Problem with writing data CDs

[NewWaver]

I'm not sure what is wrong here, so I hope someone can help me out here.

When I make audio CDs, everything goes as planned. The process, the playback of the disc in my CD player, that's all fine. However, when I try to make data CDs to backup my files, everything goes normal during the writing process...but when I view the disc's files using Windows Explorer, after it's finished writing, it says there's nothing on the disc! I test it in both my CD writer and my CD ROM - nothing. I'd even tested the same disc on my mother's computer when I went to visit. Her computer didn't like my disc either.

But that's not all. I try to write something else on the same disc - assuming that nothing was written to it - but the writing program I use tells me to put in a blank CD, as it has data on it already.

So basically, my computer is making "coasters", so to speak. Even though making audio CDs has been flawless. What seems to be the problem?

 

[kcwong]

There're so many CD Burning applications around, and you didn't say you use which one.... so I'll make my guess (and note that I'm not very very familiar with the mechanism that CD-R works):

I think it's about "session".

CD-R can only be written once, and once it's done, no more changes can be made - all the data and FAT (file allocation table) are set in stone.

So most burning applications will provide a session thing - it does not actually write all the data onto the CD-R. It only writes the headers onto it. That's why the CD-R is marked as used.

I think you failed to "end/complete the session"... which will actually write all the data onto the CD-R.

 

[NewWaver]

Mine does use session, and I chose "finalise CD/session". The program I use is called Roxio Easy CD Creator 5.

 

[bladester]

Perhaps you wrote it using an incompatible format to the cd drives you are using? I tend to stick with the ISO 9660 which I think is pretty standard.

 

[NewWaver]

The program's pretty basic. All I do is check that it's on finalise, the maximum speed, and then let it record. I've used that method ever since I got the CD writer, but had more than one writing program. This one I use now used to make the data discs perfectly, but yeah. Not now.

I'm not sure if it has anything to do with this, but I do know that since getting this writing program I keep getting blue screens every time I start Windows. The mouse cursor would appear for a few seconds, then I get 3 blue screens in a row, cursor again, another 3 screens, then Windows finishes loading. Would this have anything to do with it?

 

[nihilistic]

It could be anyu of many things that can go wrong:

1. Your CDR media not being certified to write at the speeds you want to write in.

SOLN: Reduce the write speed.

2. Your CDR Drive firmware/drivers have flaws.

SOLN: Download the latest drivers/firmwares for your CDR Drive.

3. Your cdr wrioting software has flaws.

SOLN: update that.

4. you are writing in a format that your drive doesn't support.

SOLN: turn off all those "multisession" features and burn at DAO or DAO/96. Burn your whole disc at once.

5. Your OS is screwed up.

SOLN: copy important data elsewhere, reformat and reinstall os.

 

[NewWaver]

Sweet. I might try updating the software first and see what happens...and so on...