Ejecting Disk After Format

[NJean]

I am using Easy CD & DVD burning software. I am formatting CDRW disks. These will be used as backup disks on an analyzer at my medical lab job. When ejecting I don't know what to choose so they can be used on the analyzer. If I "close disk", I assume it is only available as a read-only. If I choose leave open, the statement is that it will be useable on this computer or any computer with drag to disc. How do I make it so it can be written to at a computer without drag to disc?

[lynn98109]

1. If this data is something you want to KEEP, as opposed to simply moving to another computer and afterward erasing the RW disc to reuse it, use R media. RW is good for things like transferring data, or testing (if it works, re-do with R media; if it doesn't, erase and re-try), but too unstable for long-term archiving.

 

2. For something that can be used on any compuer, use RecordNow Data Disc, WinXP's built-in burning, or another Sessions-based program. Packet-Writing (the thing you do formatting for) is notorious for being incompatible with other Packet-Writing programs and even other Versions of the same program. If the other computer doesn't have the same Version of the same program, it is probably not going to be readable - altho WinXP has a good .udf reader built in and may be able to.

 

3. If you put a Packet-Written disc in a computer and it asks you to install a reader, DON'T. You will likely be back asking how to get rid of the message a driver has been disabled, every time you restart the computer.

 

If you don't want to use R media and Data Disc, consider getting a Flash drive (aka Thumb / Keychain / Jump / Pen drive). Altho CDs are bigger and easier to keep track of, a Flash drive will do what you want if both compuers have USB ports.

 

Lynn

[Jim_Hardin]

Of course if you Close the disc nothing is going to be able to write to it!

 

For the rest, it really depends on your other software…

 

In theory any disc that is formatted for packet writing and not closed can be written to by any other packet writer. But in the real world, most discs are only writable by the same program that formatted them!

 

Short answer – don't know, go try it and see!

 

Another thought… If your analyzer software is on a Vista PC, Vista has a built in packet writer!!! Format the disc there using Vista's Live File System and it is good to go.

 

One other thing. CD-R media is much more reliable. Yes they are still write once and will fill up but they are less than 5¢ each… Your data is worth a nickel?

 

The RW's are great to experiment with but they wear out and become unreadable over time.