A method for updating a defect list in a DVD can include processing sectors on the DVD during a playback operation; adding references to selected ones of the processed sectors to a defect candidate list; identifying defective sectors among the selected ones of the processed sectors; and, adding references to the identified defective sectors to the defect list. Additionally, the method can include removing from the defect candidate references to each sector for which a corresponding reference has been added to the defect list. The step of adding references to selected ones of the processed sectors to a defect candidate list can include detecting an unrecoverable error during the playback operation; identifying a processed sector associated with the unrecoverable error; and, adding a reference to the identified sector to the defect candidate list. Also, the identifying step can include identifying each sector having a reference in both the defect list and the defect candidate list; removing references to the identified sectors from the defect candidate list; and, determining whether each sector remaining in the defect candidate list is a defective sector.