IMAPI: What is the difference between get_MediaPhysicallyBlank and get_MediaHeuristicallyBlank?

Question

From the MSDN documentation of get_MediaHeuristicallyBlank and get_MediaPhysicallyBlank, it is not clear what is the exact difference between these two. Can anyone please explain how both of these are different?

Answer 1

I was also looking for same difference but could not find one. What I learned is as below.

get_MediaHeuristicallyBlank

IMAPI scans media to check if it is blank. This may be bit longer call.

get_MediaPhysicallyBlank

IMAPI asks drive if the media is blank. Drive returns the status and IMAPI relies on it. This may be shorter call than the above.

In my application, I am using get_MediaHeuristicallyBlank and I have no any issue.

By the way, I work with C#; NOT C++. But IMAPI interface is same so that should not be an issue.