do magnets erase date on CDs and DVDs?
613139
No.  \nCD and DVDs are no based on magentic material like hard drives and floppy disks.
1027913
Should I erase or format a disc? How? \n(2001/03/18)\nFirst and foremost: you do not need to format a disc unless you're using a packet writing program like DirectCD. If you're running a program to create a CD, chances are good that you don't need to format it. If you're using "drive letter access", i.e. treating the CD-R or CD-RW like a big floppy disk, then you do need to format it. \n\nSimple rule of thumb: don't format it. Most software that needs a formatted disc will format it for you as needed. \n\nFormatting and erasing are different things. Formatting prepares a disc for recording. On a CD-R it writes a few basic things, on CD-RW it may write to most of the disc. The fixed-packet formatting that DirectCD does for CD-RW discs takes about 50 minutes on a 2x-speed rewritable drive. \n\nErasing, which can only be done to CD-RW media, restores the disc to a pristine state. If you want to erase a disc, use the software that came with your CD-ReWritable drive. Somewhere in the army of applications and mountain of menus is the command you're looking for. \n\nThe difference between "erase" and "quick erase" is that the former erases the entire disc, while the latter just stomps on the Table of Contents (TOC). It's like erasing the directory off of a floppy disk. The file data is still there, but since there's nothing pointing to it, the disc appears empty. (Some people have asked if it's possible to recover data from a quick-erased disc. Acodisc can do this; see section (4-35).) \n\nThe difference between "format" and "fast format" (such as is offered on the HP8100/Sony CRX100) is of a different nature. Both format the entire disc, and both operate at the same speed, but the "fast" format allows you to use the drive before formatting has completed. After a few minutes, you are allowed to access the drive while the formatting process continues in the background. \n\nIncidentally, most conventional (pre-mastering) software will refuse to record on a disc that has been formatted for packet writing. In some cases the error message may be a confusing remark that insists the disc isn't writable.
118107
Only if it's a rewritable cd.  Otherwise no.  If's it's a cd-rw (rewritable), then windows can clear it for you.
767085
yep..that will do it. Use a circular motion over the tapes, it will wipe them clean.
763438
Yes, but unless you've got tons of pics, it seems a bit of a waste. DVDs store 4.7GB of data, so a CD-R would be more suitable. Or even better, a CD-RW which can be re-written!
857794
Try this at home: toss a CD or DVD in the dishwasher. You will have a perfectly clear disk and a wad of metalized film when the cycle finishes.\n\nYou can find the nearest place to take them with Earth 911's locator at http://www.earth911.org.
1025873
Yes, you need a drive that can write cd's if you want to put information on them. A regular CD/DVD-rom drive won't do that.
847317
Assuming you are using Windows XP and have a re-writable disc...\n\nTo erase files from a CD:\n1. Open My Computer\n2. Double-click the CD recording drive\n(Windows displays the files and folders located on the CD)\n3. Under CD Writing Tasks, click Erase this CD-RW\n(Windows displays the CD Writing Wizard)\n4. Follow the instructions in the wizard to delete the files on the CD-RW\n\n**Notes:\nTo open My Computer, double-click the My Computer icon on the desktop\n\nErasing the CD deletes all the files on the CD; you cannot select individual files to delete\n\nNot all CD's are erasable. If the CD you are using is not erasable, for example, a CD-R or a CD+R, then this feature is not available.
743599
No it does not.\n\nThe hard disk stores data by magnetizing a section of the disk. When deletion of data takes place, this section is demagnetized to another state.\n\nTechnically speaking, deleting files on the hard disk actually removes the file entry in the File Allocation Table so that it is not accessible through normal means. The physical files deleted still exists somewhere on the disk. The only true way of deleting the files is to fill up the whole disk with '0'.\n\nEither way, deleting a file will not put holes in your hard drive. The days of punch cards are over.
1129449
hdd store data in cd/dvd kind of media. not magnetic kind present in floppies.\n\nData is stored in hdd by lasers in form of pits stops etc. (Magnet proof)
599556
CD-R, DVD+R and DVD-R discs are physically incapable of being erased.  Try as you might to erase them, once the dye on their surface is etched into by the laser of your CD drive, it is impossible to return this type of CD to its orginal condition unless you were to somehow resurface the entire disc like they do at the factory where it was originally manufactured.  Rewritable CDs use a different type of ink on their surface and a shallower groove, making them eraseable.
1087670
in modern equipment.....no they are both compatible.  like someone said earlier stay away from house brands......especially with DVD media.  the stored information is much more dense so the quality is more important than with a blank CD.  their are even free utilities that read the quality of the blank media. i would stay with maxell, or verbatim. the link below is to a site that's dedicated to many PC issues, especially DVD burning and quality issues.  i highly recommend you check it out.
92186
the magnet in the speaker will not only erase the recording on the tape it will leave magnetized spots on the tape where the speaker touched. The tape will then need to be demagnetized before being used again .
487821
1) I use Sony DVD-RW's. They're the best and you can reuse them if you decide to erase. They're not permanent like DVD-R's. So far the only place I've found them is Staples.\n\n2) Play the DVD through a portable device and record to a DVD recorder. That will allow you to get past the copyright devices.
245608
No; A CD uses physical grooves on the disk to store information and a hard drive uses magnetism. Worse, I believe that after you take the disk out of a hard drive you can no longer ever use it because you can't line it up perfectly the way it was before, so you cannot simply put it back in.
283530
If you want to wipe the disc to re-use it, go to my computer, and right click on your DVD drive, and click erase disc.
32860
Technically it can. Everything that you delete from your hard drive is still there until it is overwritten with new data. You can use track-erasing software found easily for free on the internet. Here is a website that hosts several of these applications. Some are free and some are shareware. I haven't used any of them so I can't tell you which one is best but you can check them out.