"deleting" files from CD-R's

[Albert911emt]

I have a Acer CD-RW drive, and a HP DVD/CD-RW drive. I
have HP's DVD/CD burning software installed...not using
any other burning software, except for Windows own burning
software. I used to be able to delete files from CD-
R's...of course files don't actually get deleted from CD-
R's, Windows, or whatever software you use, would simply
make the "deleted" file invisable, thereby making it seem
it had been deleted. But Windows XP is refusing to do this
for me. In fact Windows refuses to allow any changes to
files already on the CD-R...all I can do is add new files,
or over write existing files with new versions, but
deleting files isn't allowed for some reason. I don't know
if this is by design, or something else is going on. But I
would like to be able to "delete" files from CD-R's again.
I have tried to use HP's sfotware, but it doesn't have the
capability. How can I do this? Is it even possible, or do
I need to give up on Widnows doing it for me, and buy some
third party software instead?

 

[NobodyMan]

Use CD- RW disks instead.

That doesn'r really answer the problem described.

To "delete" the files you have to be using packet-writing software.
WinXP doesn't have native packet writing ability. You need
third-party software to provide this capability.

Roxio's DirectCD (it has a new name now, but I don't use Roxio so
don't know the name) works on both CDR and CDRW media; Nero InCD works
only on CDRW media. There may be other companies that make packet
writing software out there too; you'll have to search them out
yourself.

Bear in mind: the format used in one company's packet-writing system
may be proprietary. Try sticking a DirectCD formatted disc in a
system that uses InCD - you won't be able to read the disc.

 

[mrtee]

I don't use Roxio either, so pardon my ignorance of the fact that it treats CD-R as CD-RW.

Albert, download DLA from the HP web site, that will give you drag & drop with CD-RW media. Go to www.stompinc.com (RecordNow & DLA) if you would like to find out more about it, or purchase it. I use it and it works just fine.

--
Just my 2¢ worth,
Jeff
__________in response to__________
| On Thu, 17 Jul 2003 18:00:10 -0500, "mrtee" <hingelickeratnew.rr.com>
| wrote:
|
| >Use CD- RW disks instead.
|
| That doesn'r really answer the problem described.
|
| To "delete" the files you have to be using packet-writing software.
| WinXP doesn't have native packet writing ability. You need
| third-party software to provide this capability.
|
| Roxio's DirectCD (it has a new name now, but I don't use Roxio so
| don't know the name) works on both CDR and CDRW media; Nero InCD works
| only on CDRW media. There may be other companies that make packet
| writing software out there too; you'll have to search them out
| yourself.
|
| Bear in mind: the format used in one company's packet-writing system
| may be proprietary. Try sticking a DirectCD formatted disc in a
| system that uses InCD - you won't be able to read the disc.
|
|

 

[Edward]

Thats not entirely true.
When you add new files to an exisitng CD you are creating a new table of
contents on the disc. This table of contents includes the locations of all
the old files and all the new ones. To "delete" files from the disk you
would just need to create a new table of contents with references to some
but not all of the exisitng files. This would not free up space on the disc
but it would make the files effectively invisible.

I don't know if the XP built in software allows this but it is certainly
possible without having to use packet writing software.

 

[NobodyMan]

Thats not entirely true.
When you add new files to an exisitng CD you are creating a new table of
contents on the disc. This table of contents includes the locations of all
the old files and all the new ones. To "delete" files from the disk you
would just need to create a new table of contents with references to some
but not all of the exisitng files. This would not free up space on the disc
but it would make the files effectively invisible.

I don't know if the XP built in software allows this but it is certainly
possible without having to use packet writing software

I've never been able to delete files from CDRs or CDRWs that were
mastered (NOT using packet writing). Attempting to do so always
generated an error, just as you would get if you attempted to erase a
file from a regular, non-writable CD.

Packet-writing software provides this functionality however.

Of course I will always concede not to know every little thing about
burning CDs - I can only speak from my experience and from the
complaints of those who I help in my job.