<<
See "Packet Writers" in my dandies (link below). The
only reason to format a CD-RW is to write (burn) to it.
Thank you, I've read it. I'm new to RW-CD's, so 'scuse
my ignorance. I will read up on burning, etc. It's just
that I have an emergency situation for a client who
purchased a CD w/o first informing me, so he could make
an intelligent purchase. Now, I'm stuck with fixing up
his mistakes (as usual).
He bought a USB RW-CD drive for a 1.0 USB system. He
shoud have gotten a much less expensive INTERNAL RW
drive. He is SO paranoid about letting me open the box,
and install anything internal. What a dufus.
<<<<
Do you know if CDiN (that came with my own Memorex CD-RW drive),
will work on his? It formats CD disks, and lets you use it like a
regular hard drive (at least, for copying files to it).
<<
Try it and see.
I will, as soon as I can get back to my client's place,
which will be in three days. I have to install Nero in
order for InCD to work. That's a nuisance, since Nero
software won't even RUN on my system (refuses to load).
But fortunately, InCD works. I just found out that one
can UNINSTALL all of Nero, except InCD...and InCD will
still work.
He doesn't need to be able to read my CDs on his
system, so that's no problem. He just needs to be able
to format his own CDs so he can backup data.
<<
When he "drags and drops" he *is* burning. How do you
think the data gets on to the disc??
Well, duh. There must be SOME sort of difference, if
being able to drag and drop files requires special,
additonal utilities, when compared with standard
"burning". So don't blame my ignorance on my own
self...blame it on the software makers.
(And I'm sure you know PERFECTLY well what I'm talking
about; you're just showing off.)
I guess I'm always "burning" when I copy a folder or
file to a hard drive (such as downloading), or to a
floppy, etc. And I don't think most people have been
trained to think of this as "burning". But since RW CDs
have come into its own, with hindsight we now might
perceive ANY sort of data copying/moving/transfer as
"burning".
So excuuuuse me for thinking in terms that have been
universally established for PCs way back when you were
either a snot-nosed brat, an embryo, or just a glimmer
in your parents' eye...or nothing at all.
<<
The difference is, he is writing packets...not
something I would care to do if I valued the data.
So "packet writing" is a form of "burning", eh? But
just not as reliable? Does that explain why, after
formatting a 700mb CD, I wind up with just 539mb? (And
if I used the "other" kind of "burning", I'd have
access to the total 700mb?)
And does this explain why, after only a few minor
backups to my formatted CD, the FAT got screwed, and
showed one folder repeated about 20 times? (Though no
increase in space used.)
To my naive mind, "burning" is copying a disk "image"
to a storage medium (data in bits regardless of file
structure)...as opposed to copying via a file manager,
where the data is seen as files and folders.
My client needs to back up his work files every
day...which total to only 1-10mbs per day. Seems
pointless to do a real "burn" each day for that. I was
thinking he'd do the old drag-and-drop each day...then
do a serious "burn" once a week.
Thanks for directing me to your help files...they're a
good start, but certainly do not explain in any detail,
what "burning" is all about, and why "packet burning"
is not as reliable. So I will find some site that will
give me a better understanding.
Since Nero won't load, I can't really access its help
files...nor do any real "burning". Thus, I remain naive
due to shoddy retail software...including my client's,
which Iomega burning utilities won't load, either.
Thank Goddess for freeware!
BTW, Sony abCD will format the 700mb CD's to give you
511mb space...less than InCD. And...it takes 18 mins.
(while InCD takes just 1). And I guess that's why Sony
has released to freeware: it's lacking what the newer
CD utilities can do...but it's still great to have it
for free, for low-income folks like myself.
Now that I'm sure I can get my client's USB RW-CD drive
to do what he needs...I'll have time to really study
this RW technology.
Thanks for sharing your expertise, and thanks to
everyone else who added their two-cents.