Reading CDs/DVDs on other computers

[dflicata]

I have two computers at home, each running EMC8. They are not connected to each other, except through email. When I install a CD-RW or DVD-RW that I created on the other computer and try to read the files, sometimes I can and sometimes I can’t. The discs I can’t read on the other computer, I never can and the ones I can read on the other computer, I always can. It is consistent. Sometimes I can put in a DVD in the other computer and it shows nothing on it and says no disc space available. Other discs show nothing on it, but the correct amount of available space and I can even copy a file to it. And that is the only file it sees. When I put it in the originating computer, it only sees all its files, not the one that was added. However, like I said there are a couple of CD-RWs and DVD-RWs that I have created that work fine in both PCs.

 

I can’t figure out what to set the format options to in order to always be able to read it on the other computer. I always select “use the disc on other computers.” And I also select “leave the disc as is” under advanced settings, though I have tried other settings also.

 

What can I do to make sure the discs are read/writeable on both computers? This is driving me nuts. I need to move really big files between the two about once a month.

[lynn98109]

However, I then got myself a stack of pre-formated DVD-RWs. I was wondering if the way EMC8 was formatting the discs (and me being inconsistant on which options I selected - allowing compression or not, full or quick format). This way I could do the copy without EMC8 being force to do a format before I used them. Anyway, it worked for the first two DVDs I had to use. I can transfer back and forth between the two computers just fine.

Never heard of a pre-formatted DVD-RW - as James Hardin has said, the formatting among the various programs is all proprietary, and they don't support one another. And in memory of the files I lost on a formatted CD-RW, I don't format optical discs anymore.

 

For transferring files, had you not already made the investment in DVD-RWs, I would've suggested a Flash drive (aka Pen / Thumb / Keychain / Jump drive). They are fairly inexpensive up to 1GB, and can be found up to at least 4GB.

 

However, as to the discs, you could download DVDInfoPro from dvdinfopro.com (you can get it free, altho if you pay you don't have to keep getting it re-authorized), and find out who made the different discs. There are only a few factories, and most of the various brands order customized discs from those few factories.

 

Lynn

[dflicata]

Apparently, I don’t know anything about optical media. I was leaning on the old days of magnetic disks. The first several times I tried to copy to a CD or DVD RW (after EMC8 was installed), I remember it going into a format mode. It asked me if I wanted to do a quick format or a complete format. With these discs, it just let me do the copy. Because it was so quick and didn’t tell me it was formatting, I had assumed that it was because these were pre-formatted. So, either something was different about these discs or I had some setting changed so that it did things differently.

 

I can understand how formats can be different (I had assumed that was why it would come up and ask me if I wanted to be able to read the disc on other computers or not, even though I still couldn’t switch them between PCs). But I don’t understand the difference between not being pre-formatted and Lynn’s comment “And in memory of the files I lost on a formatted CD-RW, I don't format optical discs anymore”. Do they or don’t they need to be formatted? And if not, why bother unless the format is to serve some unique purpose. Thanks for the comments and sorry about the misleading bad assumptions. And thanks about the comment about the flash drive, I just looked and didn’t realize how inexpensive a 1GB was. I really need 4GB, but they weren’t too bad either.

[dflicata]

Thanks for the reply. My settings were those as shown in the attached image. I had gotten that from an earlier post. I tried using Creator Classic instead, but I got the same results.

 

However, I then got myself a stack of pre-formated DVD-RWs. I was wondering if the way EMC8 was formatting the discs (and me being inconsistant on which options I selected - allowing compression or not, full or quick format). This way I could do the copy without EMC8 being force to do a format before I used them. Anyway, it worked for the first two DVDs I had to use. I can transfer back and forth between the two computers just fine.

 

PS - I've been using Sony DVD-RWs and they turn to garbage after only a few uses. The Maxell CD-RWs have lasted a long time and Office Depot house brand is the DVD-RW that just worked for me, but I only used them a couple of times.

[james_hardin]

Thanks for the reply. My settings were those as shown in the attached image. I had gotten that from an earlier post. I tried using Creator Classic instead, but I got the same results.

 

However, I then got myself a stack of pre-formated DVD-RWs. I was wondering if the way EMC8 was formatting the discs (and me being inconsistant on which options I selected - allowing compression or not, full or quick format). This way I could do the copy without EMC8 being force to do a format before I used them. Anyway, it worked for the first two DVDs I had to use. I can transfer back and forth between the two computers just fine.

 

PS - I've been using Sony DVD-RWs and they turn to garbage after only a few uses. The Maxell CD-RWs have lasted a long time and Office Depot house brand is the DVD-RW that just worked for me, but I only used them a couple of times.

 

You have my curiosity up, because I have never seen such a thing as "pre-formatted" optical media…

 

Classic could never use such a thing because it requires blank media.

 

I do not understand what format could be used because InCD, D2D, DLA, etc. all use different formats and are not compatible with each other…

 

Can you point me to the source for these so I can see what they have to say?

[james_hardin]

The only similarity between optical media and magnetic media is that both are round!

 

Optical media is written (burned) by Authoring (Classic) or Packet Writing (Drag to Disc)

 

Packet writing is the only burning that requires you to format the media. It can do it at the time it first writes to a blank disc. Full formatting takes about 20 minutes so something called Easy Write technology came along that allows incremental formatting to improve speed.

 

Packet writers intercept Window calls to copy files to optical media. If you are using Explorer or choose Save As from within a program and direct it to the Burner drive.

 

Packet writing makes the media behave like a big floppy but sadly has proven very unreliable. Lynn was referring to a large number of files she lost using packet writing some time ago.

 

If all you are doing is using the media to transfer files between PCs, packet writing shines (dimly) for that use! But to do this it is better to Full Format the media and make sure all PCs have the same eject settings –Leave Disc As Is. Likewise they must have the same packet writer. I have Roxio V5 DirectCD at work and use DCD V7 & V8 at home. I can interchange files between these without a problem, although some discs fail after only 3 uses…

 

Better than all media methods is a home network. I installed one about 8 years ago and have never looked back! Wireless prices are dropping so you wouldn't have to drill holes and run wiring like I did.

[grandpabruce]

I have two computers at home, each running EMC8. They are not connected to each other, except through email. When I install a CD-RW or DVD-RW that I created on the other computer and try to read the files, sometimes I can and sometimes I can’t. The discs I can’t read on the other computer, I never can and the ones I can read on the other computer, I always can. It is consistent. Sometimes I can put in a DVD in the other computer and it shows nothing on it and says no disc space available. Other discs show nothing on it, but the correct amount of available space and I can even copy a file to it. And that is the only file it sees. When I put it in the originating computer, it only sees all its files, not the one that was added. However, like I said there are a couple of CD-RWs and DVD-RWs that I have created that work fine in both PCs.

 

I can’t figure out what to set the format options to in order to always be able to read it on the other computer. I always select “use the disc on other computers.” And I also select “leave the disc as is” under advanced settings, though I have tried other settings also.

 

What can I do to make sure the discs are read/writeable on both computers? This is driving me nuts. I need to move really big files between the two about once a month.

 

There is a very simple solution. Quit using Drag to Disc, and start using Creator Classic. You can still use the RW's to do that, and you can re-use them.

 

You are using Drag to Disc for the only thing that it should be used, but for whatever reason, one of the computers is choking on the disk/disc.

[james_hardin]

Or if you go under Advance Eject Settings you can set both to Leave the Disc as is. That will take care of most read problems.

 

Do this on both machines.