Help Understand DVD Drives

[John Gregory]

My desktop has two DVD drives; a DVD-ROM and a DVD+RW. I've only read from
but only toyed with writing to them. I've been haunted by the thought that I
should probably be using one of these to back up my entire system - at least
all my data files - as well as my Quicken records. I think I should be using
the -ROM drive to back up the system and, perhaps, the +RW drive for
Quicken. Problem is, I don't have a good understanding of the distinction
between the two. Here's all I know:



1) DVD-ROM

a. Write once, read indefinite (multiple time)

b. Data stored sequentially; not random access

c. Faster than the +RW

2) DVD+RW

a. Write and read indefinite

b. Random access data storage

c. Once it starts to write, all data on the disc has to be erased then
written back. Thus, it's much more time consuming



I just learned about the time difference of the +RW yesterday. In the past,
I did attempt to set up the +RW drive to store Quicken. I was given several
choices by the "Easy CD Creator 5 Basic" software that came with my machine
but wasn't comfortable making the selection. I had the option to:



1) Make a music CD (So that was out)

2) Make a data CD (This had three more choices)

a. directCD (permits dragging files to the CD through Explorer)

b. data CD (for sharing and archiving data in the most compatible CD
format. whatever that is)

c. dataDVD (makes a recordable drive to store 4.7 GB)



I chose 2c because I though the backup of my Quicken might necessitate
random access. I no longer think that but I'm still confused about the
practical use of these two drives. What's more, when I attempted to create a
backup of Quicken to that +RW drive, I got a message reminding me burn the
disc from some temporary CB burning area. Apparently I figured out what to
do at the time because I was able to get one Quick file on that +RW disc. I'd
like to be able to append that or write over it with each backup (I'm not
sure which to choose. I think Quicken givens me that choice.)



Any help you can give would be appreated.

 

[Mike Hall \(MS-MVP\)]

John

A DVD-ROM will only play or read DVD's.. a DVD+RW will play, read and, most
importantly, write to a writeable DVD.. so you can see that it is not a
question of using one to back up the system, and the other to back up
Quicken.. you simply use the same drive for all..

You should have received software with the DVD+RW that would enable you to
make backups (saves) of your system files et al.. a Nero CD perhaps?..

 

[John Gregory]

Oh? I've been using those drives to load my software and they have read
everything. Is software now coming on DVD's rather than CD's?

I'm aware both drives could be used to backup anything but I thought that
the ROM drive would more likely be used to back up the system since the
resulting disc would probably be used in serial fashion to reload; no random
access necessary. Quicken, on the other hand (though I don't know when),
might be better archived on a random access device in the event I ever
wanted to use it directly from that device (again... I don't know why I
might want to do that at this point but ...).

Which of these two drives is more practical to use for these two tasks? A
guy I met in a store said that using DVD-R discs would be good enough for
both tasks. If that's the case, when would I ever have need for DVD+ discs?

 

[Malke]

Oh? I've been using those drives to load my software and they have
read everything. Is software now coming on DVD's rather than CD's?

I'm aware both drives could be used to backup anything but I thought
that the ROM drive would more likely be used to back up the system
since the resulting disc would probably be used in serial fashion to
reload; no random access necessary. Quicken, on the other hand (though
I don't know when), might be better archived on a random access device
in the event I ever wanted to use it directly from that device
(again... I don't know why I might want to do that at this point but
...).

Which of these two drives is more practical to use for these two
tasks? A guy I met in a store said that using DVD-R discs would be
good enough for both tasks. If that's the case, when would I ever have
need for DVD+ discs?

I think Mike meant to say that a DVD-ROM is *read* *only* and not that
it won't read CD's. Of course a DVD-ROM drive will read CD's, although
a CD-ROM drive will not read DVD's.

In order to burn disks - either CD's or DVD's - you need a CD/DVD-*RW*
drive. A CD/DVD+/-RW drive will read/write CD's, DVD+ or DVD- disks.
I've been told that DVD- disks are better for compatibility with older
standalone DVD players, but if you have a DVD+/- RW drive, either type
of blank will be fine.

In any case, a ROM drive of any flavor cannot write disks. Hope that
cleared things up for you.

Malke

 

[John Gregory]

Will my DVD +RW drive burn a CD as well as a DVD?

 

[Bob I]

Maybe, what does the documentation on it say? Most will, BUT maybe not!

 

[Malke]

Will my DVD +RW drive burn a CD as well as a DVD?

Yes.

Malke