WSES guide - read carefully before using WSES

Yesterday, 07th Aug, 2002 [note: was 2003...], the 3rd person on this forum managed to damage a LiteOn writer beyond repair using WSES not carefully enough.

That's why I now, 01:15-02:10 in the morning, write this guide about how to use WSES, and how not to use it.

Why WSES?

WSES does not only allow scanning for C2 errors, as Nero CD Speed -> ScanDisc does, it even allows scanning for C1 errors. Therefore, it offers a much more precise way to check the writing quality (or being more precise: the readability) of a CD.

Most functions of WSES will only work with LiteOn writers. According to idiot@ace, the drive exercise -> read c1/c2 count" will only work with Asus writers.
Please read the whole thread. idiot@ace explained some of the other tests.

C1 and C2 errors are not really on a CD. They occur during reading. The more difficult it is for a drive to read a disc, the more errors occur while reading that disc. A good disc should report low error rates even at high scanning speeds. A C2 error occurs if too many C1 errors occur to be corrected on "C1-level".
But don't forget that a bad disc can also have low error rates after burning, and a very durable, UV resistant disc might have higher error rates than a bad disc, if your writer simply dislikes certain types of media. A LiteOn 40x e.g. won't write to Mitsui media, although it is high quality media.

A good disc will not increase error rates if you put it into direct sunlight, while a bad disc will suffer damage then and/or may degrade after some months.

Therefore you should be very carefully if you try to conclude the quality of a disc only from such scans here: For a fresh-burned disc, such a scan will only show if the burn was done properly or not. To test the quality of a disc, you must do further test.

If you got WSES.zip, extract it to a folder which can be easily accessed from MS-DOS! Therefore, you must extract it to a drive with a FAT16 or FAT32-filesystem, but not NTFS! You should not use paths such as
"h:\windows2000\programs\burning+scanning\tools\liteon\wses" either. This would only cause headache when accessing from MS-DOS.

How to use WSES?

Now boot MS-DOS. You can also use Windows 98 -> dos prompt mode or the Windows 98 boot CD.
WSES will not work in a ms-dos window of any version of Windows.
Do NOT load any CD-ROM drivers!

There is a program called "ST" included in the package. After booting MS-DOS, select the directory of WSES.
on my pc, it is c:\wses, so i type
c:
cd\wses
Now i'm in the directory of wses.
Then, type
ST /O:PCX


From now on, you can make a screen shot whenever you want pressing ctrl+alt+t. The file will be stored in PCX-format and will be named WSES01.PCX, WSES02.PCX etc.

Now type
WSES
You will get this:


First, you will have to select your drive in the setup-menu. Make sure you select a LiteOn writer.


Do NEVER ever, under no circumstances, execute the CLEAR EEPROM command from the Utility-Menu:

You will have a hard time to repair it!

Now it's time to start the first C1 scan:
Select "Disc Measurement" -> "C1/C2 Measurement"


You can select the range to scan (from start min : start sec : start frame till end min : end sec : end frame, where 1 second has 75 frames => set end min to 74, 80, 90, 99 or whetever type of disc you want to scan), the scale of the picture (set C1 scale to 50 and C2 scale to 20 for a good disc), and the read speed. A read speed of 48x might lead to crap results. So do not go over 40x here.
Note that you must eject and reinsert the CD if you want to scan the same CD twice.

If your graph runs out off the scale, then let WSES finish its task, then press ESC and choose:
Disc Measurement -> Display results:

This one allows you to show your latest scan with a different scale. Just enter your new scale and press "run test". The CD will not be rescanned, only the graph will be rebuilt.

To give some examples: This is a graph of a good disc (Taiyo Yuden 24x).


while this is a bad burn:


Known bug:
If you scan a disc that has been overburned so far that the leadout has not been written completely, WSES will not be able to scan the disc till its end properly

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Last edited by alexnoe; 05-01-2003 at 00:17.

Very helpful!

Thanks, alexnoe.

now I just need to find WSES.

Anyone here has a link to download it?

We may not offer it for public download...sorry.

Great job alex! Even I might try it sometime now!

great guide......

why we should use PCX format ??? because i use the BMP format.

is it to reduce the file size ???

the BMP files it creates are obviously defective. You can open them with PicturePublisher, but not with Windows-Paint.

Thanks alexnoe! I think we can use these tests for some of our reviews

Alex, you state "do not load CD drivers". I have always loaded the Win98 Cd drivers and have not had a trouble because of it. in fact, I though I was supposed to, but don't remember where I read that..
Also, not to belabor an old point, I scan at full speed, (99), and the good discs do not indicate any more errors than they do at 40x or lower read speeds. However the marginal discs sometimes look good at 40x but not at 48x (99). so i continue to scan at full speed as I feel that this separates the very best discs. Just as I expect CDSpeed to run at full speed al the way through a disc to be considered a good scan. Just my own opinion and preference, I have no tolerance for marginal discs.

Usually, these drivers *should* not hurt. But I can't give any warranty that they do not interfere with WSES.

WSES sends low-level commands directly to the ATA/PI-Controller. It doesn't need any driver, and neither does it use any driver if present. But a driver might get sour about this and then might cause malfunctions. I use "might cause" because it is unlikely, but not impossible.

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Last edited by alexnoe; 09-08-2002 at 17:01.

but you can surely email it.....

People... just ask Alex and co will get you the package..

BTW: very good job on the guide. Part II should include the use of other tests.. (RF/Gamma, BETA, etc.) Also there are new versions of this which can measure more stuff, and we are looking for a way to grab it.

Since I have absolutely no idea what "BETA", "ATER" (perhaps ?? error rate?), or "RF/Gamma" is, I didn't write it into the guide (the last time i clicked something in this program which i didn't know, it was the clear eeprom function).

You're welcome to explain these tests.

What I want in the next version of WSES, is not "C1/C2", but "E11, E12, E13, E21, E22, E32"...

I notice that in the utility menu, there are "Read EEPROM and Write EEPROM" funtions in addition to the clear. Has anybody tried read and/or write? I'm curious if using the Read EEPROM would allow you to save out the contents in the same manner as MTKFLASH lets you save your current firmware. Then, possibly, you could use the saved file to Write EEPROM and recover a drive that had had the EEPROM cleared? (I have a 32123s drive that is still within the exchange/refund period. If I had WSES I might even be tempted to try it). Or has somebody already tried this and found that it does not work?

I'm thinking that maybe this EEPROM is somewhat similar to CMOS settings on a motherboard BIOS but there is no setup program for it. Since I've read that a drive with clear EEPROM can read but not write, I'm guessing maybe it contains writing information tables (maybe Smart-Burn definitions?). The next question then (assuming I've guessed correctly) would be is the EEPROM dependent on firmware version, or maybe even specific to the individual drive, determined during manufacture and written for the drive's particular laser characteristics? And if so, would writing EEPROM contents from another drive possibly restore at least some write functionality to a cleared drive?

Also, if somebody out there has a drive that they cleared and can get me a copy of the utility, I would be willing to try reading the EEPROM on one of my drives to see if I can provide a file that would revive the dead drive. (I currently have 2 32123s and 1 40125s, the 40125s is currently a 48125w vs06 but I should be able to set it up as anything from 32125 on up.)

I'm curious if using the Read EEPROM would allow you to save out the contents

It doesn't. If you execute this command, you'll simply get a massage "read 1024 bytes". No file

And if so, would writing EEPROM contents from another drive possibly restore at least some write functionality to a cleared drive?

Since WSES does neither allow to store the EEPROM into a file nor to copy a file into EEPROM, it doesn't really matter if this would work or not... maybe newer versions of WSES allow this.

For E11 and such you probabily have to get a professional tester. Or a program that works with oak's cdrw chipset.

ATER -> ATIP error rate. This refers to the pre-groove quality of the un-recorded disc. (this is the only test that needs to be run on a blank)

RF/Gamma -> also called Rtop is the reflectance of 785nm light on the land area. Or the max reflectance of 785nm light on the recrded disc.

BETA -> similar to Asymmetry

Thanks alexnoe, there's no way I would've figured all that out on my own.

Also try

main->
drive excercise->
read/err rate->
read c1/c2 count->
enter

with 40X as read speed.

good discs should have an average of only 1 or 0 (integer precision)

In my experience

TY (that's branded) gets 0
Mitsui (MIT type) silver gets 1
Ricoh (MIT 12X) gets 1

Strange, it's still the year 2002 on my calendar here... ;-)


That's probably the reason why...


Seriously speaking, does this WSES work on any LiteOn CDRW drives and including LiteON DVD-ROM drives like the LTD-163/165H? (btw, may I know how I can get a copy of this WSES?)

I tried drive exercise -> read c1/c2 count, but I get "Q code error", and after 1000 errors it aborts and reports "too many errors"...test drive was 32123S@XS0X, I'll try 40125W tomorrow.

Interesting... Nice job on the guide!

Sometimes with the CD Speed Advanced DAE Quality Test I get an occasional erroneous result from the subchannel reading test (CD Speed marks it as incorrect). Strange that such a good all around drive like the LTR-32123S would have a hard time reading subchannel data.

"NO sheep for you!"

It also refused to run a RF/Gamma test... I wish I could remember the error message.

sorry, that function only works with an "ASUS" drive......
Strange huh?

To run the RF/Gamma test, you either have to waste a CDR or use a CDRW. (practice with RWs first)

then run the "all tests" (third one from bottom in the measurements menu) (CHANGE the OW option to 1 or 2)

Then after its done

Run the RF/Gamma, with the first option set to 45 (default at 50).

that should give you something...

First to Alexnoe: Sorry about my inability to help you on the cyber thing. Because I do not own a drive made by Cyber. (058D is their 12X or 16X model i think) its a software given by the same person who gave out WSES, but with minimal instructions. The software should be able to test RN and such... CDR quality measurements unsupported by WSES.


Then to all: Because i do not own a Liteon myself, bu an Asus, I primary tested WSEs on an ASUS. (although i did play with a liteon of my friends at times) What i found out is that with a Liteon drive, most(all??) of the "DRIVE EXERCISE" options results in error. While with an ASUS you can play with those as much as you want. Thats why i posted a how to get a breif "average of C1" instructions. Because initially i thought whatever is working on an ASUS will work on a Liteon. (ASUS drives will not do any of the "DISC MEASUREMENTS" options though)

However my notes on how to get "DISPLAY RF/GAMMA" to show results is done on a ZS0K drive. So i think it should work with you people.


Also a note on BETA testing, besides being slow.... I think how stable the BETA value holds gives you a brief indication on how stable your burner controls the laser power it outputs. From the quality of the power supply and so on.... an aged burner will have the BETA value decreasing from the beginning tot he end of the disc.

058D is 32x. The log file showed that it had run on an 078D before it was zipped. But 058D doesn't work somehow with this cyberdrive tool.

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Last edited by alexnoe; 23-08-2002 at 01:56.