Fathergoose said:
Do I need to format the CD-RW in UDF format?
I think I have found a way to format the disc...
I loaded InCD from the TDK install CD...LOL...ugh.
thanks.
Bill
You might want to try a newsgroup devoted to computer stuff, as this
newsgroup is for ms-access, the desktop database system included with
office. So, really, your question(s) are off topic for this newsgroup, and
you would have much better luck in a newsgroups devoted to general pc
problems.
However, while I am at this issue of telling you to try a different
newsgroup, I will give you a "quick" rundown of this cd-r, and cd-rw stuff.
When you write to a cd-r, if you don't "close" the disk, then you can at a
later time pop the cd back in, and copy more files to the cd-r. In fact, you
can copy the "same" file you had on disk to the cd-r, and it can be updated.
However, eventually that cd-r will get full, since each time you copy the
same file, a NEW portion of the cd is used. Since the cd-r is only able to
be used once, then eventually the cd-r has no room on it (even if you were
just saving the SAME 2, or 3 files over and over).
Now, there is also what we call a cd-rw. The "rw" means that the disk can be
re-written over and over. It turns that a lot of people use the cd-rw in the
EXACT SAME fashion as the cd-r. In other words, if your software (or by
choice) uses the cd-rw EXACTLY like a cd-r, the each time you write a new
file, a new location is used on the disk, and eventually the disk get full.
However, since the cd-rw can be erased, then you can erase the disk and
start over.
The advantage of the above approach with a cd-r, and cd-rw is that most
computers, and even older windows 98 computers can read those disks in that
particular format.
However, you are correct in that you can format a cd-rw. When you do this, a
series of tracks and sectors is laid down on the disk, and in fact since the
cd-rw is a read/writeable media, then you can use the disk indefinably, and
it never "fills" up. Many cd-rw's come pre-formatted. Further, since they do
have a fairly large capacity, formatting can take up to 30 minutes. Further,
older windows (such as windows 98) cannot read these disks unless some
software (the UDF you mentioned) is installed on these computers.
So, it is important to note that a cd-rw in be used in the same fashion as a
cd-r. Or, you can choose as you ask to format the disk.
As for "how" to format. Well, it depends on what software you are using for
your cd-drive. Nero, Easy Cd creator etc. Each vendor tends to ship their
cd-drives with whatever package they choose
It turns out that windows xp does have cd-rw support, and when you insert a
blank rw, you usually get a choice. (right click the drive, and selected
format - caution ...don't do this to the wrong drive!!).
I would check what cd software you are using, but in the mean time, I would
just erase the cd-rw, and then just let windows allow you to copy fields to
the cd-rw. So what it the disk eventually fills up, you can always erase,
and start over.
