Sharing Directcd Between Laptop And Desktop

[cpitbull]

I am loosing a lot of CDRW discs trying to share a CDRW disc between my desktop and Laptop. I have the same exact version 5.35.10 on both but when I try to use one that has been DirectCD formatted on the desktop on my laptop it sees it only as a read only disc and I can not copy files to it anymore. It shows no space left and read only. I take that disc back to the desktop and it is fully usuable foir read and write. If I then take a disc that has been DirectCD formatted on the laptop with files copied to it and try and read it on the desktop, I can read it ubder read only but can not write files to it either. Then when I take it back to the laptop it can no longer be written to at all on the laptop. What good is this program unless you have only one computer that you do anything on and do not travel?

 

Would appreciate any help.

[ogdens]

The following is generic information on the use of Direct cd and a Data project, it may be helpful to you:

 

DirectCD is packet writing software and provides the ability to burn and copy files on cd media using drag & drop actions in Windows Explorer similar to working with floppy or hard disc drives. This requires formatting the cd media in DirectCD before you can use it in this way. In order to read one of these cd’’s on a computer which does not have DirectCD installed, you must have a udf reader installed on that computer. The first time you insert a cd made in the fashion described above on a computer which does not have the udf reader installed, it will offer to install the udf reader. There are options to close the DirectCD media so it can be read on any computer (without the udf reader). DirectCD made discs can be very fussy and unreliable.

It doesn’’t seem to take much to cause them to become unreadable and require erasing and reformatting. It is especially important to always use keyboard commands to eject a DirectCD disc so the program has a chance to finish any writing processes it has remaining. Always eject a DirectCD disc from your burner before shutting down the computer for the same reason.

 

The DataCD Project process does not use formatted media, and works much like other Easy Cd Creator Project activities. You would design and build a project layout, and then burn that project to a cd. The best approach is to finalize session, don’’t finalize cd, so you can add more files later on, if you choose. Whenever you add a session later, you must remember to import previous session or you will lose the pointers to the files in earlier sessions. A cd made in this fashion is usable on most any computer.

 

Never use DirectCD formatted media for permanent storage of important or critical files because I really don’’t trust it over the long haul. And I never format cd_r media in DirectCD.

 

I use DataCD Project to save important files, programs, etc. If it is to be permanent, I use cd_r media and finalize session, don’’t finalize cd so I can import previous session and add more sessions later. If it is to be temporary storage and I want to re-use the media, I use the same process, but use cd-rw media, so I can erase it later on and start over.

 

Using DirectCD formatted media can be a frustrating experience. I have had DirectCD formatted media become unstable, complete with loss of data files also.

[Brendon]

Hello,

 

Direct CD used to be very good for the job you're trying to do, back when disk drives were "dumb" and did only what they were told.

 

In those days they did exactly what the software told them to do (if they could) and they all formatted discs the same way.

 

Now disk drives have been made "smarter", and they each do their own thing regardless of the instructions they're given. The result is what you've found - rarely are two of them the same.

 

The best thing you can do is "erase" your CDRWs. A quick erase should do it without having to do a full erase. That should bring back and discs you have "lost".

 

Then use CD Creator in a data project to write a "session" of files on a disc. Close the session but not the disc. This should allow you to transport the files to the other machine, and write another session with that other machine if you want to for transport back to the first machine. There is advice in the help files for writing sessions.

 

When the disc gets full you can erase it again and re-use it.

[lynn98109]

I am loosing a lot of CDRW discs trying to share a CDRW disc between my desktop and Laptop. I have the same exact version 5.35.10 on both but when I try to use one that has been DirectCD formatted on the desktop on my laptop it sees it only as a read only disc and I can not copy files to it anymore. It shows no space left and read only. I take that disc back to the desktop and it is fully usuable foir read and write. If I then take a disc that has been DirectCD formatted on the laptop with files copied to it and try and read it on the desktop, I can read it ubder read only but can not write files to it either. Then when I take it back to the laptop it can no longer be written to at all on the laptop. What good is this program unless you have only one computer that you do anything on and do not travel?

 

Would appreciate any help.

 

Actually, you might be better off if you bought a Flash drive (aka Thumb/Pen/Keychain/Jump drive) for moving data back and forth. If either computer is WinXP, ALWAYS use eject before removing anything, whether Flash drive, Zip drive, floppy, or whatever. Otherwise, WinXP eats it.

 

BTW - a formatted CD is NOT a "great-big floppy-disc". It is more a good way to lose data permantly.

 

Lynn

[rich86]

I am loosing a lot of CDRW discs trying to share a CDRW disc between my desktop and Laptop. I have the same exact version 5.35.10 on both but when I try to use one that has been DirectCD formatted on the desktop on my laptop it sees it only as a read only disc and I can not copy files to it anymore. It shows no space left and read only. I take that disc back to the desktop and it is fully usuable foir read and write. If I then take a disc that has been DirectCD formatted on the laptop with files copied to it and try and read it on the desktop, I can read it ubder read only but can not write files to it either. Then when I take it back to the laptop it can no longer be written to at all on the laptop. What good is this program unless you have only one computer that you do anything on and do not travel?

 

Would appreciate any help.

 

My $.02 . . . .

 

It is possible that there are issues going on here between the 2 drives and the media you are using.

CD-RW media comes in different speed flavors (regular, high speed and ultra speed). Drives come that way also. An older drive capable of only 1x-4x cd-rw speeds cannot write to "high" speed cd-rw media. A "High" speed rated drive cannot write to "ultra" speed media. You need to use media that is the lowest common denominator of your drives capabilities in order to move them around effectively.

 

CD-RW drives also come with or without "Mt Rainier" packet writing capabilities (sometimes referred to as "Easywrite" as I recall). Mt. Rainier capable drives needs to format only a portion of a media before it can start writing to it. Then it formats more of the media as it is needed during subsequent write operations. But, if you put a partially formatted media into a cd-rw drive that is not Mt. Rainier/EasyWrite capable, it cannot write to it. In order to effectively use a cd-rw media across Easywrite and non-Easywrite drives, you must make sure the media is fully formatted before writing to it with either drive. The bad news is that ECDC5 is flawed, as i recall, in that it does not offer the option to fully format a media on a Easywrite capable drive, so you would have to always format your media on the non-Easywrite drive before using it anywhere.

 

If you think this is all more trouble than it is worth (many of us have), you could just use your cd-rw media in DataCD Project, always importing previous sessions, and have far fewer compatibility issues when using them across multiple machines. When the disc is full, you can always erase it and start using it all over again. That is the approach I use these days to move files across machines.

[cpitbull]

My $.02 . . . .

 

It is possible that there are issues going on here between the 2 drives and the media you are using.

CD-RW media comes in different speed flavors (regular, high speed and ultra speed). Drives come that way also. An older drive capable of only 1x-4x cd-rw speeds cannot write to "high" speed cd-rw media. A "High" speed rated drive cannot write to "ultra" speed media. You need to use media that is the lowest common denominator of your drives capabilities in order to move them around effectively.

 

CD-RW drives also come with or without "Mt Rainier" packet writing capabilities (sometimes referred to as "Easywrite" as I recall). Mt. Rainier capable drives needs to format only a portion of a media before it can start writing to it. Then it formats more of the media as it is needed during subsequent write operations. But, if you put a partially formatted media into a cd-rw drive that is not Mt. Rainier/EasyWrite capable, it cannot write to it. In order to effectively use a cd-rw media across Easywrite and non-Easywrite drives, you must make sure the media is fully formatted before writing to it with either drive. The bad news is that ECDC5 is flawed, as i recall, in that it does not offer the option to fully format a media on a Easywrite capable drive, so you would have to always format your media on the non-Easywrite drive before using it anywhere.

 

If you think this is all more trouble than it is worth (many of us have), you could just use your cd-rw media in DataCD Project, always importing previous sessions, and have far fewer compatibility issues when using them across multiple machines. When the disc is full, you can always erase it and start using it all over again. That is the approach I use these days to move files across machines.

 

 

 

Thanks for the input. Will check these issue and the other replys to see if that helps. Sounds like I wil need to forget about the DirectCD part and find another solution. That is what I liked about this software and without that it is just another writing software. I used Nero before and changed for the DirectCD. Looks like I did not need to change.

 

 

My $.02 . . . .

 

It is possible that there are issues going on here between the 2 drives and the media you are using.

CD-RW media comes in different speed flavors (regular, high speed and ultra speed). Drives come that way also. An older drive capable of only 1x-4x cd-rw speeds cannot write to "high" speed cd-rw media. A "High" speed rated drive cannot write to "ultra" speed media. You need to use media that is the lowest common denominator of your drives capabilities in order to move them around effectively.

 

CD-RW drives also come with or without "Mt Rainier" packet writing capabilities (sometimes referred to as "Easywrite" as I recall). Mt. Rainier capable drives needs to format only a portion of a media before it can start writing to it. Then it formats more of the media as it is needed during subsequent write operations. But, if you put a partially formatted media into a cd-rw drive that is not Mt. Rainier/EasyWrite capable, it cannot write to it. In order to effectively use a cd-rw media across Easywrite and non-Easywrite drives, you must make sure the media is fully formatted before writing to it with either drive. The bad news is that ECDC5 is flawed, as i recall, in that it does not offer the option to fully format a media on a Easywrite capable drive, so you would have to always format your media on the non-Easywrite drive before using it anywhere.

 

If you think this is all more trouble than it is worth (many of us have), you could just use your cd-rw media in DataCD Project, always importing previous sessions, and have far fewer compatibility issues when using them across multiple machines. When the disc is full, you can always erase it and start using it all over again. That is the approach I use these days to move files across machines.

[lynn98109]

Thanks for the input. Will check these issue and the other replys to see if that helps. Sounds like I wil need to forget about the DirectCD part and find another solution. That is what I liked about this software and without that it is just another writing software. I used Nero before and changed for the DirectCD. Looks like I did not need to change.

 

Nero's InCD can be just as much of a problem.

 

Packet-Writing is NOT the safest way to deal with data. Period.

 

Sessions is MUCH safer, even if you use a CD-RW and erase it afterward.

 

Lynn

[d_deweywright]

Thanks for the input. Will check these issue and the other replys to see if that helps. Sounds like I wil need to forget about the DirectCD part and find another solution. That is what I liked about this software and without that it is just another writing software. I used Nero before and changed for the DirectCD. Looks like I did not need to change.

Of course, if you're running Windows XP, the built-in burning capabilities make writing sessions terribly convenient, even though it appears more like drag-and-drop burning. Maybe that would be as easy for you?