[Techtalk] Input/Output Error when reading from CD-RW

[Rudy L. Zijlstra]

TechChiq wrote:

> I put some rather irreplaceable data (including some photos I took of 
> a double rainbow) on a CD-RW using K3b. Well, I am not 100% linux as I 
> just reinstalled everything and repartitioned (thank you to folks 
> replies on how to do that, I think I got it right :) so Windows is no 
> longer on my system. Now, the problem is, I insert the CD-RW with my 
> data on it, and would you know, I can see the files ok, but neither in 
> Konqueror nor even as root in a term I can't copy those files to my 
> user home directory. I keep getting an error message about an 
> input/output error.
>
> Did I forget to install something on this installation? According to 
> K3b, it looks like most things are instaleld, except there are some 
> other stuff that I don't think I had installed last time either.
>
> Please don't tell me the CD-RW is toast! I really can't replace the 
> data on it (I know I should have put it on CD-R instead, where I KNOW 
> I can read and get the files from it)... I got an ARTEC 48x48x12 CD 
> Writer and here's what the specs are from cdrecord -scanbus:
>
<lots of config snipped>

It may be toast. Take a look in /var/log/messages or .../kernel and post 
the errors you should find there. That will teach us more about the 
problem. It does not look like you need to install more programs.

With important data I always do the following:
- write to CD
- read the CD and verify i also can read the data
- move the CD over to other system and repeat read test.
Only after I have acertained the CD to be data readable i remove the 
data from the system. On REALLY important data I repeat this with a 
second CD, and at that point I also refuse to use white-label CD's. 
(Yes, i have lost data that way... white label CD was readable at first, 
but after 2 years not anymore. Sigh).

Oh, it does not really matter whether you are using CD-RW or plain CD-R. 
Behaviour is equal.

Good Luck,

Rudy