: Refer back to the Blank DVD Review for information on which DVDs are the best, who makes them, who brands them, and where to buy good DVDs for the best prices.


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[admin]

This mini-guide assumes you have any version of Microsoft Windows and a DVD-ROM or DVD burner drive on your computer. This guide uses the archived version of Nero CD-DVD Speed. Other tools, including newer versions of the Nero checking software, will be similar.

Discs may be "bad" for a few reasons. The most common ones are:

• The disc is fine. It's your player that's being uncooperative.
• The disc has a bad spot on it and is defective. Use this tool to check out the disc integrity:

Start Nero CD-DVD Speed and go to EXTRA and then select SCANDISC



This window will appear:



Enable SURFACE SCAN only and then click START. When it is done, red means the disc is bad, yellow means it may or may be bad at that spot, and green means good.


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