Unable to mount or eject DVD+RW

[osprey]

<snip>
Obviously I'm in way over my head with this. I now have 2 DVDs that can't be mounted or read. Something isn't right. I expected there to be a learning curve with this new OS and I would gradually build my knowledge base. Instead I'm constantly in crisis mode trying to fix issues way beyond my understanding, all related to photos. The irony here is that my Windows computer was so unstable. I kept thinking, "I gotta get these photos off here soon before I lose everything." So I saved them all to disk, and now I've lost them.

I'm going to my mom's today to try opening the disk on her Windows computer. If that doesn't work, I'm just focusing on how to recover what's left on it. I will get an external drive. Right now I just want my pictures back.

PS: I did install TestDisk. It wouldn't launch from the software manager. I tried to follow the instructions doing it in the terminal, but I got lost. Will look into this again later.

It's not unusual to feel overwhelmed in a situation such as this in early days with linux. None of it is insurmountable, but does need stamina and tenacity at times with lots of hair pulling

In these circumstances, it may be useful to copy the DVD to a file on a hard disk so that you can then work on that file to recover the photo files rather that risk damaging the DVD. Testdisk can work on such a file. It depends on whether the DVD-ROM can read the DVD, but normally, to copy the DVD byte for byte to a file you can run:

cat /dev/sr0 > /home/<user>/fileOfDvd

where /dev/sr0 is the DVD-ROM device and <user> is the the username in the /home directory and fileOf Dvd is the copy of the DVD. The command might take a while to complete.
Then there's learning to use testdisk. Perhaps this "step-by-step" rendition may help:

TestDisk Step By Step

www.cgsecurity.org

 

[UpNorth]

The DVD wasn't readable in my mom's computer either. The name of the disk showed up in the drive (took a really long time), but I couldn't open it. I tried to right click to look at properties and that took forever too. Finally was able to do that, and it said there was no data. NO DATA!!! I ran a program called Rescuva. It said it found 451 deleted files, then at the final stage it said there were no files to recover. So that was a waste of time.

I'll get an external disk tomorrow, but if there's nothing in the DVD to copy, I'm not sure what I can do from here.

 

[wizardfromoz]

If you can get TestDisk and its PhotoRec working, that may assist.

Other than that, and this does not really gel with it not showing on other computers - you could try cleaning the DVD, and even cleaning the lens on the DVD player/burner.

Good luck.

Wizard

 

[UpNorth]

What could I have done to wipe out an entire disk? It was in my computer. I was accessing the photos. Then I started getting the unable to mount errors. And then nothing. How could this happen?

 

[wizardfromoz]

How old was the DVD, and what brand?

They have a limited shelf life and quality, but no one ever tells you that until it is too late.



Wiz

 

[UpNorth]

HP. I bought them last year and just used them last month when I changed over to Mint.

 

[wizardfromoz]

What image viewer is the default on your Mint?

Is it Pix? (shows as Pictures in the header, with two panes)

 

[UpNorth]

Right now Photo Editor. It was Pix and then I was trying a bunch of other software and I changed the image viewer. I was going into my DVD's, trying different software, different image viewer... That's when all the problems started.

I just tried to open another DVD tonight and it's not mounting either. This one worked fine yesterday. The computer isn't even humming. Tomorrow I'm going to buy an external DVD drive. Do I also need to get an external disk drive for storing data? Or does one serve both purposes? I know that's a dumb question but I'm asking anyway.

 

[wizardfromoz]

I don't suppose you have a Timeshift snapshot from before the time below, do you?

...and then I was trying a bunch of other software and I changed the image viewer. I was going into my DVD's, trying different software, different image viewer... That's when all the problems started.

 

[UpNorth]

This is all that's showing. Can I go back to an earlier time?

 

[wizardfromoz]

Yes, but only as far as 6PM on the 3rd, which is not likely far enough for you. Those two you show were taken as Daily automatically at 6PM.

You likely started this Thread on your Thursday 1st, is that so?

By default, Timeshift will only keep Daily snapshots for 5 days before culling them, unless there are comments placed in the Comments field.

So no joy there.

No use now, but for the future, the time to take a Timeshift On Demand snapshot is before you change things like cameras, graphics, sound, printers, internet connection, and so on.

You could reinstall Linux Mint, but that is a lot of work for you which may not bear fruit if the issue is the DVD or player.

I would be following @osprey 's lead with reading that article on TestDisk.

I set up a small partition maybe 12 months ago, blew away some photos I already had a copy of, and then was able to recover them with PhotoRec.

Out of ideas, I am afraid.

Wiz

 

[wizardfromoz]

One more, though - do you have a camera shop or digital solution shop near you, or are you in The Boonies like I am in Australia? They may have methods.

 

[UpNorth]

Just an update if anyone cares LOL. I used my Windows laptop and downloaded a bunch of different recovery software to try to recover my pictures. None of them worked. I figured my photos were lost forever and was sick over it. Then I tried Recuva again and chose the deep scan. It recovered 141 files, which was only a portion of what I lost. I was encouraged, so the next night I decided to scan again and I selected all files instead of just photos. This time it recovered over 1000 files. A huge portion of these were just a blank thumbnail. I saved them anway. Then I discovered that by simply renaming the blanks with the .jpg extension, the thumbnail showed up as a picture. (Must be why Recuva didn't recover them the first time, because I only selected pictures and it was searching for jpg files.)

I will be renaming these blanks for weeks to come LOL. I believe I've recovered all or most of my pictures from that DVD. Which is a huge relief. I bought an external drive and now have them saved on my laptop and on the external drive.

Then I have to figure out why my Mint computer isn't recognizing the external drive. It's always something! The important thing is I have my treasured pictures back and I will never use DVD+RWs ever again. I still wonder what could've happened to wipe them out when all I was doing was viewing the photos. I guess I'll never know.

 

[wizardfromoz]

if anyone cares LOL.

We do... that is wonderful news for you, on the photos.

When you have suitably recovered, start something in Hardware about the external drive and we will see if we have better luck helping you on that.

Cheers

Wizard

 

[KGIII]

I will be renaming these blanks for weeks to come LOL.

Assuming you only want to add .jpg to the end of it then you could do something like this:

rename 's/$/.jpg/' *

 

[Condobloke]

The important thing is I have my treasured pictures back and I will never use DVD+RWs ever again.

if anyone cares

You bet your life we care !! At some stage of our pc experiences, I believe we have all felt the sting of losing valuable material....whether it be pics or whatever, it is something that is valuable to us.

Well done !!....Give yourself a hug !...you absolutely deserve it.

As @osprey said "" None of it is insurmountable, but does need stamina and tenacity at times with lots of hair pulling ""

Truer words never spoken.

Have a look at the terminal command that @KGIII left up above. It could save you a mountain of work

---------------------------------------------

Give some thought to reinstalling Linux....I have no idea what that entails for you, but it would at least give you a clean slate.

I don't think you have a backup app. I take a complete backup once per month. It can save your soul.....and your hair !

 

[UpNorth]

KGIII - that could save me a lot of time. I really have to start learning these commands. I've been doing everything on my Windows laptop, however. If I can resolve the issue of my Linux computer not recognizing the external drive, then I'll give it a try.

I think I would like to do a Mint reinstall. I always felt like I went wrong somewhere with the partitions. I had no understanding of what they were and still don't. I want to set them up correctly this time, and not just blunder my way through it. It would be good practice too. I'll start a new thread on that once I get ready.

 

[Condobloke]

I always felt like I went wrong somewhere with the partitions

The easiest, most certain way to establish a good partition 'mix' is to allow the install to be done by the Linux Installer.

In other words, when it comes time to either choose to make partitions yourself etc etc etc etc....just choose below, as shown in the red circle.

Establishing the partitions yourself is ok......and yet you do have to be certain of the outcome....otherwise you just end up reinstalling yet again.

Reinstalling is not such a big deal....a install/ reinstall typically takes around 20 minutes, sometimes a little less, sometimes a little more.....a decent cup of coffee/tea will usually fit in the time.

Saving whatever you wish to save to an external drive may take more time than the actual install of the new OS.

The old adage holds true.

Keep It Simple.

 

[KGIII]

If I can resolve the issue of my Linux computer not recognizing the external drive, then I'll give it a try.

Copy the files off to a USB thumb drive.\

I think I would like to do a Mint reinstall.

Before jumping to that ledge, you can try to see if the problem is resolved in a live instance. Boot to the Linux Mint USB and then check to see if the CD/DVD player cooperates in that session. If it doesn't, then doing a fresh installation is unlikely to resolve your problems.

On the other hand...

Reinstalling is not such a big deal...

Especially if you can preserve your /home directory. You can install and then move (often hidden) config files back so that you retain your customizations. You can even have the same browser tabs open that you had before you reinstalled.

Aside:
I decided to take that code snippet above and turn it into tomorrow's article, albeit fleshed out a bit more. It's a nice short article.

 

[UpNorth]

The easiest, most certain way to establish a good partition 'mix' is to allow the install to be done by the Linux Installer.
In other words, when it comes time to either choose to make partitions yourself etc etc etc etc....just choose below, as shown in the red circle.

View attachment 18209

I tried that first option the first time I installed. It got hung up on "creating ext4 file system for / in partition #2 of SCSI2 (0,0,0) sda..." and would not proceed from there. I had to do "Something else" and then use gparted just to get it to install.