"Disk read error" from MD to Hi-MD

[kino170878]

Sometimes when I insert a blanked minidisc (which previously had legacy or Hi-MD recordings on it) into my RH710, it says "Disk read error". Nothing works, and I can't record in Hi-MD mode anymore. This has happened two or three times already on separate discs. I thought that the minidisc technology was supposed to be backwards compatible? After this happens, the disc will still work on my old system. It will never work on the Hi-MD unit whatever I try.

If I do any operations with the disc on old MD equipment, maybe that automatically renders the disc useless in Hi-MD mode from the moment I insert it....Would the solution then be to completely separate my usage of old minidisc recorders and newer Hi-MD portable units? I think I will only blank my minidiscs with the Hi-MD player from now on. I don't want to risk trashing my rare mindiscs, they are getting harder to find.

Edited July 13, 2007 by kino170878

[bobt]

Sometimes when I insert a blanked minidisc (which previously had legacy or Hi-MD recordings on it) into my RH710, it says "Disk read error". Nothing works, and I can't record in Hi-MD mode anymore. This has happened two or three times already on separate discs. I thought that the minidisc technology was supposed to be backwards compatible? After this happens, the disc will still work on my old system. It will never work on the Hi-MD unit whatever I try.

If I do any operations with the disc on old MD equipment, maybe that automatically renders the disc useless in Hi-MD mode from the moment I insert it....Would the solution then be to completely separate my usage of old minidisc recorders and newer Hi-MD portable units? I think I will only blank my minidiscs with the Hi-MD player from now on. I don't want to risk trashing my rare mindiscs, they are getting harder to find.

try initializing or formatting and see what happens

Bob

[bobzilli]

I've been through that myself and reformating always does the trick

[Sparky191]

I suppose its like any disk or harddrive after a while it just needs a format to fix all the error thats occur when its been written and rewritten over and over for a long time. I wonder do any PC hardrive defrag, fixing utilities work on MD/HiMD once hooked up to a PC.

[kino170878]

Reinitializing did the trick, thank you. I still wonder what the cause of the error is.

[BobS]

I would expect the problem occurs when you are in HiMD mode since the PC cannot access the disk in MD mode. Checkdisk can run on a HiMD but it takes a long time and will post errors even on a good disk. Better off not doing it. If it did fix a file, your audio would probably be lost.

If you use a disk in HiMD mode for data only, you can also format it in FAT32 which will help in storing more small files on a disk. HiMD looks just like any other USB storage device. Do not try defrag, you will wear your MD and it will take a very long time. You will also gain nothing since MDs have buffers to take care of audio file fragementation.

I have found my JB920 deck will erase a HiMD format original disk and convert it back to an MD format disk with no problem.