CD-RW Formatting

[Tom Hilton]

What is the difference between erasing and formatting a
disk?

The option to erase a disk doesn't appear under CD
Writing Tasks in the CD writing window in XP and I don't
even know how to format one.

I know that the option to erase a disk sometimes doesn't
appear if the disk is full but this is not the case with
the ones I am working with.

All I want to do is get all the files off of some CD-RW's
and it's not working!

Any ideas people?

 

[wojo]

What is the difference between erasing and formatting a
disk?

The option to erase a disk doesn't appear under CD
Writing Tasks in the CD writing window in XP and I don't
even know how to format one.

I know that the option to erase a disk sometimes doesn't
appear if the disk is full but this is not the case with
the ones I am working with.

All I want to do is get all the files off of some CD-RW's
and it's not working!

Any ideas people?

In control panel right click on the CDRW drive and select Format from the
menu.
This will NOT work however if you have InCD or a similar program installed
in which case you have to use InCD's format command which varies depending
on the program.

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[dev]

/Tom Hilton/ said:

What is the difference between erasing and formatting a
disk?

The option to erase a disk doesn't appear under CD
Writing Tasks in the CD writing window in XP and I don't
even know how to format one.

I know that the option to erase a disk sometimes doesn't
appear if the disk is full but this is not the case with
the ones I am working with.

All I want to do is get all the files off of some CD-RW's
and it's not working!

XP's built-in burning capability is limited. It will not format a disk,
to be used as a giant floppy. Files on CD/RW disks can not be deleted
individually; the entire disk must be erased. For the scoop, click here...

http://www.aumha.org/a/xpcd.htm

Topics covered include:

1. Fundamentals
a. The ISO File System
b. The UDF File System
2. The Inbuilt System in Windows XP
3. Reading UDF Format Disks in Windows XP
4. Third Party Software, & Upgrading to Windows XP
5. Writing & Using UDF Format Disks in Windows XP
6. Settings for the Inbuilt Software
7. Problems
a. There is no recording page...
b. My CD drives have vanished...
8. More Information

Additionally, you can find a small list of MS Knowledge Base articles on
troubleshooting CD problems by clicking "CD & DVD Drives" here:
http://aumha.org/kbhrdwar.htm

 

[NobodyMan]

In control panel right click on the CDRW drive and select Format from the
menu.

1. There is no CDRW drive anywhere in Control Panel.
2. Even if there was, there is no "Format" available in XP.
Formatting CD media is not supported under XP. Period. End of
disucssion.

This will NOT work however if you have InCD or a similar program installed
in which case you have to use InCD's format command which varies depending
on the program.

It won't work period, regardless of whether InCD is installed, for the
reasons I provided above.

kwoyach[SPAM]@yahoo[SPAM].com
TO Email: Remove [SPAM]
If I can help you I will.
If you can help me thanks.

 

[wojo]

oops, meant My Computer not Cntrol Panel. I'm old lol
Yes Formatting a CDRW IS supported by XP PERIOD. I do it all the time so if
you can't on your computer doesn't mean it isn't supported. But Format under
My Computer will not work if InCD is installed.
Formatting DVDRW is NOT supported with Windows XP but CDRW is.

PERIOD

In control panel right click on the CDRW drive and select Format from the
menu.

1. There is no CDRW drive anywhere in Control Panel.
2. Even if there was, there is no "Format" available in XP.
Formatting CD media is not supported under XP. Period. End of
disucssion.

This will NOT work however if you have InCD or a similar program installed
in which case you have to use InCD's format command which varies depending
on the program.

It won't work period, regardless of whether InCD is installed, for the
reasons I provided above.

kwoyach[SPAM]@yahoo[SPAM].com
TO Email: Remove [SPAM]
If I can help you I will.
If you can help me thanks.

 

[NobodyMan]

oops, meant My Computer not Cntrol Panel. I'm old lol
Yes Formatting a CDRW IS supported by XP PERIOD. I do it all the time so if
you can't on your computer doesn't mean it isn't supported. But Format under
My Computer will not work if InCD is installed.
Formatting DVDRW is NOT supported with Windows XP but CDRW is.

PERIOD

Formatting a CDR(W) is NOT supported by XP - PERIOD - at least not
natively. If you have that as an option, it is because you have some
third party app loaded that provides that functionality. It is
available using XP's native writing tools.

 

[Barry Watzman]

It's important to understand that there are two ways to write to a CD:

-ISO Standard
-UDF (also known as "packet writing")

They are totally different.

ISO Standard writing is done with a CD burning application (Nero or Easy
CD-Creator) that you open and explicitly create a layout and burn the CD.

UDF is a "drag and drop" application, the CD is made to appear to the
user like a floppy disk.

ONLY UDF writing involves "formatting" the CD AT ALL. The whole concept
does not apply to ISO Standard writing.

Windows does ISO standard writing, but makes it look kind of like UDF.
It saves copies of the files to be written to the CD in a special system
folder, then burns them all at once.

It's important to understand that UDF format CDs are not "ISO Standard".
In general, this means that may well not be recognized on any computer
other than the one that they are written on, or that has the same or a
compatible UDF software package installed.

Both Nero and Roxio come with both ISO and UDF software. The UDF
components are called "Direct CD" (Roxio) and "In CD" (Nero), or
sometimes "Drag to Disc" (a widely used term).

Now I'm going to get controversial: It's my opinion (and only that)
that UDF should simply never be used, at all, ever, period. And
normally, when I install Nero or Roxio software, I don't even install it
(which requires a "custom" installation, because both packages, by
default, do install this software). UDF is one of those standards that
was developed for the purpose of "dumbing down" CD writing so that
non-techies could do it without knowing how to use a CD burning
application or knowing anything at all about a CD layout. However, in
my experience, it's caused more problems than it solved, and has
muddied, rather than clarified the use of burnable CDs. The dummies for
whom UDF was created simply have no idea what they are doing, they try
to do things that are illogical, that don't make sense and they have no
concept that they are being exposed to different elements of two
entirely different worlds without understanding either one of them.

 

[CS]

On Sun, 04 Apr 2004 20:51:54 -0400, Barry Watzman

Good post. I totally agree with you.

 

[wojo]

Formatting a CDR(W) is NOT supported by XP - PERIOD - at least not
natively. If you have that as an option, it is because you have some
third party app loaded that provides that functionality. It is
available using XP's native writing tools.

Yeah I thought of that possibility as well.
I thought maybe I spoke too soon but I can't imagine what I've installed
that added the format option. The only thing I've installed relating to CD
burning is Nero and there's nothing in their documentation relating to that.
So if your right, and I'm not saying your not, then I have no idea what it
is that I installed. Also I have CD Writers on 3 boxes and I just checked,
they ALL allow me to right click from My Computer and format a CD.

 

[Shane]

Now I'm going to get controversial: It's my opinion (and only that)

that UDF should simply never be used, at all, ever, period. And
normally, when I install Nero or Roxio software, I don't even install it
(which requires a "custom" installation, because both packages, by
default, do install this software). UDF is one of those standards that
was developed for the purpose of "dumbing down" CD writing so that
non-techies could do it without knowing how to use a CD burning
application or knowing anything at all about a CD layout. However, in
my experience, it's caused more problems than it solved, and has
muddied, rather than clarified the use of burnable CDs. The dummies for
whom UDF was created simply have no idea what they are doing, they try
to do things that are illogical, that don't make sense and they have no
concept that they are being exposed to different elements of two
entirely different worlds without understanding either one of them.

You might as well say Windows should never be used.


Shane

 

[NobodyMan]

Yeah I thought of that possibility as well.
I thought maybe I spoke too soon but I can't imagine what I've installed
that added the format option. The only thing I've installed relating to CD
burning is Nero and there's nothing in their documentation relating to that.
So if your right, and I'm not saying your not, then I have no idea what it
is that I installed. Also I have CD Writers on 3 boxes and I just checked,
they ALL allow me to right click from My Computer and format a CD.

If you installed Ahead Nero, and didn't do a custom install, the it
installs InCD by default. InCD is a packet-writing program that
requires the media to be formatted before it can be used.

I won't claim that I know if the formatting option is available via a
right-click on the drive in My Computer. as I don't have any UDF
software on my box. It is inherently unreliable and I won't use it.

 

[wojo]

If you installed Ahead Nero, and didn't do a custom install, the it
installs InCD by default. InCD is a packet-writing program that
requires the media to be formatted before it can be used.

I won't claim that I know if the formatting option is available via a
right-click on the drive in My Computer. as I don't have any UDF
software on my box. It is inherently unreliable and I won't use it.

No I did a custom install, always do, and I made it a point to NOT install
InCD because it messes up some other things in XP such as with InCD
installed regular drag & drop then burn by clicking on Burn These Files to
CD doesn't work and sometimes for temporary backing up of files it is the
easiest and fastest way to do it. I don't have the slightest idea why I can
right click in My Computer to format a CD and aparently others can't.
Maybe I got caught in the Twilight Zone

 

[NobodyMan]

No I did a custom install, always do, and I made it a point to NOT install
InCD because it messes up some other things in XP such as with InCD
installed regular drag & drop then burn by clicking on Burn These Files to
CD doesn't work and sometimes for temporary backing up of files it is the
easiest and fastest way to do it. I don't have the slightest idea why I can
right click in My Computer to format a CD and aparently others can't.
Maybe I got caught in the Twilight Zone

You, or whoever you got your box from, MUST have installed some UDF
program. XP does not...again, does not...include ANY UDF native
capability. None. No packet-writing without third party software.

I don't know what is installed on your computer, but some third party
UDF software is installed. I guarantee it.

 

[wojo]

You, or whoever you got your box from, MUST have installed some UDF
program. XP does not...again, does not...include ANY UDF native
capability. None. No packet-writing without third party software.

I don't know what is installed on your computer, but some third party
UDF software is installed. I guarantee it.

I'm not disputing that anymore at this point.
That I installed something is obvious since I appear to be the only one that
can do this.
I just can't for the life of me figure out what it was.
I didn't get my box from anybody I built it.
It isn't important at this time I am just trying to figure out what I
installed so I give correct advice in the future, not including pointing the
op to Control Panel instead of My Computer that was just a malfunction to
the left frontal lobe of my brain. LOL

 

[Yvonne]

I've been having issues with formatting CD-RW using Roxio
Direct CD. At my office we only need to format the CDs.
What software would you recommend for this? Thanks.

 

[wojo]

Nero

I've been having issues with formatting CD-RW using Roxio
Direct CD. At my office we only need to format the CDs.
What software would you recommend for this? Thanks.