BDXL 100GB disc *actual* capacity

Discussion in 'PC Hardware' started by x86, Jun 16, 2018.

  1. x86

    x86 MDL Addicted

    Jul 8, 2011
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    Can someone (preferably) who owns a Verbatim BDXL 100GB (M-disc) - share with me how much actual data can you fit in that disc?

    I am not talking the advertised "100" gigs, nor a conversion from online conversion tools. I know that manufacturer perceive disk space differently, but what I m looking here is an actual size (e.g. in bytes) of how much usable data can you actually fit in one of those discs. That's total clean, usage size - minus any restrictions imposed/reserved by the disc.

    For example, in a 4.7GB DVD disc, I remember I could fit 4482MB of actual data. But what about that particular Verbatim BDXL disc?
     
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  2. Michaela Joy

    Michaela Joy MDL Crazy Lady

    Jul 26, 2012
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    Just going by linear scaling (not 100% accurate, but close enough for gubment' work)

    4.7 - 4.482 = .218

    We're looking at a 25x scale up. (Once again: roughly)

    .218 * 25 = 5.45

    Or roughly 5 1/2 gb.

    Of course that's probably worse case. :)

    I hope this is somewhat helpful.
     
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  3. lewcass

    lewcass MDL Senior Member

    Mar 10, 2018
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    This is apples and oranges but,,,,,

    A 32gb usb key is 29.xxGB once formatted. 3 x 32 = 96. 3 x 29 = 87. allow for the extra 4gb then you are going to get at least 90gb usable. Compared to the usable 4.3gb i get from a single layer dvd. Even a worst case scenario i would accept anything over 80 usable gb. Go for a good name brand and the best disc they offer and dont even worry about it.
     
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  4. GezoeSloog

    GezoeSloog knows a guy, who knows another guy.

    Feb 10, 2012
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    #4 GezoeSloog, Jun 16, 2018
    Last edited: Jun 16, 2018
    Why do you think that there will be something different but not "standard" 7% loss (10^9/2^30)?

    add: $170 per 1TB :thumbdown:
     
  5. John Sutherland

    John Sutherland MDL Addicted

    Oct 15, 2014
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    The problem stems from hardware manufacturers defining a kilobit as 1000 bits(10^3), whereas any binary based operating system sees a kilobit as 1024 bits(2^10). GezoeSloog has the right answer, but if your calculator (either hand-held or built-in) can't handle 10^9 or 2^30, there is an easier way. Using a 4.7GB DVD as an example:

    4.7 GB * 1000 = 4700MB capacity according to the OEM's.

    4700MB / (1.024 * 1.024) = 4482.27MB capacity according to your OS.

    Applying the same technique to 100GB gives you 95367.74MB true capacity as defined by an OS.
     
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  6. WindowsGeek

    WindowsGeek MDL Expert

    Jun 30, 2015
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    For sure u never really get what u pay for if the drive is 100GB once formatted is something like 90 to 92 GIGSo_O in todays storage time 100GB is nothing.
     
  7. x86

    x86 MDL Addicted

    Jul 8, 2011
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    Indeed, but you may still be looking at this if the only thing of concern is archival longevity. Which is superior compared to any magnetic-based medium.

    That's a bit less than the '7% loss' mentioned earlier. Is that guideline true for all types of media? Just read someone posting a comment on Amazon, according to which they could only managed to fit 91.8GB
    (95367.74MB is 93.1GB)
    That's why I asked if anyone has got their hand on them 100GB discs, so that they can confirm...
     
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  8. Joe C

    Joe C MDL Guru

    Jan 12, 2012
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    hard to buy a 100gb M disk because you can buy a 1tb platter drive for less, heck you can even get a 120 ssd for less. I do know about data rot but it's really gotta be something very valuable to cough up that much for those m-disks
     
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  9. John Sutherland

    John Sutherland MDL Addicted

    Oct 15, 2014
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    Hello @x86 - O.K. My claim of 95367.74MB is based on the media being in an unformatted state, or "RAW" in Windows terminology. Once you partition and format a RAW volume as a NTFS volume in order to store data on it, you lose a small percentage of it to NTFS file system overhead. The files $Volume, $MFT, $MFTMirr, $Bitmap, $UsnJrnl, $LogFile, $AttrDef, $Boot, $BadClus, $Secure, $Upcase, and $Extend are all NTFS metadata files that exist on your Windows C:\ system partition, or any other NTFS partition being used by Windows. They are all hidden from the user and for good reason: modifying or deleting certain ones, like $MFT or $MFTMirr, could result in all of the data on the partition becoming unreadable and/or unrecoverable.

    I'm not sure exactly what percentage of the disc's capacity is lost when you format it, but it might explain why the person on Amazon could only fit 91.8GB of data on a 93.1GB disc.
     
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  10. x86

    x86 MDL Addicted

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    I also tried to get a hint from Verbatim themselves - and their response was that "the 100GB M-Disc can store approximately 93GB of data"
    And I m thinking 'approximately'? :confused: If the people who make the actual thing can't provide an actual figure, then who can? Jeez
     
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  11. x86

    x86 MDL Addicted

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    Think I found something. I used 7z, which (thankfully) has pre-defined templates for some common media for it's "split to volumes..." option. So I created some for checking the actual size:

    DVD (4.7GB) 4,37 GB (4.697.620.480 bytes)
    DVD-DL (8128MB) 7,93 GB (8.522.825.728 bytes)
    Bluray (25GB) 22,5 GB (24.159.191.040 bytes)

    So my question now is - if the 25GB BD disc is 22,5 GB (24.159.191.040 bytes) is it safe to assume that x4 of that makes the 100GB M-DISC? Probably not - as it turns out to be 90 GB (96.636.764.160 bytes), whilst people report they could fit 91/93GB.
     
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  12. GezoeSloog

    GezoeSloog knows a guy, who knows another guy.

    Feb 10, 2012
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  13. qwertydix

    qwertydix MDL Novice

    Sep 12, 2011
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    I found this info.

    BD Disc Capacities
    (Unformatted)
    Disc Size
    Status
    Number of Layers
    Number of Clusters in Data Zone
    Gross Capacity (bytes)
    Gross Capacity (GB decimal)
    Gross Capacity (GB binary)
    8 cm
    Current
    1
    118,884
    7,791,181,824
    7.791
    7.256
    Current
    2
    237,768
    15,582,363,648
    15.582
    14.512
    12 cm
    Obsolete
    1
    355,603
    23,304,798,208
    23.305
    21.704
    Current
    1
    381,856
    25,025,314,816
    25.025
    23.307
    Reserved/future
    1
    412,294
    27,020,099,584
    27.020
    25.164
    Obsolete
    2
    711,206
    46,609,596,416
    46.610
    43.409
    Current
    2
    763,712
    50,050,629,632
    50.050
    46.613
    Reserved/future
    2
    824,588
    54,040,199,168
    54.040
    50.329
    Current (BDXL)
    3
    1,527,456
    100,103,356,416
    100.103
    93.229
    Current (BDXL)
    4
    1,953,152
    128,001,769,472
    128.002
    119.211
     
  14. 1__j

    1__j MDL Novice

    Feb 11, 2024
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    #14 1__j, Feb 11, 2024
    Last edited: Feb 13, 2024


    I own a Verbatim BDXL 100GB (M-Disc).

    Disc Info in Nero Burning ROM reports:
    Available Space: "95 466 MB"

    If you click New -> Choose Blu-ray (UDF) -> Info tab, Nero reports:
    Space required for file structure: "1 094 KB (2 MB)"

    When making a backup with WinRAR (v6.24), I specified the max volume size as "95 460 MB" to be able to backup my data to several M-Discs (I guess I could have specified it as 95 464 MB (= 95 466 MB - 2 MB),
    but I chose 95 460 MB to be sure).

    If you right click the burnt .RAR-file on the disc and choose Properties, File Explorer in Windows 11 reports:
    File size: 93,2 GB (100 097 064 960 byte).

    I guess that is why Verbatim can call their M-Discs "100 GB".

    EDIT:

    As an experiment I created two files with WinRAR, setting the max volume size to 95 466 MB and 95 464 MB just to see how large the files would be when looked at in File Explorer.

    95 466 MB in WinRAR = 93,2 GB (100 103 356 416 byte) in File Explorer.
    95 464 MB in WinRAR = 93,2 GB (100 101 259 264 byte) in File Explorer.

    The previous post is spot on: A Verbatim BDXL 100GB M-Disc can fit 100 103 356 416 bytes.