# Can I use a regular Sharpie to write on CD-R/DVD-R blanks



## Marty Weiner (Jun 29, 2006)

I've got a lifetime supply of regular Sharpies and the "special" CD-R/DVD-R Sharpies are about $8 for a 4-pack.

Is there really a difference?

BTW: I was just at Office Depot and they have a stack of their branded 100 DVD/R for only $19.99. I thought that was a very good price.


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## scott.cr (Jun 29, 2006)

I've heard stories of regular Sharpie ink causing the disks to go unreadable after the written-on disk ages. Personally I have not had this problem, but then I don't have any written-on CDs I keep in an "extreme" environment like the car.


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## greenLED (Jun 29, 2006)

I write on CDR/RW, etc. with Sharpies all the time - no problems.


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## roknrandy (Jun 29, 2006)

I've been using regular sharpies for 8 years now on cd's and have never had a problem yet


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## Marty Weiner (Jun 29, 2006)

Thanks for the responses, Are you writing in the media section or just in the center, where the "hole" is?


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## Sigman (Jun 29, 2006)

Kind of hard to write on the "hole" isn't it? Sorry - couldn't resist!


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## James S (Jun 29, 2006)

I have one spindle of CDR's that sharpies just wont stick to, but for every other one I've ever had they have been fine.


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## Marty Weiner (Jun 29, 2006)

Sigman said:


> Kind of hard to write on the "hole" isn't it? Sorry - couldn't resist!



Have you been staring at the Aurora Borealis (SP?) again. :lolsign:


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## Alin10123 (Jun 29, 2006)

I've used sharpies before with no problems. However... i haven't taken the burned CD's out into the car or anything. I dont really listen to CD's anymore. The CD's i burn and label are data backup CD's. If you are really worried, worst case scenario go out and spend only a couple of dollars on a CD marker. Those will 100% be perfect for the CD's.


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## Marty Weiner (Jun 29, 2006)

Alin10123 said:


> I've used sharpies before with no problems. However... i haven't taken the burned CD's out into the car or anything. I dont really listen to CD's anymore. The CD's i burn and label are data backup CD's. If you are really worried, worst case scenario go out and spend only a couple of dollars on a CD marker. Those will 100% be perfect for the CD's.



I only burn data CD's but I can't find the "special" pens individually. I will just use a "regular" Sharpie and make sure that I don't store them outside of my A/C'd house (it's 111 outside right now. Ouch!)


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## Arkayne (Jun 29, 2006)

I wonder if a branded 'cd-marker' is just a rebadged permanent marker. 

I've been using Sharpies forever and have never had any problems.


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## Sigman (Jun 29, 2006)

I'd really like to "know" if the ink formulation in those "special markers" is different or if it's just the same with different labeling?! (...because we'll buy anything!  )


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## Arkayne (Jun 29, 2006)

Sigman said:


> I'd really like to "know" if the ink formulation in those "special markers" is different or if it's just the same with different labeling?! (...because we'll buy anything!  )



lol! I beat you by a minute on that post!


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## Marty Weiner (Jun 29, 2006)

According to the Sharpie website (re CD-R/DVD-R Sharpies):

"Sharpie permanent ink is specially formulated for digital media surfaces."

"Ink dries quickly to avoid smearing on CD/DVD surface when writing or marking."

"New softer tip to prevent data loss on CD/DVD surface."

I'm not convinced. Think I'll continue to use the plain Jane Sharpie.


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## PhotonWrangler (Jun 29, 2006)

I've been using regular Sharpies also with no problems. I think that an "extreme" envirtonment such as a hot car is more of a threat to any CDR than a Sharpie is.


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## RA40 (Jun 30, 2006)

I think they want you believe the chemical components in the ink may be harmful...of my friends who have discs from the 2X days, I have not heard of a problem. That is not to say it cannot occur. Of the discs I use: Verbaitum, Memorex, Imitation, TDK and even an office supply store cheapie brand, no issues yet. 

The alumnium layer on the house brand discs is inferior to the others, it scratches easily.


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## abvidledUK (Jun 30, 2006)

You can also use some brands of nail polish to remove sharpie ink.

ie to use on CD-RW.

Not all brands work though.

Best CD's / DVD's to write on....blank white printable ones.


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## MScottz (Jun 30, 2006)

Isn't the plastic on the label side of the cd pretty thick? I have a hard time understanding how any ink could hurt the cd/dvd without somehow eating thru the plastic. Now, the other side of the disc......that's a different story!:naughty:


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## James S (Jun 30, 2006)

MScottz said:


> Isn't the plastic on the label side of the cd pretty thick? I have a hard time understanding how any ink could hurt the cd/dvd without somehow eating thru the plastic. Now, the other side of the disc......that's a different story!:naughty:




Actually (except for a double sided disk) you've got it upside down!

It's the clear side that is where the plastic is. On top of that single sheet of plastic is the metalic or dye layer where the data is covered by paint or varnish or various kinds. So if the bottom of the disk gets scratched, it can be buffed out, if the top of the disk scratches through the paint and coatings it will actually destroy data! The data layer is not in the middle of the plastic, but just on the top of it!

So you actually have to be more careful of the top of the disk than the bottom.

Sharpies are an alcohol dissolved ink, I think that any CD marker will use the same solvent and so as far as the disk is concerned they are the same. Alcohol is unlikely to mar the paint or plastic, I wouldn't take acetone or nail polish remover to it though as I would expect that to act like paint remover and cloud the plastic or at least remove the paint protecting the data layer.


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## greenlight (Jun 30, 2006)

I use sharpies to mark my discs. I have a 200 disc carousel, too, and in order to identify the discs in place, the text needs to be on the outside rim of the disc. Text that is closer to the hole is not visible with the discs so close together. The result is that the ink is over the outer part of the disc, which only holds the very last bit of music anyway. Most cd's don't even use that part, so you can write on it with confidence.


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## MScottz (Jun 30, 2006)

James S said:


> Actually (except for a double sided disk) you've got it upside down!


 
DOH!

That's what I get for not looking at a disc before posting! :lolsign:


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## eluminator (Jun 30, 2006)

I think the experts all use and recommend sharpies. By experts I'm thinking of those that hang out at cdfreaks.com. All my archives are labelled with sharpies, and I've been doing it for 6 years.

As has been suggested, alcohol will remove sharpie ink from plastic surfaces in the blink of an eye. As I have learned many many times.

Paper disc labels can often cause problems for a number of reasons, especially full size labels on DVDs, and I've never seen anyone recommend them. I have used some and they haven't caused any problems yet, but I was very careful to get them centered.

I guess Lightscribe could be considered the best, especially for discs you are giving to someone else, but you need to find a good brand of LightScribe media, and that can be difficult. I don't think there are any double layer DVD Lightscribes made by anyone.

I have a printer that can print on discs that are made for inkjet printing. But again it's a pain getting such media from quality manufacturers. Also I hear the ink isn't waterproof so if you get the disc wet, the colors will smear.

I guess if you are really paranoid, you might want to use inkjet printables for everything. I think they have an extra layer on top. You may be able to write on these with a soldering iron


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## sunspot (Jun 30, 2006)

Marty Weiner said:


> According to the Sharpie website (re CD-R/DVD-R Sharpies):
> "Ink dries quickly to avoid smearing on CD/DVD surface when writing or marking."


That is the only problem I've had with the sharpies.


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## cerbie (Jun 30, 2006)

Faith No More's "The Real Thing"

Found in the cable mess behind the stereo, scratched up horribly. Made a copy (this is back when most CDROM drives had real CD player innards, and would do very good correction by themselves), managing to flip two tracks. This was 1999, as written on the disc in Sharpie.

I have ripped it to FLAC (EAC secure mode + AccurateRip), recently. All but four songs from that CDR come up as perfect from AccurateRip, and they are all audible perfect. That's 6+ *years*. I think it was a Mitsubishi disc, but not sure, now (I have replaced it with a new one, to be safe ).

With good media (nowadays, stick w/ TY), you have many more things to worry about than markers.


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## greenlight (Jul 1, 2006)

What is it?


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## James S (Jul 1, 2006)

If yo'ure really paranoid, you wouldn't be burning important data to CD's or DVD's anyway, as they just aren't a permanent media. NO electronic media is permanent. Linear tape solutions come close, or at least last a really long time, but they are very fussy to use. I've been in charge of backup solutions using tape machines, and even rotating and testing tapes and doing everything else that they recommend, I've still run into unreadable tapes when we tried to go back to get things.

CD's and DVD's need to be copies to new disks every few years if you want to keep them. I've had some last 10 years now, and others that died (in the same disk case next to the others of the same brand) that died in only 2 or 3.

HD's are cheap now  Get a BIG raid array and copy all your stuff to it, leave it running and replace the drives when they reach their MTBF date. The only storage that is truly forever is the one that you're taking care of.


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## eluminator (Jul 1, 2006)

Punched paper tape? IBM cards?


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## PhotonWrangler (Jul 1, 2006)

eluminator said:


> Punched paper tape? IBM cards?


 
Handwritten notes. O wait, the ink eventually fades...


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## Canuke (Jul 1, 2006)

Sigman said:


> I'd really like to "know" if the ink formulation in those "special markers" is different or if it's just the same with different labeling?! (...because we'll buy anything!  )



Do they smell any different? :green:

This could be an issue for CD's because the data layer is on one side; what they use to coat it, determines whether the ink will soak through.

All DVD's should be fine, however, because they are two layers of plastic with the data sandwiched in the middle (in order to permit double-sided discs). Ink that soaked through that would probably soak through a lot more right after :duck:



> HD's are cheap now Get a BIG raid array and copy all your stuff to it, leave it running and replace the drives when they reach their MTBF date. The only storage that is truly forever is the one that you're taking care of.



HD capacity increases so much per generation that I just end up taking all my data with me. The data from my old Amiga (2GB or so) was just one small folder on my Pentium Pro, and all the data from that machine (about 40 GB) is just a folder on my current box with about half a terabyte available. Everything is backed up to an external HD of similar capacity.


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