OK, in crisis mode - 2 year old DVD-R's can't be read

[lgh529]

I have a bunch of DVD-r's (Maxell and Optimum) that I had archived some home videos and some data. I stored them in my safe, which I have now discovered that was having a major humidity problem.

They are no longer recognized as a disc in my burner or in my laptop DVD-ROM.

Anyone have any ideas about this, like maybe heating them in the oven for while at low temperature? I'm guessing that its the humidity that is the problem.

Incidentally, all the Ritek G04's still work fine.

[Mortomer]

geesh, in a safe huh? They're that valuable to ya'? I have a ton of DVD's but I can take a crap on them and wouldn't blink twice worrying about them, but everyone has their own personal preferences. I hope you're able to recover that data but if the humiditiy was super high it would of damaged them permanently. I doubt an oven would help you at all as it would probably quickly melt all the plastic.

I've had some dvdrs for about 2 years and they still, play, rip, and look like I just burnt them yesterday. I hope you ddid't lose out on too many movies and are able to replace them without too much trouble but i'd leave them at room temperature from now on, not in a hermatically sealed safe.

[QuaiBoy]

Yikes. Try them in another DVD-ROM drive. I would suggest a Pioneer, Toshiba, or LG. Try them in as many drives as it takes to find one that works. Try them in a settop player as well. If it only works in a settop you can use a capture card to get them back. Then reburn on no less than 3 different brands/models of DVD-R. Can't be too careful with home video.

Best of Luck,
-Evan-

[Supreme2k]

Whatever you do, DO NOT heat them. For now, you may have a chance of saving them using the methods above. Heating them up may destroy them completely (dyes, warping, etc.).

[presto]

Yes, don't heat them. Try them in other players. If that doesn't work try DVDX Rescue.

[victoriabears]

As I archive my treasured, but getting older by the minute vhs recordings, i was thinking, do I still keep them?

I think we have the answer!

[lgh529]

geesh, in a safe huh? They're that valuable to ya'? I have a ton of DVD's but I can take a crap on them and wouldn't blink twice worrying about them, but everyone has their own personal preferences.

The purpose for the safe was to keep the backups in case my house burns down. And since they're home vidoes (mostly), its not like I can go buy them again.

Thanks for all the advice. I will try as many players as I can and post any successes.

[victoriabears]

also-what about software like dvd rescue? etc-Wish you the very best of luck.

[HyperYagami]

geesh, in a safe huh? They're that valuable to ya'?

I get a feeling that for whatever reason you think "DVD" only means "retail movie backups"...

I have a bunch of DVD-r's (Maxell and Optimum) that I had archived some home videos and some data.

Just out of curiousity...are those really maxell (e.g. retail) or the fake ones?

I can only suggest you try a different DVD reader and try copy the content to your harddrive...like back in the day with CDs if you try hard enough it might go through, since you only need to successfully read it *once*.

[junkmalle]

I have a bunch of DVD-r's (Maxell and Optimum) that I had archived some home videos and some data... They are no longer recognized as a disc in my burner or in my laptop DVD-ROM.

Just on the off chance, did you put sticky lables on them? If so, removing them might fix the problem.

[lordsmurf]

The most successful combo I have ever used is the LG ROM drive, and then ISO Buster PRO in UDF recovery mode.

I have ripped/copied many discs called "unreadable" by other drives.

I too have a fire safe with valuable data on DVD's.

[lgh529]

I just wanted to update this thread with the results just in case someone does a search in the future with a similar problem.

I found that the video DVD's would play in my Cyberhome set top player, but, I had no other option for my data disc. So I figured that as a last resort I could at least recapture the video.

Then I had to go out of town on business for a couple of weeks and left my discs next to the computer thinking that I would ask my next door neighbor who got a new burner last Christmas.

When I came back, I thought I would try them one more time in my Pioneer DVR-105 and they worked. Maybe just some time to dry out at room temperature? I have no idea.

I'm now in the process of copying them over to some Ritek G04's that I have left over while they last. I don't trust them very long because I'm sure they are compromised.

So anyway, if you ever have this problem, maybe wait a couple of weeks and try them again, who knows, you might luck out.

[Tom81]

I just read an article on DVD care and longevity...latest estimates for DVD-R real-world life is now about 10-15 years.

[victoriabears]

Oh, isn't that the same as some of my vhs's that look as good today as they did when i recorded them-Great!!

So why am I here?, I am now off to get a life.

[BobK]

An article that estimates 10-15 years doesn't have much more validity than an article that says 40-100 years. Do a search and you can find recent articles giving all kinds of time frames. A recent article here
http://asia.cnet.com/reviews/hardware/storage/0,39034915,39091141-1,00.htm

"the denser, more expensive DVD [compared to CD-R] usually last anywhere from 70 to a 100 years due to the high quality of their dye coat."

And if you (and DVDs are still around in 70-100 years) you'll probably be able to find DVDs that went bad after 5 years and others that are still good long after 100 years.

[hhhhbk]

I just read an article on DVD care and longevity...latest estimates for DVD-R real-world life is now about 10-15 years.

thats pretty disappointing
what kind of life expectancy do store bought manufacturer pressed dvds have

[junkmalle]

Oh, isn't that the same as some of my vhs's that look as good today as they did when i recorded them-Great!!

So why am I here?, I am now off to get a life.

But when you copy your VHS tape to preserve it for the next 10 or 15 years the copy will be worse than the original. When you copy your DVD, the copy will be exactly the same. So it's still worth it to preserve stuff in a digital format.

[John2001]

[quote="lgh529"]
I'm now in the process of copying them over to some Ritek G04's that I have left over while they last. I don't trust them very long because I'm sure they are compromised.
quote]

For the particularly valuable ones make more than one copy and keep one copy at an off-site location. This is a basic backup strategy. That fire-resistant safe might be designed to keep paper from burning but might still let temperatures get high enough to ruin your DVDs.

[DaveS]

That fire-resistant safe might be designed to keep paper from burning but might still let temperatures get high enough to ruin your DVDs.

very true...you can get a fire safe for media..it tries to keep the inside temp down around 120 degrees for the rated period rather than the several hundred (at least) degrees that paper can withstand before it stars to brown and/or burn

this is a one hour version..I think sentry also makes a half hour version

http://www.storesonline.com/site/408162/product/FKMV1000

[clearvideo]

Oh, isn't that the same as some of my vhs's that look as good today as they did when i recorded them-Great!!

So why am I here?, I am now off to get a life.

Really, I have to agree. If the DVD-R's only last that long, I wonder why we're going thru all this? (of course, I know it's fun to burn )

How about DVD+R's life span? I mostly burn DVD+R's