How to keep CD-R as open session?

[Guest]

We just bought a new XP compaq with a DVD-ROM and Writer drive. We wanted to
be able to make a back up of any files we have. On our old system, a HP Win
'98 which had a CD-Writer. With that machine we used CD-RWs to create data
storage disks. With the new system, we were told it is cheaper to use DVD-Rs
(equivelent to CD-Rs) and just burn the files to the disk.

My question is with CD-RWs we could continue over time to add to the disk.
With the CD-R or DVD-R we cannot do that, although one sales person did
mention burning leaving it as an open session so we COULD add to the disk.

How do we do that? I could not find anywhere in the burning process which
gave me an option to leave it as an open session. Secondly, because we're so
new to XPs and basically to computers, is writing to a disk the same as
burning a disk? On the XP I noted that I can drag and drop files onto the
disk just like I could with the CD-RWs as well as go through the 'burn a
disk' process. What is the difference?

Silk

 

[Jerry]

If the burner and the disk are not -RWs that you can't leave them open -
that's what the W is for in the description.

 

[Merlin]

Wrong. The RW stands for ReWritable meaning that you can erase them and use
them over and over again.. You can leave both CDR's and CDRW's open.
Likewise for DVD's. It's called Multisession, you need third party software
for this such as Nero or Roxio. Another way is to use packet writing
software such as Nero's InCD or Roxio's Drag to Disk. The O.P. had to have
been using one of these methods with their old system running Win 98 because
Win 98 does not have any built in cd burning capabilities.

 

[Guest]

So what I do is write to the disk using Nero or Roxio? What I have been doing
is dragging and dropping into the drive and then clicking the writing op. How
does it work with Nero. Which do you think is more user friendly? Nero or
Roxio?

 

[Merlin]

Roxio and Nero Are both cd/dvd mastering programs. Both include packet
writing utilities which allow you to simply drag and drop to your burner. I
prefer Nero for mastering but Roxio is more user friendly. For packet
writing (drag and drop) I use Roxio's "Drag to Disk", formerly know as
"DirectCD". Nero has a 30 day trial that you can download from their
website, as far as I know Roxio does not offer a trial.

 

[Jonny]

Sort of. Only part of the story. Until the TOC usable area is used up on
cdr/dvdr media. Then, can't be written to and used again. Only with RW
media can it be used over and over again. Multisession is a user selected
ISO thing. Invisible with XP cd writing.
The OP mentions writing to DVD which isn't native in XP. Puts a twist on
the responses. Which seem overlooked at this time.