When testing CD or DVD drives it's safe to go under the “if it fails, try another disc” rule. If we don't mention this in the more detailed instructions below, it's probably implied. If the drive fails a task (that it should be able to do) twice, it's a good bet that it's a bad drive and it can be recycled.
Note: make sure that all drives are disc free before recycling!
| STEPS
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NOTES AND DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS
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| Check For Damage and Dirt |
Visually inspect headset for broken or missing parts, see if it rattles. Also, if it's really gross either clean it with a rag and some alcohol or just toss it. Also we usually recycle drives older than 2002, this is a good time to double check the date on the drive, if it's old just toss it.
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| Install an Optical Drive |
- Grab a drive from the incoming box/crate. Make sure that the jumpers on the back are set to 'Master'. (On most drives the Master position is the one closest to the IDE or SATA output, not always though). If there are no jumper pins, continue as normal.
- Power down the testing computer and plug in the IDE (or SATA – with supported machine) cable and power cable and slide the drive into the test computer gently, taking extra care not to damage the cables.
- Boot up the computer into Ubuntu.
Note: Pay close attention to the capabilities of the drives you are testing. There
are many different types of drives with many different combinations of functions
that you need to be aware of when you are testing optical drives.
-The basic features on the drives we test:
CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, and DVD ram
-These features are often combined into a combo drive, examples:
CD-R/DVD-RW, CD-RW/DVD-R, CD-R/DVD+RW
- In general start by testing the drives playback capabilities. For CD-R use CD audio playback testing (1), or for DVD-R use DVD video playback testing (2).
- If the drive has writing capabilities you will test that feature after finishing playback testing. For CD-RW use CD write testing, (3) and for DVD-RW or DVD+RW use DVD write testing (4).
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| Test Playback |
Once you have identified which features you're drive has you will want to test playback first. CD-R and CD-RW drives will be using option 1 bellow, anything else will use option 2 bellow (DVD-R, DVD-R/CD-RW, DVD-RW etc.) you should never need to test both.
(1) Testing CD audio playback
- Insert a testing audio CD into the drive. Rhythmbox Media Player should start automatically.
- If Rhythmbox doesn't start go to 'Applications' → 'Sound & Video' → 'Rhythmbox Music Player', when it opens look for the testing audio CD under 'Devices' on the left and select it.
- Click the 'Play' button to start the music. If it sounds okay then the drive passes playback testing. If not, try one more testing audio CD before continuing.
- Exit Rhythmbox and eject the disc.
(2) Testing DVD video playback
- Insert a testing video DVD into the drive. VLC Media Player should start automatically.
- If VLC doesn't start go to 'Applications' → 'Sound & Video' → 'VLC Media Player', when it opens go to 'Media' and select 'Open Disc...' and select 'Play' at the bottom of the new window.
- Watch the movie for a minute or two then try skipping ahead to the middle of the movie.
- If you notice any jerkiness in the picture/audio, locking up, or if the DVD just won't play then try another testing video DVD. If the video functions properly then the drive passes playback testing.
- Exit VLC and eject the disc.
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| Test Writing Capability |
Identify what writing capabilities the drive has, it should have one of the following to identify this: CD-RW, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, and DVD-RAM. CD-RW will use option 1 bellow, all others will use option 2 bellow.
Note: If the drive writes both CDs and DVDs test its DVD writing capability only, no need for testing both.
(1) Testing CD-RW writing
- Insert a CD-RW into the drive. Wait up to one minute for the CD-RW to show up on the desktop. If it doesn't show try another CD-RW. If it still doesn't show up on the desktop go ahead and eject the disk and recycle the drive.
- Open Brasero and click on 'Data Project...' then click and drag the 'Test1' folder from the desktop into the open data project file area.
- Make sure that your data CD appears in the drop-down menu just to the left of the 'Burn' button,. Hit 'Burn'. This should open up a new window.
- On the new windows make sure the following options are selected: 'Burn image directly without saving to disc', 'Use burnproof' (sometimes burnproof is not available, this is okay), and 'Eject after burning' then press 'Burn'. Before it begins the burn process if you are using a disc that has been written to before it should bring up a prompt to either replace, blank, or cancel; select 'Blank disk' and it should begin the burn process. If the burn is not successful within five minutes or if you get any errors during the process, try a different disk before recycling the drive.
- When the burn is completed the disc should eject on its own, but not always. Manually eject if needed. Load the disc back in the drive and wait for the CD-RW to show up on the desktop again. Once it does double-click on the CD-RW icon and verify that Test 1 is on the disk.
- If Test 1 is verified eject the disc and label the drive with its functions and your initials, Examples: DVD-R/CD-RW CF, DVD+RW/CD-RW CF, CD-RW CF.
(2) Testing DVD-RW & DVD+RW writing
- Note which type of DVD writing the drive is capable of, either DVD+RW,DVD-RW (which is notated on the drive as DVD/RW), or both. Insert the correct type of rewritable DVD into the drive. If it writes both types either one can be used. Wait up to one minute for the DVD to show up on the desktop. If it doesn't show try another DVD of the same type, if it still doesn't show up on the desktop try a DVD of a different type before recycling the drive.
- Open Brasero and click on 'Data Project...'. Click 'Add' → 'Desktop' →'Test 1' (double click) → click 'Add'.
- Make sure that your data DVD appears in the drop-down menu just to the left of the 'Burn' button, Hit 'Burn'. This should open up a new window.
- On the new windows make sure the following options are selected: 'Burn image directly without saving to disc', 'Use burnproof', and 'Eject after burning' then press 'Burn'. If the burn is not successful within five minutes or if you get any errors during the process, try a DVD of a different type before recycling the drive.
- When the burn is completed the disc should eject on its own, but not always, manually eject if needed. Load the disc back in the drive and wait for the DVD to show up on the desktop again, once it does double-click on the DVD icon and verify that Test 1 is on the disk.
- If Test 1 is verified eject the disc and label the drive with its functions and your initials, Examples: DVD-RW/CD-RW CF, DVD+RW/CD-RW CF.
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| Affix sticker |
Initial a 'Tested by' sticker and stick it to the device in a way that it will be easily removable later. Try sticking it to your jeans or shirt first, it makes the sticker a little less sticky.
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