Wednesday, April 08, 2009
Geek Ranting Alert 2: how the optical media was lost
Once again, if talking computers isn't your thing, drop down a couple entries. A regular one will be coming soon... just gotta bitch right here, right now. In the same itemized form as previously:
* Attempt to buy dual-layer DVD media from same low-price location as the dual-layer DVD burner. Curiously they don't have any.
* Find two-pack of dual-layer DVD media at drugstore for $10. Knowing it's way more expensive there than other places, buy it anyway.
* Spend an hour copying two single-layer DVD backups of files to the hard drive.
* Spend an hour or two sorting through the files to lessen the number of duplicates, misplaced items, and incorrect file/folder names.
* Open up burner program, spend less than an hour double-checking that there are even fewer duplicates, misplaced items, and incorrect file/folder names. With each change, update file list in burner program.
* Single-layer DVDs are advertised as 4.7gb, but really hold about 4.5gb. Dual-layer DVDs are advertised as holding 8.5gb (not 9.4 like you'd think) but really hold 8.1gb (not 8.5gb). Move some less imperative folders out of the list until the barometer at the bottom of the burner program is to the left of the limit-line.
* Insert one dual-layer DVD media, spend the next hour burning. Notice that despite the fact that the burn rate is 2.4x, computer lagging to hell when writing an email anyway.
* At the wrapup portion of the burn, discover that I forgot to remove one reference to one file that got moved. Which I find out in the summary message, saying that I've created a $5 coaster. See, "disk-at-once" style burning requires everything expected to be there before it will create the Table Of Contents index... so basically, it's spent the last hour burning a disk, but claims that there's no disk in the drive after because the list of files didn't get laid down. Not even the SmartErase program mentioned last entry recognises the disk.
* Get angry, cut up unuseable yet undestroyable disk with scissors [see illustration].
* Insert second dual-layer DVD media, check "Simulation" so it will make sure everything's fine with the file list before doing a burn, set burner program into motion.
* Notice this is going to take longer than expected, cancel operation. As usual, the burner program doesn't want to stop and the light on the burner flashes long after the program has been forced to close. Reboot computer.
* Pull out disk, see the widening white ring on the underside, and discover the damn thing was actually getting burned! Wonder what part of "Simulation" the computer didn't understand and cut up my last $5 coaster.
* Make plans to buy more disks, this time at Target which sells ten-packs of dual-layer DVD media for $15. Stop blogging, go to bed cuz it's quarter-til-5 a.m.
[oh but wait, there's more...]
* Actually get up, actually go to South Hill Target, actually buy the only package of $15-for-10 dual-layer DVD media, actually listen to the new Depeche Mode album to and from so I wound up sitting in my car for half an hour finishing it out.
* Turn on computer, open up package... discover half of these disks are used. Nice ploy, putting one's coasters in a package then returning it for a refund, so Target will put it back on the shelf. This was the only one, like I said.
* Go back to Target, get refund, go looking at other places nearby which don't carry dual-layer media if they have blank disks at all. Refuse to go to that drugstore.
* Go to the Lakewood Target, they have three boxes and the plastic wrap is intact, purchase. Come home, burn that disk, call it a night.
* Next morning, find 50 more files that didn't get burned because they were not in the right place (forgot I had, could not find when searching originally so thought I'd deleted, overnight updates to what I had archived). Toss out good ($1.50) disk, make better disk, NOW we're done.
* Attempt to buy dual-layer DVD media from same low-price location as the dual-layer DVD burner. Curiously they don't have any.
* Find two-pack of dual-layer DVD media at drugstore for $10. Knowing it's way more expensive there than other places, buy it anyway.
* Spend an hour copying two single-layer DVD backups of files to the hard drive.
* Spend an hour or two sorting through the files to lessen the number of duplicates, misplaced items, and incorrect file/folder names.
* Open up burner program, spend less than an hour double-checking that there are even fewer duplicates, misplaced items, and incorrect file/folder names. With each change, update file list in burner program.
* Single-layer DVDs are advertised as 4.7gb, but really hold about 4.5gb. Dual-layer DVDs are advertised as holding 8.5gb (not 9.4 like you'd think) but really hold 8.1gb (not 8.5gb). Move some less imperative folders out of the list until the barometer at the bottom of the burner program is to the left of the limit-line.
* Insert one dual-layer DVD media, spend the next hour burning. Notice that despite the fact that the burn rate is 2.4x, computer lagging to hell when writing an email anyway.
* At the wrapup portion of the burn, discover that I forgot to remove one reference to one file that got moved. Which I find out in the summary message, saying that I've created a $5 coaster. See, "disk-at-once" style burning requires everything expected to be there before it will create the Table Of Contents index... so basically, it's spent the last hour burning a disk, but claims that there's no disk in the drive after because the list of files didn't get laid down. Not even the SmartErase program mentioned last entry recognises the disk.
* Get angry, cut up unuseable yet undestroyable disk with scissors [see illustration].
* Insert second dual-layer DVD media, check "Simulation" so it will make sure everything's fine with the file list before doing a burn, set burner program into motion.
* Notice this is going to take longer than expected, cancel operation. As usual, the burner program doesn't want to stop and the light on the burner flashes long after the program has been forced to close. Reboot computer.
* Pull out disk, see the widening white ring on the underside, and discover the damn thing was actually getting burned! Wonder what part of "Simulation" the computer didn't understand and cut up my last $5 coaster.
* Make plans to buy more disks, this time at Target which sells ten-packs of dual-layer DVD media for $15. Stop blogging, go to bed cuz it's quarter-til-5 a.m.
[oh but wait, there's more...]
* Actually get up, actually go to South Hill Target, actually buy the only package of $15-for-10 dual-layer DVD media, actually listen to the new Depeche Mode album to and from so I wound up sitting in my car for half an hour finishing it out.
* Turn on computer, open up package... discover half of these disks are used. Nice ploy, putting one's coasters in a package then returning it for a refund, so Target will put it back on the shelf. This was the only one, like I said.
* Go back to Target, get refund, go looking at other places nearby which don't carry dual-layer media if they have blank disks at all. Refuse to go to that drugstore.
* Go to the Lakewood Target, they have three boxes and the plastic wrap is intact, purchase. Come home, burn that disk, call it a night.
* Next morning, find 50 more files that didn't get burned because they were not in the right place (forgot I had, could not find when searching originally so thought I'd deleted, overnight updates to what I had archived). Toss out good ($1.50) disk, make better disk, NOW we're done.
