Toyota map DVD can't be read.

That's fine if it is a PC compatible format (which many are not)

Yes. The lenses could be scratched, a hair could be let loose..

It is a very simple test.

I once read that mechanics on commercial airliners would find cracks in the skin of the airplane by looking for the resulting nicotine stains on the outside.

And then, there is the matter of copy protected discs.

Well, I googled "mechanics on commercial airliners would find cracks in the skin of the airplane by looking for the resulting nicotine stains on the outside." and didn't find anything,

So I took out extra words and googled "airplane cracks in the skin nicotine stains on the outside." and found .. not an authority, just a guy, but...

Reply: No problem these days. Smoke from lithium battery fires will take its place.

---Didn't know what TIL means.... Today I learned./

Background news article from when smoking was banned.

Yes indeed. If it was 29% and now it's 29.2%, even if you blame Biden for 0.2% who's responsible for the 29%, which 145 times the increase? Yet all Bowman can imagine is that it's Biden's fault.

I just meant that if it was already damaged from years in the car, it's too late, I guess.

Didn't even get that far. Imgburn says "Incompatible Medium".

And when I try to look at the DVD files with a file manager, I get "Insert a disc" and the drive door opens.

So I tried the laptop, and it said and did the same thing.

Both win10, fully updated.

Is there any point to looking for different software, that maybe can copy what imgburn won't copy? Or I just can't copy it?

I don't smoke anything and the only previous owner didn't leave hints behind that she smoked. :-)

I tried that. Imgburn says "Incompatible Medium".

And when I try to look at the DVD files with a file manager, I get "Insert a disc" and the drive door opens.

So I tried the laptop, and it said and did the same thing.

Is there a more powerful or less persnickity DVD copy program that might work?

I have a good phone with google maps, osmand, herewego, and the other one whose name I always forget, and the phone is on. But I also want something big and easy to read. In fact, though google maps is better in many ways, when driving, when I had a rental car, I did like OSMand. It seemed easier to read quickly without interfering with my driving. And I kept google maps on the phone for details if needed.

To me, that doesn't say 'bad disc', but rather 'incompatible disc', but of course I could be wrong. Imgburn is about as good as it gets, so if that's choking, it could be a non-standard (proprietary) disc format.

It'd be nice if you had a way of troubleshooting by substitution, but where are you going to find another nav unit or another disc?

It's easy to get another disc. The car is a 2005 and when I bought it in 2017 it had the original disc. I don't really care about recently built roads and streets -- there aren't that many of them -- but I also realized the excess supply of discs would run out, so I bought a 2008 version about 3 years ago. (2008 is the latest year Solaras were made. Although a 2009 disc for other Toyotas might work fine, I didn't want the risk. By 2010 or a little later, they were no longer making new DVDs because, as someone said, they use the Net, not DVDs, to supply data.)

Until 2 or 3 years ago I could still find anything I owned but now I can't guess where the 2005 DVD is. I paid about $15 for the 2008 and now it's $25 for another new one. on ebay. New, never used.

But the cleaning disc came yesterday after I asked about its risks and before anyone answered telling me there really are risks, and I used it. It appears to have worked. The instructions say it can take 20 - 30 minutes, but I was right, because it's a Map DVD, it can't actually run, and it spins only a couple minutes before it gives up. 3 or 4 minutes later, it tries again, I'm pretty sure, every 3 or 4 minutes. But I only put in about 20 minutes of my time, which would be 7 minutes or less of cleaning time, not 20 or 30 like they said.

It seemed to get better in stages and I've only started the radio 3 times since it worked completely, and today I sent away for an entire unit, off-brand, for $69, just in case I go on this trip and it fails while I'm away from home.

The cleaning disk seems to have worked, but I'm still disappointed in it. Instead of a full-size plastic jewel case, it came in a semi-hard, very thin jewel case that didn't have room for the brushes, even though they are short. The lid is crushing them. One brush is bent over 35^ or so, and 2/3 of the other is bent even more while 1/3 of it is bend in the opposite direction.

Since the brushes have been bent over since they were packed, I don't see how they will ever straighten out, and after 24 hours, they haven't made any noticeable change. Anyhow, most people want to use the disc as soon as they get it.

They have an email address just for complaints. Should I complain?

This is what I bought but it's the most promoted brand on Amazon. They have 4 versions in all.

BTW, in my defense, I had read a bunch of reviews for various brands and some complained it didn't work, but I don't remember any complaining that it made things worse.

On Fri, 14 Jul 2023 14:38:27 -0400, Ed P posted for all of us to digest...

Get a Garmin unit that ends with LT - Means lifetime maps & traffic or use Waze.