up vote 3 down vote favorite
share [g+] share [fb]

If my original Windows 7 install DVD (not a copy of the original DVD) is left inside the DVD player on an infected machine, is it safe to use the DVD again? I am worried that the DVD has been infected by malicious applications.

link|improve this question
73% accept rate
feedback

2 Answers

up vote 7 down vote accepted

In order to get any data to a DVD disk the DVD player must burn the data on it. If the disk is original it is normally read only.

If you have burned this disk yourself from the infected machine after it got infected it is POSSIBLE that the infection is present on the dvd.

Also some DVD images you can download from the less legal websites may contain some sort of infection (trojan, virus, spyware, ...)

So if the disk was burned before the infection or is an original disk it is safe.

link|improve this answer
+1 : Can virues gain access to burn data on the read-only DVD by a tricky method (if any)? – xport Jun 6 '11 at 13:40
1  
As far as I know the process of writing to a writable DVD is different then writing to a non-writable DVD. I remember something about a different material they use to make writable DVD's. The read only one is permanent ant to the best of my knowledge it is not possible to write data to it. – Jarco Jun 6 '11 at 13:49
3  
@xport: No, the original DVDs are made using a method where the data is permanently 'pressed' (stamped) into the media layer rather than being optically recorded. – Linker3000 Jun 6 '11 at 13:49
+1 for @Linker3000. – xport Jun 6 '11 at 13:55
feedback
up vote 11 down vote

No, a virus cannot do that.

The DVD is quite safe, a windows install DVD is a read only disk.

And even if it's was a DVD-RW (rewritable) the risk is very very very very small that anything could happen to it. It's theoretically possible to infect a DVD but I have never heard of it.

link|improve this answer
Beyond the scope of my question, how about rewritable DVDs? – xport Jun 6 '11 at 13:30
@xport - See edit – Nifle Jun 6 '11 at 13:32
+1 @Nifle: OK. I will wait for other answers. Thanks. – xport Jun 6 '11 at 13:34
The fact that you've never heard of a DVD-RW got infected calms me down a lot!! ;) – TFM Jun 6 '11 at 15:10
feedback

Your Answer

 
or
required, but never shown
discard

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.