CD Burning

[Nick Cumberbatch]

Which method is better for storing backup data on CDRW
1) Easy CD Creator 5
2) Direct CD
3) Windows XP

If I use Windows XP CD burning should I format disk first or use as supplied

Thank You
Nick

[Chris Lanier]

Almost all CD-RW come pre-formatted. if you are just wanting to backup
individual files just use Windows XP's built in burning software. these no
real reason to go buy EZ CD creator, plus EZ CD 5 works with XP, but not to
great.

"Nick Cumberbatch" > wrote in message
...
> Which method is better for storing backup data on CDRW
> 1) Easy CD Creator 5
> 2) Direct CD
> 3) Windows XP
>
> If I use Windows XP CD burning should I format disk first or use as
supplied
>
> Thank You
> Nick
>
>

[Harry Ohrn]

It depends on how you want to store the data. If this is simply a copy files
to disk through drag and drop then XP will work fine. However if you want to
save directly to CD-R/W using backup software which offers incremental
backups and uses compression, like XPs built in Backup program then you
will at least need packet formatting software like Drag to Disk (formerly
called Direct CD) that ships with Easy CD & DVD Creator 6 www.roxio.com or a
stand a lone packet writing app like InCD from www.nero.com . Or a more
robust backup solution like Backup MyPC from www.stompinc.com which has the
ability to backup directly to CD-R/W. XP's built in software can not backup
directly to CD Burners nor can it span disks.

You would do well to read through Alex Nichol's primer which is linked to
from one of my webpages http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/cdr_info.htm

--

Harry Ohrn MS-MVP [Shell\User]
www.webtree.ca/windowsxp


"Nick Cumberbatch" > wrote in message
...
> Which method is better for storing backup data on CDRW
> 1) Easy CD Creator 5
> 2) Direct CD
> 3) Windows XP
>
> If I use Windows XP CD burning should I format disk first or use as
supplied
>
> Thank You
> Nick
>
>

[Sharon F]

On Wed, 3 Sep 2003 20:35:32 -0400, Nick Cumberbatch wrote:

> Which method is better for storing backup data on CDRW
> 1) Easy CD Creator 5
> 2) Direct CD
> 3) Windows XP
>
> If I use Windows XP CD burning should I format disk first or use as supplied
>
> Thank You
> Nick

No need to format a CD/RW unless you are going to do some "packet-writing"
which WinXP's CD burning does not perform.

DirectCD is "packet-writing" and lets you treat your disk as a giant
floppy. Drag/drop files, delete/add files - very much the same as you would
use a floppy disk.

Short term storage (files that change frequently): I use CD/RW or DVD/RW.
Long term storage and system backups: CD/R or DVD/+R

--
Sharon F
MS-MVP - Windows XP Shell/User

[Patrick]

Xref: kermit microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics:141986

Nick Cumberbatch wrote:
> Which method is better for storing backup data on CDRW
> 1) Easy CD Creator 5
> 2) Direct CD
> 3) Windows XP
>
> If I use Windows XP CD burning should I format disk first or use as
> supplied
>
> Thank You
> Nick

XP burning software does not require any formating, in fact if a disc has
been formatted (with 'Direct CD' or Nero equivalent) it will not work.

A 'formatted' RW can be made 'not formatted' by the (right-click menu)
'Erase this CD' option.

[Wislu Plethora]

>-----Original Message-----
>Almost all CD-RW come pre-formatted. if you are just
wanting to backup
>individual files just use Windows XP's built in burning
software. these no
>real reason to go buy EZ CD creator, plus EZ CD 5 works
with XP, but not to
>great.

Here we go again. Why don't you just bypass the question
if you don't know the answer. NO CD-RWs come "pre-
formatted." That's because the manufacturers have no idea
if potential purchasers intend to use the disks for
packet-writing, and if they did know, they still wouldn't
know which proprietary method of formatting to use.

[Patrick]

Wislu Plethora wrote:
>> -----Original Message-----
>> Almost all CD-RW come pre-formatted. if you are just wanting to
>> backup individual files just use Windows XP's built in burning
>> software. these no real reason to go buy EZ CD creator, plus EZ CD
>> 5 works with XP, but not to great.
>
> Here we go again. Why don't you just bypass the question
> if you don't know the answer. NO CD-RWs come "pre-
> formatted." That's because the manufacturers have no idea
> if potential purchasers intend to use the disks for
> packet-writing, and if they did know, they still wouldn't
> know which proprietary method of formatting to use.

Thanks 'Wislu', I thought that I had been 'missing something' until you you
said above.

[Pat Garard]

One advantage of Easy CD Creator is that, for frequent small backups (I use
it for Quicken/QuickBooks), it can logically "re-write" a CD-R - i.e. its
internal format allows a CD-R to be reused for the same files with the newer
versions "replacing" the old - for me one CD will last a few months - BUT I
include these files in regular Backups.

For larger backups, you may like to consider writing backup files to the CD
using Xp Backup (ntbackup.exe) - you WILL need to format the CD first. See:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;Q316415,
while this article refers directly to Quicken Files, it also indicates some
ways to overcome such problems - eg sending up to the CD Burning Staging
Area.

To put it bluntly - having Easy CD Creator as a formatter will ease the
pain!
--
Hope this helps!

Pat Garard
Australia

"Nick Cumberbatch" > wrote in message
...
> Which method is better for storing backup data on CDRW
> 1) Easy CD Creator 5
> 2) Direct CD
> 3) Windows XP
>
> If I use Windows XP CD burning should I format disk first or use as
supplied
>
> Thank You
> Nick
>
>