Format Changing On Cdrw

[hdelman]

WinXPProSp2; Roxio DragToDisk 7.1.0.220; Plextor PX716A CD/DVD/RW

 

I use this drive with CDRW as a 600Meg floppy for backups, temp storage, etc. Recently, something has changed with its behavior, and I am completely stumped as to how to get it back the way it was.

 

The disks are formated correctly, and I can read and write them as expected. "Properties" shows a reasonable number for "used space" and "free space." But if I eject a disk and then put it back it, the format is different. The available space reads zero, and a file called "non allocated space" appears. Apparently, WinXP has taken over control of the disk. Format is shown as "UDF."

 

D2D eject settings are "use the disk in this computer only", and "show the eject dialog before ejecting...". I do not get an eject dialog, and I believe this is normal behavior for CDRW.

 

Even erasing and reformating with Roxio D2D doesn't help. I need to get a virgin disk in order to get back to my original capability.

 

Can someone tell me how to solve this?

 

Howard Delman

[james_hardin]

WinXPProSp2; Roxio DragToDisk 7.1.0.220; Plextor PX716A CD/DVD/RW

 

I use this drive with CDRW as a 600Meg floppy for backups, temp storage, etc. Recently, something has changed with its behavior, and I am completely stumped as to how to get it back the way it was.

 

The disks are formated correctly, and I can read and write them as expected. "Properties" shows a reasonable number for "used space" and "free space." But if I eject a disk and then put it back it, the format is different. The available space reads zero, and a file called "non allocated space" appears. Apparently, WinXP has taken over control of the disk. Format is shown as "UDF."

 

D2D eject settings are "use the disk in this computer only", and "show the eject dialog before ejecting...". I do not get an eject dialog, and I believe this is normal behavior for CDRW.

 

Even erasing and reformating with Roxio D2D doesn't help. I need to get a virgin disk in order to get back to my original capability.

 

Can someone tell me how to solve this?

 

Howard Delman

 

XP has nothing to do with it, once formatted for packet writing D2D is the only program that can touch it.

 

One other place to set the behavior is under Advanced Eject Settings. Set these to “Leave the disc as is”. These will override the normal eject settings.

 

There is also the possibility of a media issue here. Good name brands like Verbatim, TDK ect. don’t seem to have these problems. The trouble you are having reformatting them points to media.

[lynn98109]

WinXPProSp2; Roxio DragToDisk 7.1.0.220; Plextor PX716A CD/DVD/RW

 

I use this drive with CDRW as a 600Meg floppy for backups, temp storage, etc. Recently, something has changed with its behavior, and I am completely stumped as to how to get it back the way it was.

 

The disks are formated correctly, and I can read and write them as expected. "Properties" shows a reasonable number for "used space" and "free space." But if I eject a disk and then put it back it, the format is different. The available space reads zero, and a file called "non allocated space" appears. Apparently, WinXP has taken over control of the disk. Format is shown as "UDF."

 

D2D eject settings are "use the disk in this computer only", and "show the eject dialog before ejecting...". I do not get an eject dialog, and I believe this is normal behavior for CDRW.

 

Even erasing and reformating with Roxio D2D doesn't help. I need to get a virgin disk in order to get back to my original capability.

 

Can someone tell me how to solve this?

 

Howard Delman

I see at least two unrelated problems.

 

FIRST

 

The first problem is "Basic False Analogy" - since a floppy is formatted before it is used, therefore a CD is formatted before it is used. If the CD is formatted, it becomes the property of the formatting program, whichever Packet-Writing program it might be (Drag2Disc, DirectCD, Nero's InCD, Sonic's DLA, etc), and cannot be used by any other program - including any of the RELIABLE programs, which are Sessions-Based.

 

The thing Packet-Writing does best is lose all data permanatly. RW media will do likewise, and together they will do it faster.

 

If you want to KEEP the data. NEVER format the disc. Use a Sessions-based program, such as Classic Creator or the built-in WinXP burining. And use a BLANK blank, directly out of lhe package or off the spindle.

 

SECOND

 

WinXP sets aside tasks to finish when it's (censored) good and ready. When you want to eject it, it thinks, oh, dear, now I really DO have to put that on the disc. So, if you were polite about it and used the mouse to do the eject, it will at that point write to the disc. If you simply pushed the eject button, the data wasn't burned and the TOC (Table of Contents) wasn't written, and the disc is no longer recognized as usable.

 

SO:

 

If it is temporaray, and you have another copy somewhere, it's ok to use Packet-Writing.

 

If you want to KEEP it, as a backup, use CD-R and a Sessions based program.

 

And if you plan to use it to move between computers, I'd suggest you buy a Flash drive (aka Pen/Thumb/Jump/Keychain drive). It will also do a reasonably reliable backup. Just remember that if you are dealing with WinXP, USE THE EJECT COMMAND.

 

Does this answer the quetion, or am I off-base?

 

Lynn

[lenchaz]

I'm having a similar problem. Disks that were previously OK suddenly showing no free space an a non-allocatable space icon. Also, when I format a brand new CDRW with Roxio D2D the disk has the non-allocatable space icon and shows no free space. Did you have the problem formating new disks also? Have you solved the problem based on the replys? I don't fully understand what was said to do.

[lynn98109]

I'm having a similar problem. Disks that were previously OK suddenly showing no free space an a non-allocatable space icon. Also, when I format a brand new CDRW with Roxio D2D the disk has the non-allocatable space icon and shows no free space. Did you have the problem formating new disks also? Have you solved the problem based on the replys? I don't fully understand what was said to do.

 

Very simple. If you want to KEEP the data, NEVER format the disc.

 

AND, NEVER use RW discs - they are fine for testing purposes, tho.

 

If you are keeping something hand for a while, get a Flash (Jump/Keychain/Pen/Thumb) drive.

 

If you are planning to use it for long-term backup, use a CD-R and a sessions-based program such as Classic Creator or WinXP's built-in burning program.

 

Lynn

[james_hardin]

Very simple. If you want to KEEP the data, NEVER format the disc.

 

AND, NEVER use RW discs - they are fine for testing purposes, tho.

 

If you are keeping something hand for a while, get a Flash (Jump/Keychain/Pen/Thumb) drive.

 

If you are planning to use it for long-term backup, use a CD-R and a sessions-based program such as Classic Creator or WinXP's built-in burning program.

 

Lynn

 

Lynn’s advice is sound! Packet writing is not for archival or backup use! At least not as the only copy of those files…

 

Here is a picture of what I was suggesting:

[samazar1]

I have exactly the same problem.

I have found a solution that works always: Eject the Disk, Reboot, Insert the Disk : it reappears in its normal format without the "non-allocatable space".

This is not very practical but it shows there is a program running that causes this behaviour.

Maybe we should everyone try to disable running processes and see which one is causing this behaviour.

Anyway this has always worked for me up to this day.

Please advise if it worked also for you.

 

(I also observed that if at this point I check the "Properties" of the recording drive on the tab "Recording", I see that the "enable recording on this drive" is unchecked. Maybe the solution is just to uncheck this item. Please try and let me know).

 

Hoping this helps

[lynn98109]

Let me take another crack at it.

 

If you format a CD-RW (or DVD/RW) for Packet-Writing, as the re-crystalized aluminum alloy goes about its normal de-crystalization (taking the data with it), one day all your data will disappear.

 

It is not a question of whether. It is a question of WHEN.

 

If you insist that formatting a RW disc is to get a "great-big floppy-disc" (or even if you merely format a CD-R, or use a RW for sessions-based work), you will get to learn the hard way thru your own experience, rather than taking heed of the experience of others.

 

(written in memory of the 80% of the data on the Packet-Written CD-RW that was not also on the Hard Drive, and was permantly lost)

 

Lynn