'Disc-crash' - HiMD disc not responding

[Petter156]

A couple of weeks ago I was looking to fill up a 1GB HiMD disc with some music. I was in abit of a hurry and you all know that SonicStage isn´t always the most responsive program. So when it appeared that SS had crashed (and yes I did wait for it to respond) I terminated it and re-started the program. Apparently this caused some sort of write-error on my disc, since now it just spins along in my unit (the RH10) and never becomes available. I tried manually deleting the files on the disc to get a "clean" disc, but no luck.

I also have the same issue with another disc, but this time the problem was caused by a power-outtage - resulting in my computer of course shutting down.

Now I´m wondering if there´s anything to be done about the discs. Is there anyway to "cleanse" them so that they would essentially be like new discs again, making them usable?

I´m running Windows XP and SonicStage 4.3

Edited January 6, 2008 by Petter156

[Richard]

Have you tried completely formatting the disc using the unit itself (instead of just deleting the individual tracks)? Connect the unit to the pc and wait for the unit to appear as available. The insert the disc and try to use the initialize option in Sonic Stage.

[Petter156]

Have you tried completely formatting the disc using the unit itself (instead of just deleting the individual tracks)? Connect the unit to the pc and wait for the unit to appear as available. The insert the disc and try to use the initialize option in Sonic Stage.

When I do that SonicStage automatically wants to tranfer any remaining tracks to the PC. Apparently that process cannot be avoided, and once the tranfer box apperas it jumps to 66% and never finnishes. At the same time the disc apperas empty and the free space reads as 961.9MB.

[Avrin]

Go to Tools>Options>General, and press the Default button to restore hidden messages, then press OK. After that SonicStage should ask you whether you want to transfer tracks, after you start the initialization process. Press No. Do not check the box in this dialog, as it is quite useful to press No during initialization in many cases.

[Petter156]

For me, after restoring the hidden messages, SonicStage just tells me it will transfer the remaining tracks (or something like that) and the only option is to click "OK".

[Richard]

I can't remember - did you say you had tried to format the disc in the unit itself via the menus?

[Petter156]

Yep, I did try that. The disc keeps spinning and the unit tries to format it, but it never leads anywhere.

I´ve even tried to wipe the disc with the most powerful magnet I could find (it erased my brothers Zen HDD), but no luck.

[Strungup]

Yep, I did try that. The disc keeps spinning and the unit tries to format it, but it never leads anywhere.

I´ve even tried to wipe the disc with the most powerful magnet I could find (it erased my brothers Zen HDD), but no luck.

MD doesnt erase via magnets , it isnt magnetic based , it is Magneto Opitical .

[Petter156]

Jep, knew that, but I still thought a powerful magnet might cause the disc to be wiped. I was wrong.

[pitdroidtech]

Jep, knew that, but I still thought a powerful magnet might cause the disc to be wiped. I was wrong.

only in combination with a laser. (so these discs are not susceptible to magnetic degradation as is assumed by some. I don't think the data is stored in a magnetic medium, but rather that the pits can only be created or destroyed with a combination of focussed magnetic and laser beams)

I wonder if you could format them using windows. I know this doesn't work - but maybe it will clear the disc enough to prompt SS to ask to format it rather than continue the track copying?

Also, have you tried formatting it with a copy of SS installed on a completely different computer?

Edited January 14, 2008 by max_wedge

[Strungup]

only in combination with a laser. (so these discs are not susceptible to magnetic degradation as is assumed by some. I don't think the data is stored in a magnetic medium, but rather that the pits can only be created or destroyed with a combination of focussed magnetic and laser beams)

I wonder if you could format them using windows. I know this doesn't work - but maybe it will clear the disc enough to prompt SS to ask to format it rather than continue the track copying?

Also, have you tried formatting it with a copy of SS installed on a completely different computer?

The Disc is actually in FAT format ,

[pitdroidtech]

The Disc is actually in FAT format ,

Yes I know that, but it's not that simple. To use the disc with sonic stage you will have to reformat it with sonic stage after formatting with windows. SS needs to store some info on the disc other than within the FAT structure, as well as create some files and folders to accommodate ATRAC recordings.

Example: I formatted a standard md disc (I don't have any 1GB available) to hi-md. I then copied the SS created files on the disc onto my pc. I then formatted the disc with windows. The disc was then completely blank. I attempted to read the disc in SS - SS told me it needs to initialise the disc (as well as this information:"cannot read this audio disc because it was initialized by a program other than sonic stage") . I cancelled and exited SS, then copied the files originally created by the sonic stage format back onto the minidisc. I then attempted to read the disc in SS but it still told me to initialise the disc. So it is more than just files/folders that SS places on the disc when you format it with SS.

So as I said before, it possible that windows format will wipe the disc of whatever is preventing SS from treating it as a blank disc, but it's also quite possible that a windows format will not be enough to wipe the disc sufficiently for SS to treat it as a blank.

[Petter156]

Thanks for the advice. I think I tried that awhile ago and even Windows had problems formatting the disc.

I just moved so I don´t have the problematic discs available, but I´ll try to go by it the Windows way when I can.

[pitdroidtech]

Thanks for the advice. I think I tried that awhile ago and even Windows had problems formatting the disc.

I just moved so I don´t have the problematic discs available, but I´ll try to go by it the Windows way when I can.

Doesn't sound too hopeful then. You could try repartitioning the disc, or even run a scandisk, you never know, however it sounds like the discs are done for.

[Syrius]

Is this one of the first black Hi-MDs or the blue ones? I had two of those first-gen discs go bad on me, and nothing, NOTHING would restore them back. It's like they were unreadable, and unrecordable. The blue ones seem to work fine so far.

[ares139]

Is this one of the first black Hi-MDs or the blue ones? I had two of those first-gen discs go bad on me, and nothing, NOTHING would restore them back. It's like they were unreadable, and unrecordable. The blue ones seem to work fine so far.

Hmm, well ironically I just had one of those blue translucent ones go bad on me. Never had problems out of the dark navy-blue non-translucent discs, or any of my standard MD's. I haven't seen the black discs, though. I am in the process of reformatting the disc (using the command prompt). I believe it will work. Although I'm going to put it through some heavy write-testing before using it for anything again.

(more info here)

Edited February 10, 2008 by Ares139