I have a dvd rewiter. I am trying to save a file on a cd on it so I can
access it on another computer that only has a cd drive. I save my file but it
will only save as a read only file. I have gone into the properties and tried
to change it to archive but it blocks me and says this is not allowed. The
original file on the c drive is not a read only file. I can't understand why
it keeps changing it.
can any one help?

I missed a bit off my question. The cd drive says it is a'cd rewritable' so I
assumed it was not a cd rom which I know is read only memory.

"louise" wrote:

> I have a dvd rewiter. I am trying to save a file on a cd on it so I can
> access it on another computer that only has a cd drive. I save my file but it
> will only save as a read only file. I have gone into the properties and tried
> to change it to archive but it blocks me and says this is not allowed. The
> original file on the c drive is not a read only file. I can't understand why
> it keeps changing it.
> can any one help?

louise wrote:
> I have a dvd rewiter. I am trying to save a file on a cd on it so I can
> access it on another computer that only has a cd drive. I save my file but it
> will only save as a read only file. I have gone into the properties and tried
> to change it to archive but it blocks me and says this is not allowed. The
> original file on the c drive is not a read only file. I can't understand why
> it keeps changing it.
> can any one help?
Hello Louise

Are you using the in-built CD writing tool in XP? This will write the
data as a standard CD-ROM. Since standard CD-R's can only be written
once, any file saved on a CD becomes read only. This does not stop you
opening the file however. If you really want to change the file, you
could copy it off the CD onto the other computers hard drive and then
change it.

Even if you are using a rewritable cd you generally can't change the
files you write to the disk, you can only erase it and start all over
again, unless you have special software installed. (known as packet
writing software)

Thanks Matt, I thought it might be a case of opening it, wiping the copy on
the disc then re-saving the updated version.

"Matt" wrote:

> louise wrote:
> > I have a dvd rewiter. I am trying to save a file on a cd on it so I can
> > access it on another computer that only has a cd drive. I save my file but it
> > will only save as a read only file. I have gone into the properties and tried
> > to change it to archive but it blocks me and says this is not allowed. The
> > original file on the c drive is not a read only file. I can't understand why
> > it keeps changing it.
> > can any one help?
> Hello Louise
>
> Are you using the in-built CD writing tool in XP? This will write the
> data as a standard CD-ROM. Since standard CD-R's can only be written
> once, any file saved on a CD becomes read only. This does not stop you
> opening the file however. If you really want to change the file, you
> could copy it off the CD onto the other computers hard drive and then
> change it.
>
> Even if you are using a rewritable cd you generally can't change the
> files you write to the disk, you can only erase it and start all over
> again, unless you have special software installed. (known as packet
> writing software)
>

"louise" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:E72EA9CA-08F3-42BD-8A64-(E-Mail Removed)...
>I have a dvd rewiter. I am trying to save a file on a cd on it so I can
> access it on another computer that only has a cd drive. I save my file but
> it
> will only save as a read only file. I have gone into the properties and
> tried
> to change it to archive but it blocks me and says this is not allowed. The
> original file on the c drive is not a read only file. I can't understand
> why
> it keeps changing it.
> can any one help?

Any file on a CD or DVD becomes read-only because you can't edit files there
(unless you format it for packet writing with 3rd party software). Copy
what you want from the DVD to your hard drive. Only if you want to edit
while on your hard drive do you need to change its properties by removing
the checkmark before Read Only in Properties. Even it you did that, when
you copy the files to a CD for your friend they will become Read Only again.

Your friend will probably already know (or you can tell him/her) that the
files will need to be copied to his/her hard drive, and remove the checkmark
before Read Only before the files can be changed/edited.

You can't remove the Read Only attribute of files while they are still on a
CD/DVD unless they have been formatted for packet writing using 3rd party
software.