cd-rw lifespan

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josephgjosephg
Posted:
in Genius Bar edited January 2014
Can someone either confirm or debunk something for me?:



I read (can't remember where) that CD-RW drives have finite lifespans, forcing you replace the drive after several years of regular use. In other words, the laser can perform a certain number of burns (depending on session lengths and speeds), and then it's kaput and the drive can only read from then on.



Is this true?

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  • Reply 1 of 1
    eugeneeugene Posts: 8,254member
    I don't know about the laser, but the most vulnerable piece in any drive is the motor that spins the disc. The faster the drives spin, the shorter the lifespan. This is why CD-RW drives throttle down. At the inner tracks of a CD, the disc spins at no greater than 16x, which translates to much faster linear velocity on the outer tracks.



    There are also concerns over the gears that open the tray as well. They're usually made of plastic...



    Basically, your drive should be replaced after a few years of very heavy use anyway...
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