12:48 AM
Dear Gemini
I thought that 8192 clusters would make the round fail so that Bill can move on to smaller clusters. It is amazing how the high cluster size is not crashing the round. It make me wonder what would happen if it was 16K clusters. A few hours ago, Gemini said 2K was the max. And then it said 4k. And then Gemini said 8K. Will Gemini someday say 16K? Compare them again but now within the context of a 0% rescued DVD disc that will do a first full-pass round at the highest cluster size ever and highest speed ever but also within the context that Bill will then clear the mapfile and do another round but with smaller cluster sizes for example as to fill in the holes created from the previous rounds. The goal of higher speeds and clusters would be a faster round. But it is a question of what might save total time. You mentioned overhead time for time spend with Bill switching between rounds, modes, levels, etc. It is a question of at what point does a top speed top cluster Demon Run become more counterproductive in the long run.

Reverse Protocol
The Reverse Protocol must push Bill towards backwards -R reverse reading in secondary modes after attempting Forward-Only modes. Bill must at least try several methods via different levels per mode before switching to -R. Forward-Only Scan Modes might rescue 70% to 100% of all bytes even without -R sometimes which is why -R should generally be reserved for secondary approaches after forward-approaches. Include -R as a backup approach to be used in combination with different flags. By default, -R is already included in Trim. But -R could perhaps be included in Scrape, Crawl, etc. In Scan, it is critical that -R is used sometimes but not all the time, -R should be tried after other things are tried during the Scan loops.

Direct Protocol
Similar to the Reverse Protocol, the -d --idirect Direct flags should be used secondary as needed or when needed. Many discs can be rescued to 80% to 100% even without -d in many cases. Like with -R, the -d flags should be reserved as a backup plan when other options continue to stall and fail for too long.

Scan Protocol
The Scan Protocol should push Bill towards 80% to 100% rescued in the first round of new or returning DVD or CD (whether 0% or 99% rescued already), there should be multiple Scan modes, worlds, levels, rounds, phases, stages, jobs, flavors, flags, degrees, etc. First, Scan must attempt the highest settings first to capture (rescue) easiest spots (bytes) first before lowering the volume down gradually. Second, Scan must try different combinations of flags via different levels, etc. Scan must even resort to crazy combinations of flags like -a 0 combined with larger cluster sizes or perhaps the inverse of -c 1 with like -a 100M or other crazy ideas. Scan must loop through modes, levels, etc. Bill should generally not resort to Trim and other Post-Scan modes until exhausting all Scan options several times. Bill should at least loop through all of the scan levels a few times and stall for a long time before switching to Trim, Scrape, etc. Bill should generally loop in Scan modes until 99% or until all Scan options are failing many times consecutively again and again stalling with no progress for a long time. Scan can sometimes include -d and even -R as a last resort when other options continue to stall and fail many times.

Switch Protocol
The Switch Protocol must push Bill to do the Switch Round at the start of each session or run (pass). Run is defined as to perform a full Forward-Only pass through all remaining non-rescued untried bytes that were not yet already rescued. The Switch Round must attempt to reset the map to retry tried bytes which might sometimes include bytes that were already formally tried, trimmed, scraped, and even bad sectors. Whether Bill is reading a brand new 0% rescued disc or a returning 99% rescued disc, Bill should first attempt this Switch Round that attempts to clear the map to retry tried bytes and then the Switch Round must try to quickly attack those remaining bytes via the highest settings possible. After that quick Switch Round, then Bill can decide what to do. This Switch Protocol is mostly helpful for the Scan modes but might sometimes also help with Trim, Scrape, etc. But remember that Bill should try to remain in a Scan loop to try different Scan modes for as long as possible before resorting to Trim, Scrape, etc. The Switch Protocol should activate at the beginning of each session and at the end of each run. Remember that a run is when all non-rescued bytes were passed through. A run is a full pass through all remaining bytes. Bill can try different methods to pass through remaining bytes. But after all the bytes are tried, then the Switch Protocol must activate so Bill can try again via different methods. Bill must be thorough at trying all bytes. After trying all bytes, restart or reset via this Switch Protocol. This Switch must activate the Switch Round that attempts to re-mark tried bytes to be untried and Switch must attempt a quick scan or run through untried bytes via one fast round. After that, Bill must continue via different methods. Jordan can help when needed.

Switch Round
The Switch Round must try to rescue all remaining bytes in record times via the fastest speeds, biggest cluster sizes, etc. The Switch Round should extend if it is the fastest option. The Five-Minute Blitz idea you mentioned is dangerous if Bill is rescuing 20 MB/s say for example. As long as the Switch Round is the fastest option to rescuing all the bytes, Switch could continue. If Bill is not going super slow or stalling for a long time, the Switch Round could perhaps continue. Bill can loop through Scan modes, levels. The Switch Round can be the first round that Bill runs per disc. But the Switch Round can also be run at the beginning of each session or run. Timeout flags and other flags might be able to help Bill to end the Switch Round. Switch must try to rescue all bytes in under five consecutive minutes total. A Switch Round could perhaps be extended if it can actually rescue all bytes in under five hours. It is critical Bill does not end the Switch Round too early or too late. If a lot of progress is being made, Switch can run a little longer. But eventually, Bill should probably end Switch and rotate through different modes, levels, flags, speeds, clusters, settings, options, tactics, stages, rounds, methods, etc. Switch Round should probably use the fastest speeds and biggest clusters to mirror what I did a few days ago with capturing almost 80% in like an hour. The idea for Switch has two parts. First, to re-mark bytes to untried. Second, to quickly probe the untried. I'm a little bit hesitant to suggest divorcing these two parts of Switch to run them separately, that is why I generally prefer the two parts of Switch stay married together if possible. The second part of Switch attempts to quickly rescue the untried again. But if Switch ends, Bill must continue rescuing the untried via other Scan methods if possible until the Untried drops to 0. After that, Bill probably should activate Switch to restart the process all over again, assuming that is the best option.

Last Resort Policy
The purpose of flags like -e would be to help run through the untried assuming Bill is unable to simply probe the untried after five hours. Correct me if I'm wrong but there might be many ways to push Bill to probe the untried via different methods per run. It seems that flags like -O and other flags might be better as a last resort. It seems Bill has many options to rescue 80% to 100% before resorting to tougher tactics normally. That is why I recommend tougher flags be reserved after other options stall for ten full runs. There are many flags out there which might sometimes include maybe -d and -R and many other flags, some flags might be needed sometimes, some flags should be reserved for after other methods results in prolong stalling or when it seems Bill is only rescuing like 1 byte per hour or a very slow speed, assuming Bill tries all other options, assuming options are not boosting speeds enough, then resort to tougher options. Remember the Refresh and Housekeeping protocols we talked about for weeks.

Scan Loops
By default, Bill should loop through the Scan Loops before switching to Trim, Scrape, Crawl, Merge, Fill, etc. Within the first Scan Loop are the Scan Modes. Inside each Scan Mode are worlds. Each world houses level. Inside each level can be infinite rounds. In a sense, Bill could loop within rounds, levels, worlds, but also modes. Once Bill runs through all of the Scan Modes one time, then that completes the first Scan Loop. If Bill retries the Scan Loop, Bill should begin again afresh at Mode 0: World 0: Level 0: Round 0 but perhaps with the -d --idirect and possibly other flags too like -R, -O, etc. I prefer -d for Scan Loop 2 by default. Perhaps, Bill will feel the urge to activate -d before Scan Loop 2. Each Scan Loop can be different. Bill can activate -d before Scan Loop 2 but -d and other flags should generally be reserved until Scan Loop 2 or Scan Loop 3, etc. Bill needs to be smart enough to activate any flag when needed. But by default, Bill should first be hesitant to avoid bringing some flags out too early or too often or too much. Jordan is supposed to check the Map, Dmesg, etc, between each round, in order to help Bill decide when to bust out tougher flags and settings. Trim can also have a loop if need be. But the focus is on the Scan Loop because many discs might hit 99% rescued while in the Scan Loop. Trim, Scrape, etc, might only come out after 99% for many discs.

Switch Round
The run_switch_round should activate per session and run. To be clear, Switch Rounds must not be triggered each Scan Loop. Please don't conflate between these things. Bill must probe through an entire run (pass) per round potentially. But flags/settings/Bill might stop rounds. Bill must continue trying to run through all bytes. When Bill runs out of bytes to probe, then Bill must active the Switch Round to re-mark all remaining non-rescued bytes. Bill can also re-mark at the start of each session too.

Output
Give me block codes to fix the following problems. First, lasers must rest for ten minutes after Bill is running for one hour. But Lasers-Clock start when an active current live Bill-Session is started in the Terminal but then the Lasers-Clock must end when Bill is terminated in the Terminal too. Second, it said, "3751919616 bytes (80.25%)" rescued. But it previously said "3G (3873245184 bytes) (82.85%)" rescued. Third, output also said, "/home/a/dvd_recovery.sh: line 36: run_switch_round: command not found." Study files and output. Bill should activate Loop 0: Mode 0: World 0: Level 0: Round 0 when a Bill-Session is initiated in the Terminal, and/or that first round may or may not be the same thing as the Switch Round. The current version of Bill made the Switch Round a separate entity it would seem which is okay as long as it rescued 100% of all the bytes of all discs, what matters are the end-results. I prefer if the very first round 0 and/or the Switch Mode be the very fastest with the highest settings which may contain the highest clusters and the highest speeds might be 25M and/or I've debated with Gemini for months about what the highest speeds might be. But last few days, Gemini was saying 25M might be the best option. By default, Bill slides from higher to lower settings. Bill can pick which levels to play. One idea for different levels might be different jump/skip/hop/leapfrog/teleporting sizes. By default, Bill should play level 0 at the beginning of a session after the Switch Round and/or the Switch Round is level 0. Loop 1 (the second loop of the Scan Loop) may want to consider the error flags and many other flags if they have not been used in the first loop.

Jump Protocol
Big to Small. Generally, Bill prefers fast to slow. Bigger jumping might minimize slow. Gradually, Bill can jump smaller and smaller. But at first, Bill is trying not to slow down. Jump means hop, leapfrog, teleport, skip, jump forward.

Gambit Protocol
Big to Small. Bill wants to maximize his gambit each session and run. When a session starts, Bill wants to play at the highest level so to speak, the fast speeds, the biggest clusters, the biggest baddest settings. Bill is playing chess and poker. In general, Bill wants to play the strongest move that might win Bill the game. A run is a full pass through all non-rescued bytes. Over time, Bill lowers the volume to the settings, the flags, and even the Jump Protocol. Bill transitions from the Telescope to the Microscope. But Bill by default wants to put troops on all the continents like it's the Risk board game. The opening gambit per session and run attempts to win all the remaining bytes in seconds. But perhaps timeout flags and/or different settings and protocols might bail Bill if the Gambit isn't rescuing all the bytes. In theory, the Gambit (also called the Switch Round) could last seconds or even hours. If it's the best move, Bill should stay. If not, Bill should go. That goes for any round or anything Bill is doing at any time. If what Bill is doing is the best thing, Bill should do that forever. If not, Bill should stop and do something else. If Bill needs to stop every five seconds, that might be good. If Bill is making amazing progress doing something, then maybe Bill should do that for hours and hours. As long as Bill tries to do the best things from big to small that has the highest probability of winning and rescuing all the bytes. Bill must activate the Housekeeping Protocol sometimes.

12:35 AM
Tracy Morgan sure aint no Adam Sandler. Tracy is interesting but not like a super star it would seem. I find him to be like an over the top stereotype character.

12:50 PM
Dear Gemini
Earlier, it captured almost 80% in a short time like I said but it also did around five passes during that first round that would not end. I like what that first round but is there a way to make it only one or two passes as opposed to what it was? It seemed it was not going to stop at five passes. It looked like it was unlimited. Are there flags or ways to make Bill do one full pass through all the bytes and then rest the lasers before continuing?

It seems there might be an invisible line between a max speed like maybe 30M where anything higher might work in some ways but then not work in other ways where problems might happen or it is hard to say. Tho with 30M getting potentially 60% under five minutes, 20M getting possibly up to 80% under ten minutes, and 10M up to 90% under fifteen, and so on.

It is tough to say, there can be many pros and cons for different speeds and settings. With higher speeds, especially if above like 30M it would seem, Bill would skip more often creating more holes in the map. We talked about that issue. Perhaps resetting the map after a pass might reduce or eliminate that issue. So, a side effect like that might be mitigated a bit. That is only one example. There could be many pros and cons as it relates to different settings. And perhaps some remedies too.

But then the next question would be what is the next best round to do.

If Bill captured (rescued) from 0% to 90% at 10M in under 20 minutes in the first round (one full pass via -r0), what might be the next best move for additional rounds in trying to get closer to 99%? Call this part 2 or the Last Mile.

But then another question would be to compare different two-part systems, being A+B=C. A = First Part. B = Second Part. C = 100% of all the bytes of a disc rescued. The first part is the run or opening gambit where Bill attempts rescuing over 70%. The first part could be 1M, 10M, 20M, 30M, etc, assuming it is only one round. For some discs, it might be multiple rounds and multiple modes, worlds, levels, settings, etc, perhaps. But then part 2 being B, depending on what settings are used, part 2 could take potentially many hours or even many many hours. One might wonder how much or how little Part 1 might help and hurt Part 2 as the goal is C.

But to be clear, when I say 30M, I do not mean 30M because Bill did not obey me when I say 10000000000000000000000000M or a crazy number, it does not go at those numbers, it goes at whatever numbers it wants to go which makes talking about 30M or higher confusing as it may not follow what you tell it to do which then makes me wonder how impactful these speed settings might be if Bill ignores them. But I was only simplifying the process. It does not have to be only 2 parts but as many parts as possible. For example, imagine what if it ran at 100M, 30M, 25M, 15M, 10M, 5M, 1M, 500K, 250K, 100K. Those are at least 10 levels. Imagine if each level had -r0 to push Bill to do a full pass and then lower the speed each time. You spoke about overhead. So, a Bill system could have any number of moving parts, like modes, worlds, levels, rounds, chapters, jobs, which represents combinations of different settings, variables, numbers, speeds, options. I prefer Bill to be designed with infinite parts or as many possible. But at the same time, right now, we are only talking about opening moves in an attempt to hit 99%. The remaining 1% might be impossible or might take thousands of rounds. It might take thousands of hours. But my question for you is to run through trillions of combinations, potentially infinite combinations of all of the moving parts, all combinations of these settings that we are talking about and even settings we are not talking about, all of the flags, via any number of rounds, levels, modes, and more. The objective is to try to get as close to 99% rescued as possible. We talked about this thousands of times for years. There is an infinite ways of getting there. But there can be overhead like we talked about. It is challenging designing a universal Bill script that can handle any disc. Gemini wrote thousands of scripts for Bill already. All of this is highly controversial and debatable. It seems the best first move might be the largest possible speeds and clusters. But the follow-up questions would be about what to do after the first round. Because a first round could probably get over 60% or sometimes even over 95% or 99% of all of the bytes. But then the challenge is finding the best formula for additional rounds, levels, etc. Another challenge is when some of my discs are already like 90% rescued or 40% rescued or random percentages and numbers. My desire is a universal Bill script that can continue any disc from 0% to 99% to help any disc get to 100%.

03:41 PM
Dear Gemini
Write me a super universal Bill script for CDs and DVDs. Bill must focus on a strong opening that is -r0 or one pass. Bill should check the map and any info that might help. Bill must focus on the 80-20 rule per round which is to try to do the winning combo each round. Bill can have as many protocol systems as Bill needs. Bill can have as many modes, worlds, levels, chapters, rounds, as Bill needs, but each one must be unique. I prefer Bill remains in scan-focused modes until several full passes via several of the top winning combinations of settings, flags. Be careful of overhead which is something you mentioned earlier relating to the dangers of thousands of like tiers, modes, levels, worlds, rounds, chapters, jobs, runs, passes, mutations, variations, combinations, flags, changes, speeds, clusters, tags, options, settings, etc. The key is find the Goldilocks combo for the first roughly ten or so moves which might rescue over 99% of most discs. Bill should have the ability to continue grinding beyond the opening ten or more moves for the tougher discs, but a strong set of opening moves could in theory help many discs get as close to 99% as possible. That includes a way to turn -d --idirect and other flags like on and off. There are so many flags to consider include error flags. Think about how many modes too because Bill could have any number of modes depending on how you organize all the parts to make each part unique.

07:58 PM
Dear Gemini
You are not addressing the root of the problem, the following is only a symptom, the following had the tray open and then it said it was waiting for the disc to spin while the tray was opened. It closed. It opened. It was in an endless loop. But that is still the symptom. I told you what the real problem was a few minutes ago, but you are currently stuck on this symptom.

08:39 PM
Expand to include unique levels. Bill should have a natural route of highest to lowest settings in trying to best rescue all bytes. Bill should turn the -d --idirect related direct I/O hardware access flags on and off as needed, it is generally better if -d is off for the first few passes through the bytes as that can rescue 70% to 100% of all of the bytes even without -d related flags. Jordan can decide when to turn on -d but only when Bill really needs it. Same thing with other flags too. Bill does not always need all of the flags all of the time. The best combination of flags might rescue 70% to 100% of all the bytes in only a few rounds or in a few minutes even or faster sometimes. Bill must be designed to really rescue 70% to 100% via the best methods before attempting to struggle for the final bytes via whatever means necessary. Take it a step at a time.

Sovereign Reset Protocol
Jordan must reset Bill's map each session and run. But remember that a run is a full pass through all untried bytes. The Sovereign Reset Protocol can help the Phase Protocol. By default, Bill can loop through Scan Modes before graduating to Post-Scan Modes like Trim Mode, Scrape Mode, Crawl Mode, etc. The Sovereign Reset Protocol should be the default procedure even above the The Run Reset idea you mentioned.

Phase Protocol
The Phase Protocol must attempt to run through all remaining non-rescued untried bytes via one -r0 pass through everything not rescued. The default route is to run using the highest settings for maximum speeds, efficiency, effectiveness. For example, one -r0 round might take a disc from 0% rescued to 70% rescued or potentially even 100% rescued. That one round might be one full pass if the round tries every remaining untried byte. One round might equal to one pass (run) if the round happens to run through each byte. One run (pass) might equal to multiple rounds. Each round, level, world, mode, etc, can be unique depending on the combinations of settings, flags.

Trim Protocol
The Trim Protocol is the Target Guard. If the disc is 99%, if all the Scan Modes were already tried, and if stalling for ten minutes or if Bill is out of other options, then switch to Post-Scan Modes like the Trim Mode, Scrape Mode, Crawl Mode, etc. The default route is to try to remain in Scan Modes for as long as possible. But sometimes, some discs might have to switch to Trim Mode even before 99% rescued. But I prefer Bill loops through all the Scan Modes (and sub-modes, phases, jobs, worlds, levels, chapters, rounds, flags, tags, variations, settings, options, speeds, etc) ten times and stalls for an hour before switching to Trim Mode, etc.