Here you will find useful information on how to care
for your media, and it's limitations.
Handling CDs/DVDs
| Handling Floppy Diskettes
| Speed Limits
| Recording Responsibility
Once you burn CDs or DVDs, you need to store them correctly
to maximize their life and protect your data. The discs are strong, but not
indestructible. Following these precautions will assure your data will be safe
for many years.
CD/DVD Handling and Care
1. DO handle
the disc only by the outer edge to keep fingerprints from the surface.
2. DO
use a soft, lint-free cloth for cleaning the
disc to remove dust, or fingerprints.
3. DO
wipe from the center to the outer edges and NEVER wipe in a circular motion.
4. DO
NOT touch the unlabeled shiny side of a disc
— that's the recording surface.
5. DO NOT
set a disc down on hard surfaces that can scratch the recording surface.
6. DO NOT
use abrasive or solvent cleaners, audio CD disc cleaners, or conventional vinyl
record cleaning solutions on the disc. Chemical-based cleaners and cleaners
that are safe for audio CDs might not be safe for CD-Rs, CD-RWs, or DVDs.
Storage
1. DO store
discs in their storage cases to avoid scratches.
2. DO store
discs in a cool, dry place, away from direct light. The ideal storage temperature
is between 23° F - 86° F.
3. DO
NOT leave the disc in direct sunlight or in a
hot, humid environment.
4. DO
NOT spill liquids or allow moisture to condense
on the disc.
Labeling
You can write on the inner diameter
or designated label area of the CD or DVD. Use only soft-felt-tipped, permanent
ink pens (such as Nashua
Media Products CD Writer Pens),
and write only on the designated areas. Water-soluble pens work best—their
ink dries quickly and minimizes smearing. Ball-point pens or other hard-point
writing utensils may damage the disc. Be careful when using adhesive labels.
Use only labels with high-quality adhesive designed not to corrode the reflective
layer of the disc. Be sure to apply it properly. Labels applied off-center or
with ripples can harm your CD or DVD player. If you misalign the label
or don't smooth the label down and there are air bubbles under the surface,
then you run the risk of your CD/DVD spinning out of balance, which could cause
reading and tracking problems. If you try to reposition the label after it is
partially stuck, then you run the risk of damaging the CD/DVD as you remove
the partially stuck label.
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Diskettes are more vulnerable to the environment and
what we do to them than CDs. This means they need extra attention and care to
keep your data safe.
Diskette Handling and Care
1. DO hold
disks on the outer edge.
2. DO store
disks upright. The pressure exerted by stacking disks can force the plastic
shell against the media surface.
3. DO avoid
temperature extremes. Disks should be stored between 32° F - 150° F.
Prolonged exposure to extreme temperatures can undermine the chemical composition
of the media, leading to data loss.
4. DO mark
labels before you stick them on disks. The force of a pen can damage the media
surface.
5. DO make
two copies of important data. The data on a disk can represent many of work.
If the data is critical, make a second copy.
6. DO NOT
force a disk into a drive.
7. DO NOT
bend disks. This
can result in disk failure and permanent data loss.
8. DO NOT
open and close the shutter. Opening the shutter
exposes the disk to several environmental contaminants causing read/write errors.
9. DO NOT
touch the media
inside the shell. This can result in errors and data loss.
10. DO NOT
expose to moisture
or liquid, which can contaminate the disk surface,
causing read/write errors.
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Understand your Media's Speed Limits
Knowing the speed of your media matches the speed of your burner, you'll save
time, media, and money when making CDs. Do you know what your burner speed
is? Those numbers on the drive and on the media let you know the capabilities
and limitations of your burner. Whether a CD-Recorder (CD-R Drive) or a CD-Rewriter
(CD-RW Drive), the first number is always the record speed, and the last number
represents how fast the drive is able to read pre-recorded optical media.
For CD-Rewriters, the middle number is the speed at which you can rewrite
to the media.
For example:
• A CD-Recorder listed at 48x40 has a CD-R recording speed of 48X, and
reads recorded media at 40X. This drive will work best with CD-R media rated
at 48X.
• A CD-Rewriter listed at 48x12x40 has a CD-R recording speed of 48X,
a CD-RW write and rewrite speed of 12X, and reads recorded media at 40X. This
drive will work best with CD-R media rated at 48X and CD-RW media rated at
12X or less.
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Recording Responsibly
CD-R and DVD has the ability to make digital copies
of copyrighted works. Tera Media Corporation urges all users to record responsibly.
Before copying anything onto a CD or DVD disc, please be sure you are not violating
copyright laws. Most PC software companies allow you to make a backup or archive
copy of software. Check your software license agreement for specific details.
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