CD-R vs. CD-RW

[Footie]

1. If CD-R is "write once" why can I keep adding files to it in Windows.

2. Can I play a CD-R from one computer to another?


3.When I erase an cd-RW, do I get the space back that the old file occupied?

4 When I use an CD-RW in Windows, it never asks me to "finalize" it?

Thanks

 

[Jim]

1. If CD-R is "write once" why can I keep adding files to it in Windows.

2. Can I play a CD-R from one computer to another?


3.When I erase an cd-RW, do I get the space back that the old file
occupied?

4 When I use an CD-RW in Windows, it never asks me to "finalize" it?

Thanks

Answer 1: Because what is actually happening is the drive can add files at
the end of the disk. If you are replacing a file, the drive first marks the
existing location as invalid and the write the file once again at the end of
the disk.

Answer 2: Yes, if you close the disk properly.

Answer 3: Yes

Answer 4: CD-RW disks do not need to be "finalized" (closed properly).

Jim

 

[Bruce Hagen]

1. If CD-R is "write once" why can I keep adding files to it in Windows.

2. Can I play a CD-R from one computer to another?


3.When I erase an cd-RW, do I get the space back that the old file
occupied?

4 When I use an CD-RW in Windows, it never asks me to "finalize" it?

Thanks

1: Because it's "write once".

2: Yes. If the other machine has a CD reader.

3: Yes.

4: CD-RWs do not need the *finalize* step for it to be compatible in another
CD reader.

 

[Patrick Keenan]

1. If CD-R is "write once" why can I keep adding files to it in Windows.

Because the CD-R is multi-session, and you can add a number of sessions.
But you can't delete.

2. Can I play a CD-R from one computer to another?

Yes, the CD should be readable.

3.When I erase an cd-RW, do I get the space back that the old file
occupied?

Yes. It's re-writable, meaning that you can write over what had been
there.

4 When I use an CD-RW in Windows, it never asks me to "finalize" it?

That's a CD-R requirement.

 

[M.I.5¾]

1. If CD-R is "write once" why can I keep adding files to it in Windows.

CD-Rs were traditionally write once in that once they had been written,
nothing could be added or taken away. The Orange Book specification
introduced a new way of writing disks where the table of contents (TOC) was
written to an otherwise unused part of the disc. The burner thus wrote the
files, put the table of contents on the unused part of the disc and cleverly
left a blank entry on the end of it. Thus it became possible to write
further files to the disc and add the extra information to the TOC and once
again leave a blank entry. If and when the disc was closed, the TOC was
copied to the place that it would normally reside minus the trailing blank
entry.

2. Can I play a CD-R from one computer to another?

Yes. ... and No. Although with virtually all modern drives, the disc
written on one burner can be read by another without exception, this has not
always been the case. The XP inbuilt CD burning utility writes discs in a
technically invalid format. A number of older CD drives cannot read discs
written in this format. This is strange because the utility was provided by
Roxio whose other products all burn in the correct format. Also very old
drives won't recognise multi-session discs unless they are closed, and even
then won't recognise anything other than the first session.

3.When I erase an cd-RW, do I get the space back that the old file
occupied?

Yes.

4 When I use an CD-RW in Windows, it never asks me to "finalize" it?

I all depends what utility you use to write it, but the XP inbuilt utility
has no provision for finalising CD-R or CD-RW discs. In actuality, a CD-RW
disc can be closed just the same way as a CD-R can. The only difference is
that the former can be erased, that latter can't.