PC Hardware in a Nutshell, 3rd Edition

Labeling CD-R(W) Media

Finally, a few words about labeling. Drive and media manufacturers vary in what they recommend, and the best course is to follow those recommendations. However, some guidelines are nearly universal:

• Never use a standard sticky label on a CD-R disc. The adhesive may damage the label side of the disc, causing it to degenerate rapidly and become unreadable. Also, the small weight of that label is sufficient to imbalance the disc in high-speed players. At best, such an imbalance may cause read errors. At worst, it may destroy the disc or even the drive.

• The circular labels designed for CD-Rs are generally safe, but even they have been known to imbalance a disc if not applied perfectly centered. If you use such labels, never attempt to peel one off. Doing so may cause the top layer of the CD-R to separate, destroying the disc.

• Do not use a hard-tip marker, which may score the label layer. We usually label CD-R discs with a Sharpie soft-tip permanent marker. Some sources recommend not using a permanent solvent-based pen because it may etch the label layer. Other sources, including some CD-R manufacturers, recommend using a solvent-based permanent marker. Although we’ve never had a problem using the Sharpie, for maximum safety choose your marker according to the recommendations of the disc manufacturer.

When hand-labeling is not neat enough—e.g., for discs you plan to distribute outside your company—consider using printable discs, which have a surface that may be ...