Disc-at-once mode?

[Guest]

A firmware update I am intending to download from Sony via my XPPro system,
says I have to copy a file to cd-r in 'disc-at-once mode'. I have never
heard of there being any 'modes' when copying files to cd before, and I can
find no such options on the system. Can someone tell me how to set these
modes and how to determine what mode I have been using these past several
years?

Regards,

S

 

[Nil]

A firmware update I am intending to download from Sony via my
XPPro system, says I have to copy a file to cd-r in 'disc-at-once
mode'. I have never heard of there being any 'modes' when copying
files to cd before, and I can find no such options on the system.

You don't say what program you're using to make the CD-R, so we can
only guess.

"Disk at Once" pertains to normal CD-R burning methods, not to packet
writing methods. That setting has nothing do do with the operating
system. Look in the options for your CD burning program.

 

[Guest]

You don't say what program you're using to make the CD-R, so we can
only guess.

"Disk at Once" pertains to normal CD-R burning methods, not to packet
writing methods. That setting has nothing do do with the operating
system. Look in the options for your CD burning program.

Thanks Nil,

I wasn't aware of having any 'programme' for burning CDs - in general usage
at least - I just right click and go 'send to' and XP does the rest. Device
Manager shows that the burner/drive is an 'HL-DT-ST CD-RW GCE-8483B', and
its properties sheet only gives options for the volume, 'enable digital
audio', and for updating the driver. There is no 'front end' for programme
settings as far as I can see. I had always assumed its control was just a
built-in part of the XP package.

I do also have a Roxio CD burner, which I have used on occasion for dragging
and dropping files direct to CD-RW, but since memory sticks got so cheap and
capacious I have almost no use for this capability now, so I tend just to
use the XP standard method as above.

However, I had tended to assume that Sony would be telling me to use the
most common method, and from what you say this is likely to be the one I
have been using all along. I was a little put off by getting a message when
I went to copy to disc, that 'the file had attachments that would be lost,
but the contents would be unaffected', so I thought I had better ask for
more info here before going ahead and possibly screwing up our new dvd/hdd
recorder with a failed firmware update!

Thanks for your advice,

S

 

[Bill in Co.]

Thanks Nil,

I wasn't aware of having any 'programme' for burning CDs - in general usage
at least - I just right click and go 'send to' and XP does the rest. Device
Manager shows that the burner/drive is an 'HL-DT-ST CD-RW GCE-8483B', and
its properties sheet only gives options for the volume, 'enable digital
audio', and for updating the driver. There is no 'front end' for programme
settings as far as I can see. I had always assumed its control was just a
built-in part of the XP package.

I do also have a Roxio CD burner, which I have used on occasion for dragging
and dropping files direct to CD-RW, but since memory sticks got so cheap and
capacious I have almost no use for this capability now, so I tend just to
use the XP standard method as above.

However, I had tended to assume that Sony would be telling me to use the
most common method,

And/or that it is the least problematic mode. The safest, most
universal, and least (potentially) problematic way to save (and be able to
restore from) anything on a CD-R is using the DAO (Disk At Once) mode, and
not packets or TAO Track At Once mode. The only disadvantage being that
once you record it using DAO, it is finished; you can't add to it later.
But CD-Rs are cheap now.

 

[Poprivet`]

You don't say what program you're using to make the CD-R, so we can
only guess.

"Disk at Once" pertains to normal CD-R burning methods, not to packet
writing methods. That setting has nothing do do with the operating
system. Look in the options for your CD burning program.

It sounds like he might only have the native XP burning app?

 

[Poprivet`]

A firmware update I am intending to download from Sony via my XPPro
system, says I have to copy a file to cd-r in 'disc-at-once mode'. I
have never heard of there being any 'modes' when copying files to cd
before, and I can find no such options on the system. Can someone
tell me how to set these modes and how to determine what mode I have
been using these past several years?

Regards,

S

That only means to do the whole thing at once. You can do the same
thing manually if you can't figure out how to get your CD software to do
it.

Just copy EVERYthing to the hard drive.
Then burn it to a CD, all in one session.
Close the CD when you're done.

That's all "disk at once" does. If you want free packet writing
software with that feature clearly named, try out the Nero apps.

HTH

Twayne

 

[Nil]

It sounds like he might only have the native XP burning app?

I guess you're right. I've never used that, so I had forgotten about
it.

 

[M.I.5¾]

A firmware update I am intending to download from Sony via my XPPro system,
says I have to copy a file to cd-r in 'disc-at-once mode'. I have never
heard of there being any 'modes' when copying files to cd before, and I can
find no such options on the system. Can someone tell me how to set these
modes and how to determine what mode I have been using these past several
years?

I general terms, CD writing utilities, write the data to a CD and then
compile the directory and Table of Contents (TOC) and write that to the
disc. Also when writing audio tracks, the tracks are individually written.
For most purposes this is entiely adequate as PC drives have no difficulty
negotiating the gaps that are introduced.

For some purposes, the disc has to have all of its data written in one
contigous track. Such examples are audio discs that are being made for
commercial mastering purposes, and presmably whatever your download is
intended for (you do not specify - firmware upgrade for something perhaps?).
Some older utilities could only write anything other than a 2 second gap
between audio tracks by writing in this mode. Selecting 'disc at once' mode
causes the burning utility to compile the directory and the TOC before
burning anything to the disc. It can then write the whole lot out as one
continuous stream of data leaving no gaps on the final disc. Thus it writes
the whole disc in one go. It should be noted that, 'disc at once' can only
produce a finalised disc.

 

[M.I.5¾]

Thanks Nil,

I wasn't aware of having any 'programme' for burning CDs - in general
usage at least - I just right click and go 'send to' and XP does the rest.
Device Manager shows that the burner/drive is an 'HL-DT-ST CD-RW
GCE-8483B', and its properties sheet only gives options for the volume,
'enable digital audio', and for updating the driver. There is no 'front
end' for programme settings as far as I can see. I had always assumed its
control was just a built-in part of the XP package.

I do also have a Roxio CD burner, which I have used on occasion for
dragging and dropping files direct to CD-RW, but since memory sticks got
so cheap and capacious I have almost no use for this capability now, so I
tend just to use the XP standard method as above.

However, I had tended to assume that Sony would be telling me to use the
most common method, and from what you say this is likely to be the one I
have been using all along. I was a little put off by getting a message
when I went to copy to disc, that 'the file had attachments that would be
lost, but the contents would be unaffected', so I thought I had better ask
for more info here before going ahead and possibly screwing up our new
dvd/hdd recorder with a failed firmware update!

XP's built in CD burning utility does not support 'disc at once' mode. The
NTFS filing system supports some extra file attributes that the CD filing
system does not (these are the attachments that are being lost). These
seldom cause trouble.

Now that you have declared what you require this for, I suspect that the
DVD/HDD recorder requires a finalised contigous data track (most video DVD
players do). You cannot create this with XP's own burning utility.

 

[smlunatick]

That only means to do the whole thing at once.  You can do the same
thing manually if you can't figure out how to get your CD software to do
it.

Just copy EVERYthing to the hard drive.
Then burn it to a CD, all in one session.
  Close the CD when you're done.

That's all "disk at once" does.  If you want free packet writing
software with that feature clearly named, try out the Nero apps.

HTH

Twayne

Nero packet writing software InCD is not "free." You can geta trial
version.

 

[kimiraikkonen]

Nero packet writing software InCD is not "free." You can geta trial
version.

Note that the RW disc must be formatted in UDF to use InCD.

 

[smlunatick]

Note that the RW disc must be formatted in UDF to use InCD.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

InCD will handle all the formatting. XP does not do UDF natively.

 

[kimiraikkonen]

InCD will handle all the formatting.  XP does not do UDF natively.- Hidequoted text -

- Show quoted text -

It's already apparent. Anyway a packet writing software, doesn't
matter it's InCD or not, cannot write via drag and drop method without
formatting disc in UDF at first.

Don't know whether XP supporst different disc writing formats, IMAPI
is a built-in quick solution but don't know if it's stable or not.

 

[M.I.5¾]

That only means to do the whole thing at once. You can do the same
thing manually if you can't figure out how to get your CD software to do
it.

Just copy EVERYthing to the hard drive.
Then burn it to a CD, all in one session.
Close the CD when you're done.

That's all "disk at once" does. If you want free packet writing
software with that feature clearly named, try out the Nero apps.

HTH

Twayne

Nero packet writing software InCD is not "free." You can geta trial
version.

 

[M.I.5¾]

Note that the RW disc must be formatted in UDF to use InCD.- Hide quoted
text -

- Show quoted text -

InCD will handle all the formatting. XP does not do UDF natively.

-------------

It should be noted that InCD (or any other packet writing utility) should
never be used to archive important data to CD-RW, CD-R, DVD-RW or DV-R.
Packet writing is not 100% reliable to those format disks as the write head
is only able to locate the end of the data track to within +/- 2 data
blocks. It very occasionally misses and overwrites part of the data or
(worse) the TOC rendering the disk useless.

Writing to DVD+RW or DVD+R is 100% reliable as the write head can locate the
end of the data track with byte accuracy. This in fact, is the source of
the oft touted recommendation that data should always be written to the DVD+
format.

 

[Guest]

InCD will handle all the formatting. XP does not do UDF natively.

-------------

It should be noted that InCD (or any other packet writing utility) should
never be used to archive important data to CD-RW, CD-R, DVD-RW or DV-R.
Packet writing is not 100% reliable to those format disks as the write
head is only able to locate the end of the data track to within +/- 2 data
blocks. It very occasionally misses and overwrites part of the data or
(worse) the TOC rendering the disk useless.

Writing to DVD+RW or DVD+R is 100% reliable as the write head can locate
the end of the data track with byte accuracy. This in fact, is the source
of the oft touted recommendation that data should always be written to the
DVD+ format.

Many many thanks to all who contributed to this thread. '¾ you are a
veritable goldmine of information!
I had already been bewildered by the vast and conflicting range of DVD dos
and don'ts in the Sony handbook, and had not even began to think of there
being just as much complication on CD/PC end as well! Never again will I
just right click on a file and send it to CD!

Anyhow, it turns out that Roxio does have the necessary settings, but by
default was set to Joliet and 'track at once' so very glad I asked you all
first!

Have now done the copy and am reasonably confident that I may not destroy
the recorder. I have a lot of clearing of the HDD to go before doing the
update, but will report back when completed.

Cheers to you all.

Spamlet

 

[Guest]

Many many thanks to all who contributed to this thread. '¾ you are a
veritable goldmine of information!
I had already been bewildered by the vast and conflicting range of DVD dos
and don'ts in the Sony handbook, and had not even began to think of there
being just as much complication on CD/PC end as well! Never again will I
just right click on a file and send it to CD!

Anyhow, it turns out that Roxio does have the necessary settings, but by
default was set to Joliet and 'track at once' so very glad I asked you all
first!

Have now done the copy and am reasonably confident that I may not destroy
the recorder. I have a lot of clearing of the HDD to go before doing the
update, but will report back when completed.

Cheers to you all.

Spamlet

Just to round off the thread.
Have managed the firmware upgrade successfully thanks to your help, and with
additional invaluable help from 'AVForums'. It turned out that Sony, while
giving unnecessary information about having to use 'disc-at-once' and
finalised CD-R, that led to me wasting three discs before finding out how
properly to do the update, had left out the very vital info that one had to
use the buttons on the device itself, rather than its remote, to get the
device to recognise the update file at all...

Thank heavens for news groups!

Cheers,

S