EXPLODING CD's!!!

JohnB1182 · 04-20-2002, 11:34 AM

Picture this...

Browsing a CD in Windows Explorer
Click a file (Winamp plugin)
Very loud, short, sharp Plastic snapping noise
I was covered in hundreds of bits of the paint from the top surface of the CD that was in the drive
All went quiet
Dived for the power switch
Self-administered artificial resuscitation
Then tipped about 3000 bits of shattered CD from the drive
Along with two of the plastic tabs that hold the CD in the tray when using the drive in a vertical position.

My question to you 'orrible lot is…

What the hell just happened to me… Did the CD really just explode for no apparent reason?
Or did the drive malfunction and damage the spinning disk?

The CD was in good condition. I used to install my operating system and Winamp etc..
The drive has not been subject to any sort of external force at all.
Drive has worked fine for a couple of years now?

And finally…
Do I write to the CD manufacturer (MIRROR MEDIA) and say that one of their disks failed and totalled my drive and demand compensation.
Or do I write to the drive manufacturer (SAMSUNG) and cry that one of their drives caused a CD to detonate?

Aaron Cake · 04-20-2002, 11:39 AM

40X and higher drives have been known to shatter CDs that are slightly flawed.

You should talk to the manufacturer of the CD, not the drive. The CD was defective.

JohnB1182 · 04-20-2002, 11:51 AM

I lied when I said it was a cheep MIRROR MEDIA CD
It was infact a more expensive (better quality?) VERBATIM CD

I thing I will go back to the cheepies

jboy · 04-20-2002, 03:17 PM

I've had this happen 3 times, the drives were never the same again.
all of them were 56x CD drives
2 of the CDs were not fully printed on , Ink may not weigh much but at 20,000 RPM that CD is not going to be balanced, you can hear the drive vibrate as it spins. and one of the spindles in a cheap drive I had didn't even center the CD properly, about 0.5mm of movement. that one didn't last a month.

The last one had a small scratch, think of it like cutting glass, you score it to break the surface tension that allows a controled snap. It works with plastic as well.

I have some pics of 1 of them if anyone wants to post or see em I can email them

THEMP3KID · 04-21-2002, 04:02 PM

Good way to get a new cdrom drive..

exactly what verbatim CD was it??? I recently bought 2, and they might havd the same flaw.... Mine are the "CD-R Verbatim DataLifePlus "Premium" AZO BLUE TECHNOLOGY 1X-16X speed" 80minute/700mb" lol...
Also, just a though, it might only be 80min CDs that explode, cos they would have to spin faster to read the outside of the CD.... Yes?? No??

JohnB1182 · 04-21-2002, 04:33 PM

It was a Verbatim DataLifePlus
700MB CD-R
1x - 16x compatible
Metal AZO Blue Technology (Blue surface)
It says it has a scratch resistant surface (lol)

Looking at the pieces of the disk..
most of the disk shattered with some ragged and some sharp splinter edges.
However two of the larger pieces have long flat straight edges going radially outward. I think this is where the structural failure occured.
It didn't half go with a bang! I thourght it was an exploding electronic component.
When the paint from the disk sprayed out of the drive it looked like sparks at first.
I had to check my own pulse to be sure I hadn't electicuted myself!

I am waiting for a response from Verbatim I'll let you all know what they have to say for themselves.

THEMP3KID · 04-21-2002, 04:40 PM

Does that mean it is the same CD as I have??? they make 2 different blue 700mb cds... not sure if they are both AZO Blue Premium.. ohh well, I didn't use teh CDs, my bro did, and he gave them to friends..

lol

MP3DUB · 04-21-2002, 07:15 PM

I seriously doubt that it would be a flaw specific to that brand, rather its just the nature of the fact that if a disc is damaged, and then spin it at 1000rpm, there are chances for failure.

MP3DUB · 04-23-2002, 05:53 PM

Heh, just pulled a sony oem drive out of the box to find the following warning sticker attached to the bezel:

WARNING: Possible Voiding Of Warranty
Please be aware that cracked, deeply scratched, or other poor quality discs used in this drive may cause damage to the drive and data in the disc. Such Discs may break at high speed rotation. If full care is not exercised in relation to this matter, you may void the warranty to this product.

mp3z24 · 10-07-2003, 11:24 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by MP3DUB

Heh, just pulled a sony oem drive out of the box to find the following warning sticker attached to the bezel:

WARNING: Possible Voiding Of Warranty
Please be aware that cracked, deeply scratched, or other poor quality discs used in this drive may cause damage to the drive and data in the disc. Such Discs may break at high speed rotation. If full care is not exercised in relation to this matter, you may void the warranty to this product.

yes, i know that this is a super old thread...

but if anyone caught "mythbusters" on discovery (or maybe tlc) last night they would understand why im here...

they ran tests to see if they could in fact shatter a cd by spinning it too fast. it was a damn cool experiment, and you could see the discs warping when they were ran up to about 25000 rpm.

they were using a router that was originally designed for 110, and they later wired it to 220V... after the re-wire (in the style of home improvement.... more power) they were able to make the cds explode from the rotational speed and forces... it was a damn cool experiment, and it reminded me of this thread.

so, if u missed it, i suggest you try to catch it the next time it is on.

~Mike

krystar · 10-07-2003, 01:13 PM

there was also a vid of one guy who just mounted a CD on his dremel. 35,000rpm's does a body good hehe

http://www.powerlabs.org/cdexplode.htm

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