Can DVD+R get infected by a fungus?
 

1 DVD + R creates and catch fungus?

2 my DVD + R before handling Always wash hands with water but unintentionally I touched down on the surface of the disc, I'm worried about fungal growth on the DVDs?

-- merged --

Can someone help me with these questions please?

I've been using DVD-R (and later DVD+R) for almost 15 years now. I've never seen fungus in or on discs. Never. And I've handled at least half a million discs. (I never counted. It's probably more!) That just does not happen. Never seen it, never even heard of it.

Some CDs, yes -- but that's another story. It's VERY rare, and can only infest CD, not DVD, because of how the discs are made. It also has a lot to do with location, and the quality of the CD media.

Again, DVD, no. Never. Not a worry you should have. Just use good discs, store them properly, the end.

1 My friend has a disc with dark spots and other transparent disc with holes, holes as if corroding media inside and increase in size, what is it?

2 Because fungi can only infect CD and not DVD + R? what DVD + R has to protect it from fungus attack? I know of no material DVD that is immune to fungus

3 my media is Philips DVD + R 16X ID: CMC MAG M01

1. Define "discs". Verify it's a DVD.
- DVD+RW often form craters in the dye.
- Cheap DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-RW and DVD+RW can have bonding issues, which can affect the outer perimeter of a disc.
- CD can have pinhole issue in the foil.

2. The disc is sealed. Vacuum sealed. If that breaks open, the disc is dead anyway. Fungus cannot "get into" (infect) discs. It has to ALREADY be in the media from some poor manufacturing. That's NEVER happened to my knowledge. There are certain factors of materials, manufacturing errors, disc construction, and environment that caused the CD (and Laserdisc) errors. It's not possible with DVD.

3. You have budget consumer media. It's not great, but it's also not going to come down with a case of fungi.

1 You did not answer some of my questions: What protection is a DVD + R to have no risk of fungus that does not have a CD?

2 The disc was sealed but the fungus can grow and eat through the polycarbonate or polycarbonate and come inside the disc has a fungus Geotrichum eating polycarbonate and I'm worried if my discs and my drive is contaminated with fungi, find no concrete answer on fungi in medias

3 My friend has a disc with dark spots and other transparent disc with holes, holes if the corroding medium inside and Increase in size, what is it?

Your question doesn't make any sense.
- Does it have "protection"? No.
- Does it need protection? Also no.

DVDs also don't have protection from tigers, but it's not likely that a big cat is going to eat the disc. (Reference to an episode The Simpsons.)

The disc is sealed. The end.

I don't know of any fungus so acidic that it eats plastic.

1 The materials of a DVD + R are propitious to the development of fungus?

2 The disc is sealed but the fungus can attack out of the disk and then penetrate it

3 What was all degradation problems in medias DVD you've ever seen? you've seen fungus on DVD? I've seen DVD discs with dark spots on the bottom and transparent holes

As stated, DVD+RW often develop craters in the dye, and DVD-R/DVD+R have rainbowing due to bonding (glue) issues.
Without seeing the disc, and not having a disc expert look at it, speculation is pointless.

1 The materials of a DVD + R are propitious to the development of fungus?

2 The disc is sealed but the fungus can attack out of the disk and then penetrate it

3 What was all degradation problems in medias DVD you've ever seen? you've seen fungus on DVD? I've seen DVD discs with dark spots on the bottom and transparent holes


my disc is DVD+R

edit - deleted post

fungus can not eat plastic
and unless the disk is physically damaged fungus cant get inside of it.

disks can be damage from being left in the sun, using improper chemicals to clean them, spilling chemicals on them etc

1 I'm told it has a fungus with the name Geotrichum eating Polycarbonate

2 If fungus does not attack medias DVD so what are the problems of degradation of the media?

Fungus could be hard issue, if it generaly does progress. I believe you will see black spots, when happens.

I suggest to keep clean hands when handling it.

2. in most cases dye deterioration

1 I always wash my hands before handling the medias, I possess few DVDs with dark spots but do not know if it is fungus but these discs are still functioning

2 My friend has discs with transparent dots that increase over time and do not know what is

Here are some pictures of discs: http://i797.photobucket.com/albums/y...ampleBelow.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...4/Disc_rot.jpg

http://www.lifetimememoriesandstorie.../disc_rot2.jpg

I have some bad news for your friend. Those pictures looks like a good example of a dangerous DVD fungus. :(

If these pictures are of fungi on DVDs then this DVD was put on a drive the drive was contaminated and contaminated all DVD discs that were placed on that drive?

I'm worried about it

If you put a DVD+R with fungus in your drive, the fungus will slowly eat your DVD drive and then your motherboard. :(

That's a commonly found fungus in the tropics. However that's a very, very, very rare fungus, in terms of affecting CDs. It lives on polycarbonate AND eats a specific dye AND it invades the disc via pinhole degradation in the foil AND thrive in a specific outdoors environment. In other words, it can't effect DVD, because it's not made that way. Even if such a fungus found it's way on polycarbonate pre-manufacture, the dye is wrong, and the sealing would prevent both oxygen. If even it was unsealed, the disc would doe anyway. Plus you'd have to be using your computer in the jungle, outside, and not indoors in typical home/office environment (RH less than 50%).

None of the makes sense.
1. Fungus always progresses.
2. It's not black spots. In fact, I can't think of anything that would cause black spots on DVD+R. Maybe DVD+RW and BD-R (craters).
3. Handling isn't the issue -- storage is.

That and bonding. In my experience, the disc falls apart because of cheap glues faster than dye. Cheap glues can last 5-15 years, while the dye often lasts at least 10-30. Thankfully, bonding isn't a common issue.

Are your sure you "friend" isn't Google? :screwy:

Because none of the photos are fungus. See my next post.

Hahahahaa.... he's going to believe you! :yikes: (I know you're just messing with him. :P)

http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/imag...pleBelow-1.jpg

http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/imag...Disc_rot-1.jpg

http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/imag...isc_rot2-1.jpg

This topic annoys me, because people say things without knowing what's going on. First off, there is no "DVD rot". That's a stupid myth, based on something that happened to pressed Laserdiscs in the 90s, thanks to cheap (inferior!) aluminum. It has no translation to CD or DVD. Nothing "rots". This isn't fruit in your refrigerator or on your cabinet.

The images show 3 things, NONE of them are fungus.

1. That's a pressed CD, with a pinhole in the foil. This is often manufacturing defect (CHEAPSKATES!) when the area was too thin. Over time, it developed a hole. The disc may skip on that area.

2. This is a DVD-R, and that's a defect in the dye. It's always been there, from before it was burned. It's a bad disc, toss it.

3. Again, pressed CD, and the top lacquer and foil have been damaged -- likely from improper storage.

Stop looking at random photos of bad discs on Google. :hmm:

Thanks for your help but I still have much to clarify

1 You said the Geotrichum not attacks medias DVD + R? he only attacks medias CD? the Geotrichum not attack at all medias DVD + R? Because it attacks the CD and not the DVD that's different on the DVD? CMC said that my dye is azo dye System

2 I have some discs with dark spots on the lower layer of the disk but the hard work when put in drive but do not know if it is fungus or other problem

3 That glue is this? I know of no glue midas DVD + R but the disc appears on these points that increase transparency and peel the media

4 All these photos are not actually fungi? What are these?

5 because you laughed? I just asked: If these pictures are of fungi on DVDs then this DVD was put on a drive the drive was contaminated and contaminated all DVD discs that were placed on that drive? I'm worried about it

6 Do you know much about DVD medias thanks for your help

then I can trust you that there is no possibility of fungal DVD + R? my files are very important to me so do not want to miss anything

7 even if it falls fungal spores on the DVD or the DVD touches on something that has fungus, the DVD will not be contaminated and will not develop fungus?

1. CD only.
2. Dark spots are likely bad dye areas. It can also be zonal burning rings. Read these: http://www.digitalFAQ.com/guides/blank-media.htm
3. All DVD has bonding (glue).
4. Re-read what I/we wrote here.
5. Those images are not fungus.
6. No, fugus is the least of your concern. Proper storage and handling, along with initial post-burn testing, is most important.
7. Fungus on a DVD is not fungus in a DVD. And any fungus means improper storage.

1 Because the fungus appears only on CD and not DVD + R? which has the DVD + R that protects it fungus? I still do not understand this question because I have CDs and DVDs

2 I have many disks with many dark spots on the layer underneath and just realized and only those spots began to appear long after I recorded discs

3 is the glue of the disc is bad what happens with the disc? it peels and appears transparent those points?

4 I've seen many people talking about fungi in medias CD and DVD so I created this concern

5 even with the incorrect storage in places propitious to the development of fungus DVD + R will not develop fungus?

1. No fungus on DVDs, the end. I'm not addressing that anymore. It does not happen.

2. Dark spots were always there, you just never noticed. That's either (1) imperfections in the dye, i.e. a bad discs, or (2) zonal burning rings. Read those guides that were linked here. It explains more, and with drawings.

3. The discs peel apart and it's screwed. The dye rainbow, the data is gone. It only happens with cheap media, almost always no-name brands.

4. It sounds like you were reading things written by folks that have no formal understanding of optical media, and are just guessing. Do yourself a favor, and ignore them.

5. If you store discs outside for years (like a garage, the woods, etc), and you live in the tropics, then maybe the CD will get a fungus. But the glues will likely dry up before then, and bugs/animals will ruin them from the outside.

1 But you said the CD has risk of fungus and the DVD has no risk of fungus, the DVD has different to not catch fungus?

2 I do not remember seeing these spots a few years ago when I bought these medias only know that now they are on the disk in the lower layer

3 I do not know if the people who told me that DVD disk gets fungus knew much about medias, just told me that

4 Which of these problems are medias dvd? Photos: http://www.lifetimememoriesandstorie.../disc_rot2.jpg

http://i797.photobucket.com/albums/y...ampleBelow.jpg

http://cdn.devicemag.com/wp-content/...m-cdfungus.jpg

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget....y-disc-rot.jpg

http://www.nwsoundarchive.co.uk/user...c-breakage.jpg

Any review talking about these problems?

5 I do not know what these tropics are you talking about, I live in Brazil Ceará state

6 What is Disc rot?

1. CD is not DVD is not Laserdisc is not a potato. All are round, that's it.
2. I don't remember what I had for breakfast 8 days ago. Remembering or not remembering something means little to nothing.
3. The people that said DVD get fungus are stupid. I'd suggest stop listening to them.
4. You're just getting random photos online. Only one had a fungus, and it was a pressed CD, not a burned DVD.
5. The tropics - equatorial locations. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropics
6. "Disc rot" is nonsense term used to describe dozens and dozens of issues, ranging from real to imagined. It's not proper jargon.

1 From wikipedia says Geotrichum is a genus of fungi found worldwide in soil, water, air, and sewage, as well as in plants, cereals, and dairy products but you said that it is only found in the tropics, where did you Geotrichum is seen that only in the tropics?

2 Because the CD has more risk of getting fungus and because the DVD has no risk of fungus?

3 CDs today are less likely to develop fungus? CDs of today still grow fungi?

4 was the same token, many people spoke to optical discs (CD / DVD) develop when fungi are long and kept my discs are stored backups that leave long

5 Disc rot is not fungus?

1. Wikipedia is no a scholarly resource.
2. CD can technically get a fungus. But it's almost impossible and highly unlikely. It's an infinitesimal part of 1%
3. Maybe. The fungus needed to eat a certain organic dye type, and I'm not sure that's made anymore.
4. Not sure of the question here. Anyway, yes, store them properly, and this won't be a concern.
5. I already gave the definition of "disc rot" (no definition, nonsense term).

1 The Wikipedia does not provide information trustworthy? where did you see that Geotrichum exists only in the tropics?

2 Because the CD can have fungus and not the DVD? what is different between the CD and DVD that makes the DVD more secure?

lordsmurf please help

1 look at the photos, that are fungi?http://www.nwsoundarchive.co.uk/user...c-breakage.jpg

http://www.lifetimememoriesandstorie.../disc_rot2.jpg
http://s797.photobucket.com/user/sla...Below.jpg.html
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...4/Disc_rot.jpg

2 Lordsmurf
* Please could you explain in more detail I did not quite understand that these problems are shown in the photos of medias such problems appear only after a long time that they are stored? problem as if it were already manufacturing these medias until I arrive with these problems

- compact-disc-breakage.jpg
- disc_rot2.jpg
- DiscRotExampleBelow.jpg

^ These three are the same. These are pressed CD-ROM discs -- not burned CD-R, not a DVD, not Blu-ray. The foil layer is damaged, due to poor storage and/or handling. There is no "rot", there is no fungus. The lacquer is a weak foil protection for CD, and easily rubs off. The foil is not protected by polycarbonate, and is therefore in danger of being damaged in this manner.

- Disc_rot.jpg

^ This is a dye problem. It's ALWAYS been there. It shows a DVD-R or DVD+R. When the disc is unburned, you don't see this. When burned, the dark area is now visible. It does NOT just magically appear at a later date -- that is NOT how dye aging occurs, nor how it looks. Anybody that says otherwise was simply not paying attention at burn time. It's not a fungus.

The end. I can't explain it any clearer.

1 In the first 3 images the problem is air contact with the reflective layer? the lacquer did not protect the reflective layer and the disc was exposed? this problem over time is increasing and eating reflective layer of the media? My friend has a media way and started with just a hole in the disc and then increased in size by destroying all the media

2 corrosion of the reflective layer occurs only on CDs and not DVDs?

3 image 4 shows dark spots on the media they also evolves over time or at the time of recording? because when I got my DVD discs that are these dark spots I do not remember seeing them just realized now

4 My medias Philips 16x DVD + R CMC MAG M01 are bad and are going to have all these problems? not found medias Verbatim, Sony and Taiyo so bought Philips medias CMC Magnetics is a manufacturer decent and reliable?

Lordsmurf take a look at this site on Geotrichum: http://www.myetymology.com/encyclopedia/Geotrichum.html

in wikipedia also cites this fungus

You said this fungus reproduces only in the tropics and I live in the tropical state Ceará Brazil and now I'm worried if the Geotrichum will eat polycarbonate of my medias and destroy them

1. No, most show peeling of the foil. The pinpoint image may be oxygen reacting to the foil, but it's hard to say from photos alone. It could also be storage that caused it, or simply bad media when manufactured.

2. Corrosion like that, yes. That's a photo of a CD. You won't find any photos like that for DVD because of how it's made.

3. It's always there. You just see it when burned. A disc gets lighter when burned. Sorry, but memories don't mean anything. Most people are not looking for that kind of flaw, so they don't pay attention to it. I work in science. Without documentation, hearsay of this nature is irrelevant.

4. If they burn is fine, it should be good for a decade or two or three. Others are better, yes, but that's because the initial burn quality (ie, not a coaster!) is good.

Your discs are not going to get fungus. I don't understand why you keep asking this.

Lordsmurf take a look at this site on Geotrichum: http://www.myetymology.com/encyclopedia/Geotrichum.html

in wikipedia also cites this fungus

You said this fungus reproduces only in the tropics and I live in the tropical state Ceará Brazil and now I'm worried if the Geotrichum will eat polycarbonate of my medias and destroy them

It does not eat polycarbonate. It happened due to (1) manufacturing defects + (2) rare environmental variables + (3) certain kind of CD-R dye that hasn't been made in a decade or more.

So again, not going to happen. :wall2:

I'm not saying that I'm eating Geotrichum Polycarbonate, are the survey sites that say it

on the photos you've told me that there are fungi and I believe thanks for the help

just want to know more about the fungus Geotrichum that forms and feeds polycarbonate and say he is in the tropics and I live in the tropics because I live in Brazil state of ceara and I'm afraid of them develop in my medias especially in rainy epochs that moisture increases

The fungus does NOT eat polycarbonate. When found in CD, specifically CD-R, it ate a specific dye which is not produced anymore. And beyond that, a number of other variables had to be met, such as high outdoor humidity. Unless you store discs in the dirt outside, they'll be fine. I realize you're in Brazil, but you're acting like Chicken Little. Stop worrying about nothing.

You need to understand that there are several incidents, not one, with all kinds of fungus. In each case, something was wrong with the disc, usually some off-brand crap. In the CD-R days, they made discs in Mexico and South America. So it's likely that local fungi were produced INSIDE the disc. It didn't "get in" -- it was already in!

I could literally win the lottery before I had a disc with fungus. It's that rare. Like baby born with three heads.

This first appeared in 2001, and I've heard almost nothing in at least 10 years now.

Here's one of the official papers, last updated in 2007.

Not any fungus that eats Polycarbonate is a specific Geotrichum , you read the site I went on explaining this fungus ? http://www.myetymology.com/encyclopedia/Geotrichum.html there says that in tropical areas this fungus exists as is my case because I live in Brazil I do not know if this fungus eats the hard starting out and then comes the dye and the other layers and the worst is that in epochs of rain where I live the humidity greatly increases not to mention the heat because I live in ceara and can create this fungus in the media

1 this interesting pdf that you put but I did not understand much since this all in English, you could explain to me briefly what has been saying this pdf on Geotrichum ?

2 is 100 % proven that only attacks Geotrichum medias CD and no DVD even with polycarbonate ?

3 which dye is that you say that was attacked by fungi about 10 years ago ?

4 CMC said cyanine dye is the dye of my medias manufactured in 2010 Philips 16x DVD + R CMC MAG M01 these medias have the color purple underneath, this dye is good and durable ?

5 begins and ends as the atack of Geotrichum in medias ? he attacks the polycarbonate disc starting out ?

Geotrichum is simply a type of fungus. For CD-R, it's not even that specific fungus from what I've read, only "like" it. And there's several other kind of fungi that have invaded optical media, for varying reasons. Each case study has been different. You need to search for them, and read them. Most are white papers from scientific journals, as the cases are rare and made for an interesting read. In other words, it's not common.

If you're this worried about your DVDs, simply do not use them. Switch to hard drives.

Sorry, but we're done with this conversation now. It's been adequately (thoroughly!) answered by several people, on several forums.

Thanks for visiting the forum. :)