[Pkg-opt-media-team] Bug#724964: growisofs: fails to burn DVD-RW media with error "SK=5h/ILLEGAL MODE FOR THIS TRACK"

[Thomas Schmitt]

Hi,

> I wish growisofs be distributed with some FAQ.

There is http://fy.chalmers.se/~appro/linux/DVD+RW/
which begins by questions and answers. :o)

Problem is that dvd+rw-tools have not been updated since
about 5 years. Upstream (Andy Polyakov) and Debian
maintainers seem to be inactive alike. I posted a bug
fix a few months ago
  http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=713016
but got no reaction.

Except that bug, growisofs is still in well usable shape.
(Docs and option set are quite obscure, though. Strictly
 following the principle of "Read the source, Luke".)


> Moreover, in case of error, in addition to technical
> information, I think it should give practical information about
> what could be wrong.

This is really not easy. At least my own stuff is not
able to diagnose all possible problems.
Best you can have is a maintainer who knows the MMC and
SPC specs and who can make experiments.


> Now, when I burn my old DVD+RW's (purchased in December 2005) with
> the same drive, I get I/O errors when I re-read them,

To my experience, written DVD+RW media rarely deteriorate
over 5 to 10 years. So this bad read quality might mean
your drive is going blind.

If you have an opportunity to test the media with a
different drive, then you will get an impression whether
drive or media are to blame.


> > Indeed the medium is still reported by the drive as being ready
> > for more sessions 
> Maybe a bug in dvd+rw-format,

As said, there are only two variations of SCSI command BLANK,
and both should have yielded a state that is different from
the found one.

It rather looks like the drive just botched while blanking.


> > Let's hope that it [the DVD-RW] is entirely readable.
> With the same drive, everything is OK, by reading the DVD entirely
> and comparing.

Well, stay cautious and checkread your burns.


Have a nice day :)

Thomas