Convert Drag-to-Disc discs to DLA?

[Kenn Kong]

I read before I purchased EMC 9 that Drag-to-Disc would only be installed for XP (I use 2K). I thought that meant that the newer version with EMC 9 would not be installed, leaving the EMC8 version behind. I was wrong!java script:add_smilie(

 

The install process removed version 8's Drag-to-Disc (D2D) and installed something else called Drive Letter Access (DLA) which seems to have the same functionality, if not the same interface.

 

Unfortunately, DLA sees all my DVDs created using D2D as closed, read-only disks. If the DVD is an RW, I can copy the data off of it, and reformat with DLA, copy the data back, and everything works as before with D2D.

 

Unfortunately, I have over 90 DVDs in D2D format, and many of them are DVD-R or +R, so reformatting isn't an option, and recreating them would cost some money, and an AWFUL lot of time.

 

Before I start wasting a lot of time converting these older discs, does anyone know of a way to convert a disk from D2D to DLA without reformatting?

 

If that's not possible, how about instructions on how to uninstall DLA and reinstall D2D?

[james_hardin]

If the interface looks like the picture below, it is V9 D2D.

 

D2D in V9 will not write to any older D2D or DCD disc. Much has changed…

 

Media formatted in D2D V9 will be writable back to D2D V6.

 

Either you reformat or you could uninstall V9, D2D and install V8. If Vista is in your future (includes packet writing), retaining V9 and reformatting may be the way to go. – I don't have Vista so I cannot be sure of this! But since Sonic has announced it supplied MS with the packet writer for Vista, it seems likely.

[Kenn Kong]

Does anyone know of any specific issues with using D2D v8 with EMC9? Might it interfere with Disc Copier or Creator Classic?

 

I wasn't making the W2K connection yesterday, you are correct, D2D V9 will not install on a W2K OS!

 

As I see it, your choice is to uninstall DLA and add D2D V8 or convert to DLA.

 

I don't have enough info to venture a guess as to which one is best…

[grandpabruce]

I read before I purchased EMC 9 that Drag-to-Disc would only be installed for XP (I use 2K). I thought that meant that the newer version with EMC 9 would not be installed, leaving the EMC8 version behind. I was wrong!java script:add_smilie(

 

The install process removed version 8's Drag-to-Disc (D2D) and installed something else called Drive Letter Access (DLA) which seems to have the same functionality, if not the same interface.

Unfortunately, DLA sees all my DVDs created using D2D as closed, read-only disks. If the DVD is an RW, I can copy the data off of it, and reformat with DLA, copy the data back, and everything works as before with D2D.

 

Unfortunately, I have over 90 DVDs in D2D format, and many of them are DVD-R or +R, so reformatting isn't an option, and recreating them would cost some money, and an AWFUL lot of time.

 

Before I start wasting a lot of time converting these older discs, does anyone know of a way to convert a disk from D2D to DLA without reformatting?

 

If that's not possible, how about instructions on how to uninstall DLA and reinstall D2D?

 

No it didn't.

[james_hardin]

Thanks again James, but now I'm more in the dark than ever. My last post did'nt get the questions answered. I did get out the Roxio Book and read on Classic Creator, and was surprised to see that Roxio made a step backward not forward in going to that type of writing to disk. I don't want to use classic, I want to use d2d as I have for a long time. I really, really am confused right now about burnig software. You say my large supply of disks will go bad, can you explain??? I am confused when you make it sound like I should only write to cd-r or dvd-r and not the supply of cd-rw and dvd-rw that I have now. I occasionally get out one of the open cd-rw or dvd-rw and burn extra information to them, and wonder how they can be obsolete, as they burn fine in Roxio 7.0, but only readable in 9.0. I have always used Roxio as my burning software, but wonder now if that was the right decision??? Or have all Software burning companies gone to this?? Thanks again for your response. Be patient, I am only a layman in this!!

Willie: The only thing Roxio has done is comply with the international standards for the various methods of burning. What more could ask for?

 

You seemed to have overlooked that fact that optical media and magnetic media are 2 separate entities. The only thing they have in common is that both of them are round! Everything you have learned about using magnetic media through the years is totally useless when it comes to optical media, so clear your head of any such notions and learn what optical media is and what it can and cannot do.

 

The international standards are not going to change because you want them to. You have to learn how to use the media/software in compliance with the standards.

 

There are 3 separate subjects here – Media; Packet Writing; Authoring.

 

Media: RW media is not stable, end of story.

 

Packet Writing: It has a record of unreliability that cannot be denied. I have a long winded outline about it in Tip & Tricks.

 

Authoring: The most reliable short of physical damage to the media, provided you are using stable media like R media.

 

The "compatibility problems" with the new version of D2D V9 indicate a change of direction in packet writing. Roxio is the first to implement them followed by MS in Vista. If you continue to use this method of burning you have the choice of making the conversion now or waiting a year or two and doing all then…

[james_hardin]

There are no issues, you can have both.

 

I would use a custom install and just install Classic. There may be another program or two that are required but go ahead and let them install. – D2D is not a optional item, so something, like Classic, must be installed for D2D to installed.

 

After install, you should be able to go to Add/Remove programs and remove Classic. D2D will be a separate item in the list, so it will remain.

[Kenn Kong]

I read before I purchased EMC 9 that Drag-to-Disc would only be installed for XP (I use 2K).

 

No it didn't.

 

Let's split the difference. What it did say was *Drag-to-Disc and CinePlayer do not run on Windows 2000.

 

So at this point, do you think it is my best option to uninstall DLA and reinstall D2D from EMC8?

 

 

There is no interface. It didn't install D2D at all, it just removed D2D from V8 and installed DLA.

If the interface looks like the picture below, it is V9 D2D.

 

D2D in V9 will not write to any older D2D or DCD disc. Much has changed…

 

Media formatted in D2D V9 will be writable back to D2D V6.

 

Are you saying that a disk I did reformat (with DLA, not D2D9) will still be readable in V8? I guess this is really a moot question, since I will back up the disk (in closed format) before uninstalling D2D9.

[WillieB]

Thank you James for responding. I respect your wisdom and have read your advise to others. I am new to the discussion group and don't understand everything completely, but just trying to get some valuable information. I guess I did'nt realize the norm was DLA, as I have tried to stay away from it with my D2D from Version7.0, but then again I still sit here with my Beta VHS's when the market closed on them, Ha! My question now is, will my old disks still be readable on the new version 9.0, just not writeable? And can I still copy information from the old disks after installing 9.0, back to my hard-drive, then reformatting the disk and bring the information back to the disk??? This seems very time consuming as I probably have over 500 Cd-RW & DVD-RW which have'nt been closed, but are near full. After installing 9.0 again, will all the new disks I put in be formatted DLA??? My other question is: I have always had to spend 25-30 minutes formatting a CD-RW disk before using it, will the new DLA correct this, as I did'nt like the format as you go system when writing to the disks, it took too long when I was in a hurry to end a session?? Thanks for your advise, James.

[Kenn Kong]

Both what? DLA and D2Dv8? Aren't they both packet writers, which I think would really conflict.

 

There are no issues, you can have both.

 

If you mean D2D8 and EMC9, you're absolutely right. I uninstalled DLA, then installed D2D from the v8 CD. I was able to custom install just D2D (no Creator or anything else). Everything is working fine again.

 

Thanks for the advice, it really helped.

[WillieB]

Thank you James, your last post was very informative and made me understand things about DLA a little more. Yes, you are right, I am going to have to go with the times and change my way of burning. You have been very helpful, which is more than I can say about Bruce, a ex- Viet Nam Vet at that. I will now leave this thread as I don't want to offend Bruce any longer. And yes, Bruce does have a way with words!!!!! God help any other newbies that have to deal with Bruce!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[james_hardin]

I wasn't making the W2K connection yesterday, you are correct, D2D V9 will not install on a W2K OS!

 

Lets clarify that Read and Write are two completely separate issues!

 

Read should not be an issue as long as some packet writing reader is installed on your W2K machine.

 

Write will be an issue… DLA will not write to any media unless it was formatted by DLA. – I haven't tried it recently but I found that a DLA formatted disc was writable by D2D and even DCD.

 

As I see it, your choice is to uninstall DLA and add D2D V8 or convert to DLA.

 

I don't have enough info to venture a guess as to which one is best…

[WillieB]

Thanks for your help Bruce, do you treat all newbies to the support group this way, hope not!! My post was similar to original post, just a different version of Roxio. Guess I will try to get my information somewhere else. Just came from a Microsoft discussion group where everyone joined into the discussion, adding their thoughts, guess this discussion group does'nt work this way!!! Bruce, you could have explained how I should have posted instead of your bold post!!!!!

[james_hardin]

XP includes a Reader in the OS. All discs should be readable without any problems. If compression was used, there may be read issues, but I will try it and see what happens.

 

XP does not include a packet writer, so none can be written.

 

Like others, I won't have Vista until it is forced down my throat… So I can't test until you hear me choking.

 

I cannot emphasize enough that you have a lot of discs with a very unreliable system of burning. They can and will go bad just sitting there!

 

Get this stuff off them asap and burn it to CD-R or DVD R as soon as you can.

 

Read up on Session burning in Classic. This is what XP Burning uses and I have never seen a post about recovering lost data.

[grandpabruce]

Thanks for your help Bruce, do you treat all newbies to the support group this way, hope not!! My post was similar to original post, just a different version of Roxio. Guess I will try to get my information somewhere else. Just came from a Microsoft discussion group where everyone joined into the discussion, adding their thoughts, guess this discussion group does'nt work this way!!! Bruce, you could have explained how I should have posted instead of your bold post!!!!!

 

Sorry about that, Willie. Sometimes I just have a way with words.

[james_hardin]

GPB is a "Viet Nam Vet", as am I. You cannot be an 'ex vet', as nothing will take that experience away… (picky, picky, picky, I know)

 

GPB has nearly 15,000 posts here and has helped more people than you can shake a stick at!

 

Clear something up for me? DLA is a completely different packet writer from D2D. Which one do you have installed?

[WillieB]

Thanks again James, but now I'm more in the dark than ever. My last post did'nt get the questions answered. I did get out the Roxio Book and read on Classic Creator, and was surprised to see that Roxio made a step backward not forward in going to that type of writing to disk. I don't want to use classic, I want to use d2d as I have for a long time. I really, really am confused right now about burnig software. You say my large supply of disks will go bad, can you explain??? I am confused when you make it sound like I should only write to cd-r or dvd-r and not the supply of cd-rw and dvd-rw that I have now. I occasionally get out one of the open cd-rw or dvd-rw and burn extra information to them, and wonder how they can be obsolete, as they burn fine in Roxio 7.0, but only readable in 9.0. I have always used Roxio as my burning software, but wonder now if that was the right decision??? Or have all Software burning companies gone to this?? Thanks again for your response. Be patient, I am only a layman in this!!

[WillieB]

Just read the post and have the same problem, but that I have version 7.0 and never went to 8.0 and recently puchasded 9.0 ($100.00) and have installed and uninstalled 9.0 three times as I thought there was a problem in my install process. I have the same problem that all my older D2D disks (over 500) cannot be writen to, as I get a message read-only disks. Is this the case, that the newer version of Roxio 9 will not let me write to all my older D2D disks or is there another answer. I thought the newer version would improve things, not hinder them. I am back to using version 7.0 right now as this is the only thing that allows me to use my older D3D disks that lets me continue writing to them. Any answers, or do I need to return Roxio 9 to the store I purschased it and live with 7.0????

[grandpabruce]

Thanks again James, but now I'm more in the dark than ever. My last post did'nt get the questions answered. I did get out the Roxio Book and read on Classic Creator, and was surprised to see that Roxio made a step backward not forward in going to that type of writing to disk. I don't want to use classic, I want to use d2d as I have for a long time. I really, really am confused right now about burnig software. You say my large supply of disks will go bad, can you explain??? I am confused when you make it sound like I should only write to cd-r or dvd-r and not the supply of cd-rw and dvd-rw that I have now. I occasionally get out one of the open cd-rw or dvd-rw and burn extra information to them, and wonder how they can be obsolete, as they burn fine in Roxio 7.0, but only readable in 9.0. I have always used Roxio as my burning software, but wonder now if that was the right decision??? Or have all Software burning companies gone to this?? Thanks again for your response. Be patient, I am only a layman in this!!

 

It's really confusing, because you hijacked the thread, and there are two totally different "conversations" going on in one thread.

[james_hardin]

Willie: You are not reading the whole thread… The OP has W2K and D2D will not install on that OS.

 

If you choose to dump V9 you are just prolonging the inevitable. Older versions of Roxio are most unlikely to work on Vista so your old D2D discs will go unusable again…

 

Convert them now and be done with it!

 

This also brings to mind a question. Since D2D is a packet writer and no packet writer has ever been referred to as reliable, why are you using it? It is totally unacceptable for any form of backup or archive. If that is what you are doing with it, you will wake up one day with unreadable discs and wonder what happened…