When a hard disk (i.e. hard drive) recorder stores new files, it squeezes them into any bits of space it can find. As a result, the data winds up scattered all over the hard drive. When the data from one song file, for example, is stored in many locations within the hard drive memory, the hard drive is said to be fragmented. When the recorder plays back a file from a fragmented hard drive, it has to grab a little piece from here, another piece from there and so on. This is much harder than playing one continuous chunk of data from a single hard drive location. This can slow things down unacceptably and lead to errors during playback, recording and/or any other function in the recorder.
Fragmentation is a naturally occurring process for a hard drive used with any computer or recording device. Hard drives that record audio are especially prone to fragmentation due to the start-and-stop nature of recording.
We recommend backing up all of your data and then initializing the hard drive to clear out this normal fragmentation. To avoid receiving errors and/or problems, initialize the hard drive every 3 months if the unit is being used constantly or every 6 months if the unit is being used only occasionally. The following steps will guide you through the Song Backup, Drive Initialize and Song Recover procedures:
Song Backup:
- Insert a blank CDR into the BR-1200CD's CD drive.
- Press the DATA SAVE/LOAD button.
- CURSOR to "BACKUP" and press ENTER.
- CURSOR to "SONG" and press ENTER.
- CURSOR to the Song that you would like to Backup.
- Press F1(SELECT) to mark any songs you wish to Backup (“*” will appear next to the title).
- Press F3(GO) to begin the Backup.
- Press ENTER twice. The backup will begin.
Drive Initialize:
Caution: Initializing erases all contents on the hard drive.
- Press UTILITY.
- CURSOR to "HDD," and press ENTER.
- CURSOR to "Initialize," and press ENTER.
- Use the TIME/VALUE dial to change the FORMAT MODE to "Surface Scan."
- Cursor to "GO," and press ENTER.
- The message "Are you sure?" will be displayed, press ENTER. The hard drive will begin to initialize.
Song Recover:
- Insert the CD-R/RW disc containing the backup song(s) into the BR-1200CD's CD drive.
Note: If your backup consists of multiple CD-R/RW backup discs, place the first backup disc into the BR-1200CD’s CD drive at this time. - Press the DATA SAVE/LOAD button.
- CURSOR to "RECOVER" and press ENTER.
- CURSOR to "SONG" and press ENTER.
- CURSOR to the song(s) that you would like to Recover and then press F1(SELECT) (“*” will appear next to the title).
- Press F3(GO) to begin the song Recovery.