Cannot edit or format an HI-MD

[Sulamani]

I have been using the MZ NH-900 for years and I never had any problems.

Today I wanted to remove a few tracks and put a few new ones in which I always do using SonicStage.

An message popped up saying The device/media is write protected.

I checked the write protect tab and it was ok.

All the tracks can be played without any problem

I tried to format the disc but it keeps saying The device/media is write protected.

I tried to delete the tracks using the player controls but it shows disc protected.

I tried to record using the line in jack to see if I can record something on the disc and it recorded no problem but when I tried to delete the track, disc protected comes up again.

I have also tried using another HI-MD disc which there a few tracks in it and its the same, cannot delete any tracks.

Could anyone help?

[bobt]

I have been using the MZ NH-900 for years and I never had any problems.

Today I wanted to remove a few tracks and put a few new ones in which I always do using SonicStage.

An message popped up saying The device/media is write protected.

I checked the write protect tab and it was ok.

All the tracks can be played without any problem

I tried to format the disc but it keeps saying The device/media is write protected.

I tried to delete the tracks using the player controls but it shows disc protected.

I tried to record using the line in jack to see if I can record something on the disc and it recorded no problem but when I tried to delete the track, disc protected comes up again.

I have also tried using another HI-MD disc which there a few tracks in it and its the same, cannot delete any tracks.

Could anyone help?

Open the cover, there should be a small prong that goes into the write protect area, it may be stuck.

Good luck

Bob

[jpteasy]

Open the cover, there should be a small prong that goes into the write protect area, it may be stuck.

Good luck

Bob

On my MZ-RH710 there are two options in the unit's menu;

1) Erase 1, All

2) Format

If you only want to delete a couple, the unit sometimes disables because of the link with Sonicstage (grr). Tracks recorded with the unit aren't affected just those via SS. The unit will allow you to format, but then you lose the other tracks.

In SS have you tried transferring back rather than deleting? Its tempting now to delete because they've removed the limit, but sometimes you still need to check-in the tracks when you just want to do the odd couple.

[Sulamani]

Open the cover, there should be a small prong that goes into the write protect area, it may be stuck.

Good luck

Bob

No hope either.

Damn!

On my MZ-RH710 there are two options in the unit's menu;

1) Erase 1, All

2) Format

If you only want to delete a couple, the unit sometimes disables because of the link with Sonicstage (grr). Tracks recorded with the unit aren't affected just those via SS. The unit will allow you to format, but then you lose the other tracks.

In SS have you tried transferring back rather than deleting? Its tempting now to delete because they've removed the limit, but sometimes you still need to check-in the tracks when you just want to do the odd couple.

Track recorded with line-in is also affected. I can record through line in, but i can't delete the track afterwards.

I have tried to transferring back the tracks with SS and no hope either, same message disc protected.

I have tried all sorts ways to ways to erase the disc.

Yesterday I went into my computer and in the MD disc drive I managed to un check the read only tab and deleted the folder. It worked, all the tracks were erased.

But then I don't know why when I when I went back to see if the files are still in the disc. I found even more folders contain in the MD. I tried to un check the read only tab again and delete the files. This time it won't let me do it.

No luck either.

Disc is write protected again. I think it has some sort of a backup thing.

Any ideas anyone?

[kino170878]

No hope either.

Damn!

Track recorded with line-in is also affected. I can record through line in, but i can't delete the track afterwards.

I have tried to transferring back the tracks with SS and no hope either, same message disc protected.

I have tried all sorts ways to ways to erase the disc.

Yesterday I went into my computer and in the MD disc drive I managed to un check the read only tab and deleted the folder. It worked, all the tracks were erased.

But then I don't know why when I when I went back to see if the files are still in the disc. I found even more folders contain in the MD. I tried to un check the read only tab again and delete the files. This time it won't let me do it.

No luck either.

Disc is write protected again. I think it has some sort of a backup thing.

Any ideas anyone?

The problem is Sonicstage.

If you make a line-in recording for the first time you are free to edit the tracks in any way you want on the Hi-MD unit. The moment you upload the recording to Sonicstage the problems start happening. You can of course choose to edit the file further in Sonicstage (where the audio is now in the PC) or just leave it as is, but now when you transfer the file back to the Hi-MD you cannot do any further editing. You again have to upload to Sonicstage. This sucks because sometimes you want to edit on the disc itself but it seems Sony doesn't like you to do that.

[jpteasy]

The problem is Sonicstage.

If you make a line-in recording for the first time you are free to edit the tracks in any way you want on the Hi-MD unit. The moment you upload the recording to Sonicstage the problems start happening. You can of course choose to edit the file further in Sonicstage (where the audio is now in the PC) or just leave it as is, but now when you transfer the file back to the Hi-MD you cannot do any further editing. You again have to upload to Sonicstage. This sucks because sometimes you want to edit on the disc itself but it seems Sony doesn't like you to do that.

I think it states in the manual, to avoid problems, perform all editing functions on the unit before transferring to SS. Maybe Sony made it behave that way so you didn't change recordings taken from CD to appease the record company bosses as only Sony knows how?

What I'd be tempted to do, because you seem to be spending a lot of time which is proving futile, is (providing the music you have is still available in SS) is set up the playlists etc again identical to the disc and retransfer - start afresh. It depends on how much you had on the disc.

[Sulamani]

Since my last post, I have tried various ways to erase the Hi-MD disc. Still no luck either, I've tried loading the tracks on SS and tried to transfer the tracks on to the PC, doesn't work at all. Is there a program or any program that can bypass this and erase the whole disc?

[kino170878]

This might be a long shot, but if you can try to get hold of some old pre-2000 MD equipment, either decks or portables, and try the disc erase function on those.

[Sulamani]

This might be a long shot, but if you can try to get hold of some old pre-2000 MD equipment, either decks or portables, and try the disc erase function on those.

I think pre 2000 MD equipment don't recognise Hi-MD discs.

Is Net-MD a different format from Hi-MD? I could as well discard the Hi-MD discs that I have if I could erase tracks on on normal MD's. I just don't want to waste another minidisc, I got them years ago when they were not cheap.

A software solution is the best I think.

[sfbp]

I think pre 2000 MD equipment don't recognise Hi-MD discs.

You can definitely erase a HiMD using SP equipment.

However it sounds as if something went wrong. Laser power?

[jpteasy]

You can definitely erase a HiMD using SP equipment.

However it sounds as if something went wrong. Laser power?

Is this true? I thought HiMD had a different file structure and TOC than standard MD?

While it is hard to say it could be you have a faulty disc. Have you tried to do the same with another disc?

Do you have any friends or family that have a HiMD player that could attempt to erase it for you if the D erase option doesn't work?

[sfbp]

It's true to the extent that you can put a std disk in a std player and get everything wiped off it.

It's not true if you want to erase a 1GB disk, however.

[Avrin]

Yesterday I went into my computer and in the MD disc drive I managed to un check the read only tab and deleted the folder. It worked, all the tracks were erased.

But then I don't know why when I when I went back to see if the files are still in the disc. I found even more folders contain in the MD.

Smells like a virus. Hi-MD discs are treated like removable drives, and, as such, are susceptible to infections.

[Sulamani]

I have wasted 2 Hi-MD already.

Doesn't seem like a virus to me.

It's rarely used and very well kept so I don't think it has mechanical problem.

[1kyle]

I have wasted 2 Hi-MD already.

Doesn't seem like a virus to me.

It's rarely used and very well kept so I don't think it has mechanical problem.

Hi there

I suggest you do the following

1) Connect the MD to the computer via a USB IN DATA MODE. Don't start SS / Simple Burner or whatever. You want Windows to treat this as an external hard disc.

2) Re-format the Disc (in data mode). Windows will just think it's an external 1GB HD.

3) Now try either in your unit or in SS to Re-format the Disc for MD use (SS) .

MD discs IMO NEVER break -- in all the years of using them I've NEVER had a defective disc --have even still got some of the old 60 Min one's still working.

2 HD's seems a Lot -- can't believe that they are defective unless you let a Truck run over them.

Cheers

-K

[M.A.L.]

I have a MZ-RH1 and have encountered a similar problem. Some times when I try to start recording it will display "Protected Disk". I think it's a mechanical problem because, if I eject and reinsert the disk, then squeeze the player's casing above/below the write-protect tab it will always go into record with no problems. If I don't give a squeeze about 50% of the time it will display the false "protected disk" message.

However, it also often displays "Disk Full" when it actually isn't... which may be another problem all-together.

[Sulamani]

Thanks everyone for helping me out for all these months trying to sort out this problem : )

After months of trial and error.

Finally I tried M.A.L.'s solution and it did worked for me. Cheers M.A.L. : )

While everyone thought it was a software problem all along, it turns out to be a mechanical problem.

Now both HI-MD's are erased.

Now it's time to put some music into it : )

Cheers everybody : )