[CentOS] Re: How do I blank or overwrite DVD-RW disks in CentOS 5?

[Robert Nichols]

Barry Brimer wrote:
>> I'm trying to use DVD-RW ("minus RW") disks in my LG GSA-4040B
>> drive.  I can write a new disk just fine, but can't find any way to
>> blank or re-use a disk.  When I run xcdroast and click on the "Blank
>> CD/DVD+-RW" button, I get "Error while blanking."  Here is last part
>> of the dialog:
>>
>>    Using generic SCSI-3/mmc DVD-R(W) driver (mmc_mdvd)
>>    Driver flags   : SWABAUDIO BURNFREE
>>    Supported modes: PACKET SAO
>>    Drive buf size : 1245184 = 1216 KB
>>    Drive DMA Speed: 11772 kB/s 66x CD 8x DVD
>>    cdrecord.prodvd: Success. set streaming: scsi sendcmd: no error
>>    CDB:  B6 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 1C 00
>>    status: 0x2 (CHECK CONDITION)
>>    Sense Bytes: F0 00 05 00 00 00 00 10 B6 00 00 0D 21 00 00 00
>>    Sense Key: 0x5 Illegal Request, Segmant 0
>>    Sense Code: 0x21 Qual 0x00 (logical block address out of range) Fru 
>> 0x0
>>    Sense flags: Blk 0 (valid)
>>    cmd finished after 0.004 s timeout 40s
>>    Current Secsize: 2048
>>    cdrecord.prodvd: Cannot set speed/dummy.
>>    ATIP start of lead in:  -150 (00:00/00)
>>
>> I've had similar lack of success trying to blank or overwrite using
>> cdrecord or growisofs.  The disks I'm using are Sony 2X DVD-RW 4.7GB,
>> which _should_ be compatible with the drive AFAICT.  The drive is
>> happy to write to a new disk.
> 
> One possibility is:
> 
> $ cdrecord blank=help
> Blanking options:
>         all             blank the entire disk
>         disc            blank the entire disk
>         disk            blank the entire disk
>         fast            minimally blank the entire disk (PMA, TOC, pregap)
>         minimal         minimally blank the entire disk (PMA, TOC, pregap)
>         track           blank a track
>         unreserve       unreserve a track
>         trtail          blank a track tail
>         unclose         unclose last session
>         session         blank last session
> 
> According to man cdrecord:
> 
> -format
>         Format a CD-RW/DVD-RW/DVD+RW disc.  Formatting is currently only 
> implemented for DVD+RW media.  A maiden DVD+RW media needs to be 
> formatted before you may write to it.  However, as cdrecord autodetects 
> the need for formatting in this case and auto formats the medium before 
> it starts writing, the -format option is only needed if you like to 
> forcibly reformat a DVD+RW medium.

Thanks.  I'd seen that.  I did eventually find the magic incantation:

    cdrecord dev=/dev/dvd -v -force blank=fast

The "-force" is the key to getting past whatever it is that my drive
was complaining about.  I'm pretty sure I had tried that before and
had it not work, but perhaps the drive had been left in some strange
state by whatever my previous attempt had been.

-- 
Bob Nichols     "NOSPAM" is really part of my email address.
                 Do NOT delete it.