Software for Media ID and Quality Scans [DOWNLOADS + GUIDE]

[admin]

The following programs are suggested. (All freewares are attached at the bottom of this post for downloading.)

Freeware:

• Nero Disc Speed (Windows)
• Nero CD-DVD Speed (Windows)
• DVD Info (Windows)
• DVD Identifier (Windows)
• DVD Media Inspector (Mac OS X)
• dvd+rw-tools (Linux)

Payware:

• Opti Drive Control (Windows) - Buy it for $25 from http://www.cdspeed2000.com
• DVD Identifier Manufacturer Database (Windows) - Buy it for $99 from http://dvd.identifier.cdfreaks.com/my_site/my_home.php

Also...

• In Windows, DVD burning programs such as ImgBurn and DVD Decrypter also show the media ID. No media testing, though.
• 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. No media testing, though.
• Linux users may want to refer to the official dvd+rw-tools site for documentation and troubleshooting.

You'll need to be a registered Free Member (or Premium Member) to download the files. We don't spam or sell your email address.

Note that some of the programs use installers, while most of them simply need to be unzipped/un-archived and placed somewhere on your hard drive. For Windows users, I suggest manually creating a proper "C:\Program Files\Program Name Here" type of folder. (Or in the "C:\Program Files (x86)\" folder for 64-bit Windows users.)

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.

Stay Updated: Simply Like Us on Facebook and/or Follow Us on Twitter to get news on blank discs, and keep track of great deals on top-quality blanks CDs, blank DVDs and disc cases. If there are any important developments in the world of optical discs, you can conveniently stay updated this way.


If you're not sure what to do with these ZIP or RAR files, then read this help post.

[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 Disc Speed 4. 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.

Using Nero DiscSpeed

1. Insert your disc.

2. Start Nero CD-DVD Speed and go to the SCAN DISC tab and then click START.

nerodiscspeed-scandisc-01.gif

It can take up to 10-15 minutes to perform a full scan of a full 4.38GB single-layer DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, DVD-RAM or DVD-ROM. For dual-layer/double-layer DVD+R DL and DVD-R DL, it can take 20-30 minutes. Speed of scan largely depends on speed of your drive, as well as the scanning speed selected (8x or maximum).

3. Here's what a completed scan will look like.

nerodiscspeed-scandisc-02.gif

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.

[admin]

Information updated.