Tech: Why is my CD burner acting this way?

Subject: Tech: Why is my CD burner acting this way?
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 29 Oct 03 - 10:49 PM

This may be one of those things that can't be diagnosed remotely, but I thought there might be a chance that the symptoms are classic and the problem has a simple solution.

I just bought a new Dell notebook computer with Windows XP, and I'm trying to use the "transfer settings and files" utility to transfer stuff from my old computer. The old computer is a Compaq laptop running Win98SE. I have an external "Mad Dog" CD Writer connecting via USB2.

Here's the problem. When I run the utility (using the XP CD in my old computer like I'm supposed to), it collects all the files just fine, but when it comes to send them to the CD-RW, it tells me it can't find a disk in the drive. Then when I go to "My Computer" and double click on the external (F:) drive, I get one of those nasty red X's with a message: "F:\ is not accessible. The device is not ready."

BUT...if I leave that same blank CD-RW disk in the burner, without touching anything else, and run Nero...it will copy files to that disk without blinking an eye. Then when I go back to "My Computer" and double click on the F: drive, it reads it just fine, and all those copied files are accessible.   Then if I try to run the XP file transfer utility using that CD (which I burned as a multisession CD), the utility tells me, "You have the wrong disk in the drive. Please insert disk 1." At which point I stick a new blank CD-RW in...and it again tells me it can't find the disk and Windows tells me it's "not accessible," and I'm back where I started.

Does this make any sense? Since it's a USB connection, I tried rebooting with the drive connected and turned on...same problem. Am I missing something obvious?

Oh...I'm using a CD to do the transfer because neither computer is on a network, and I can't use a serial cable because my new computer (Dell Inspiron 1100) doesn't have a serial port.

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Tech: Why is my CD burner acting this way?
From: Bill D
Date: 29 Oct 03 - 11:15 PM

umm...sometimes a CDRW behaves differently and is read differently than a CDR, depending on the drive & program. Since I don't use XP, that may not be relevant to your problem...but my CD drive wont read CDRs that are not 'closed', that is, read only...

Subject: RE: Tech: Why is my CD burner acting this way?
From: Bev and Jerry
Date: 29 Oct 03 - 11:55 PM

Bill D might be on to something. We tried to transfer some stuff from a desktop with XP to a lap top with Windows95 using a CD-RW and the laptop wouldn't read it. When we used a CD-R it worked fine.

If you want to know why, you'll have to contact Bill Gates!

See you at camp.

Bev and Jerry

Subject: RE: Tech: Why is my CD burner acting this way?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 30 Oct 03 - 12:16 AM

It sounds as though, when you burned your multisession CD, you may have lost some of the disk ident data from the first segment of the file transfer stuff when you burned subsequent sessions. The transfer program is telling you that you have the wrong disk, not that there's nothing on the disk. The second session may have re-identified the disk as disk 2. The transfer program requires that the data be on specifically identified disks, as I recall, and it appears to expect a multi-disk setup, rather than multi folders on a single disk.

CD burners in portables seem to have a tendency to fail to readily identify a blank disk. I have two with this problem (Both Dell). Often just clicking retry, or removing and reinserting the disk will get it to pick them up, but you may have to do it several times. The problem seems particularly stubborn if you're using fast (>48x) blanks in a burner with a slower burner max rating. I have a very fast burner in my laptop, that I seldom use, because it gives me so much trouble with disk recognition. It's easier to use the very slow burner in the desktop.

And not all CD-R burners are CD-R/W, and if it can't burn them it may have trouble reading them.

You can make a direct parallel connection from XP to another computer, if you don't have serial ports to zero-modem them. Look in Start Help Index and search for "connect" on the XP. The same info is probably in 98SE, but you have to run the "direct connect" utility to get to where it tells you what kind of connection choices you have - and I don't have the utility installed on my surviving 98SE machine. This would require an appropriate Direct Parallel cable.

I'm told that you can zero-modem USB to USB; but I've never seen the appropriate cables in any local outlets; so I assume it doesn't work well enough to be a popular option.

You almost certainly do have a serial port on the new machine, but it's likely disguised as a mouse port. If you can find the adaptors, you should be able to use the external mouse port as a serial, but going through adapters and zero cable, on a port that expects to see a mouse, could be problematic.

You best bet would really be to blow the $30 (US) or so for a 4-port (or maybe 12-port for later expansion) Etherlink switching hub (assuming both computers have ports - most laptops do) and make a LAN connection between the two computers. The hub and a couple of short 10Base-T cables probably won't cost much more than the Direct Connect Parallel cable, since the P-cables are pretty much a "special" item. Once the LAN is set up, you can plug in or disconnect pretty much as needed to use your present two, and/or any future/visiting ones.

John

Subject: RE: Tech: Why is my CD burner acting this way?
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 30 Oct 03 - 04:17 AM

Thanks, folks, but I guess I wasn't clear enough in stating the problem. Let me see if I can be clearer.

1. The burner doesn't have a problem recognizing the CD-RW disk, Windows does. When I put the blank CD-RW disk in the burner and run Nero, Nero is very happy. When I put the same blank disk in the burner and double click on the drive in "My Computer", I get an error message.

2. I never got to burn any of the transfer files onto the disk, so that wasn't the problem. I just burned a test file using Nero.

3. It's not about CD-R vs. CD-RW; I'm just talking about CD-RW here.

4. This is a nominal 52X/24X/52X burner that I've used many times to burn--and read--both CD-R and CD-RW. It's not part of my laptop, it's an external drive connected via USB2.

5. I can understand the transfer program not wanting to use a disk that already has information on it. But why could it recognize that disk, yet not have recognized the same disk five minutes before when it was blank? I suppose it might have something to do with what John said about problems with burners having trouble recognizing blank CD-RW's...but then how come the same burner has no problems recognizing the same disk, blank or burned, when I'm using Nero?

While you generous folks are mulling over that one, I have a question about the ports John mentioned, since a network connection may indeed be my best bet.

My old machine (Compaq) has the following connections:
USB
serial (9-pin)
PS/2 mouse
parallel
monitor
standard phone jack
PC card slot
It does not appear to have a network connector jack.

My new machine (Dell) has the following connections:
USB (two of them)
monitor
S-video out
standard phone jack
network connector (looks like an overweight version of the phone jack)
PC card slot
It does not have a PS/2 mouse port or a 9-pin serial port.

So, John, can you tell me the best way to connect those two computers? It would appear that (1) serial won't work because there's no serial port on the new one, not even disguised as a mouse port; (2) parallel won't work because there's no old-style parallel port on the new one, and W98 doesn't support DirectParallel connection, whatever that is; (3) network won't work because there's no network port on the old one!    Can I connect to a network hub via the USB connector on the old computer and the "network connector" on the new one? Or both USB's? And what else do I need besides the hub and cables?

By the way, I tried looking in Windows help (after I finally located it from the "improved" XP start button--what a nightmare!)...it was no help at all. It's amazing how Microsoft help files have the uncanny ability to deduce precisely what information you're looking for...and then instantly remove that information from the help file.

Thanks, all!
Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Tech: Why is my CD burner acting this way?
From: Jim McLean
Date: 30 Oct 03 - 06:13 AM

A couple of things you could do. You could buy a USB network connector, i.e. it plugs into your USB slot and gives a network output which you can connect to a hub and make a LAN connection as John suggested. There is also a program called FastLynx which uses a USB bridging cable and software.
Cheers,
Jim

Subject: RE: Tech: Why is my CD burner acting this way?
From: GUEST,MMario
Date: 30 Oct 03 - 08:26 AM

I think the real problem is that the transfer utility wants to see a "normal" drive...which under normal circumstances the CD burner is not. NERO is designed to burn CD's - it doesn't expect to see a normal formatted data disk - it expects to see a blank CD.

Can the utility collect to a subdirectory on your HD and then you burn to cd as a data disk using Nero?

Subject: RE: Tech: Why is my CD burner acting this way?
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 30 Oct 03 - 10:36 AM

I'm gradually ploughing through XP -can't say I like it much so far- on the Yorkshire Folk Arts "corporate" laptop, and my impression (perhaps quite wrong, but you know Windows wizards and "help" files) is that this procedure is designed to be run through a series of spanned files on floppies. It also expects to see a formatted disk, so I can't imagine it recognising a blank CDRW. I should try MMario's suggestion first.

Subject: RE: Tech: Why is my CD burner acting this way?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 30 Oct 03 - 03:11 PM

I've not been too happy with either of the portables I have, for precisely the reasons cited. Ports/connectors expected seem to disappear, and you get stuff that "somebody" decided you need, instead of what should be there. On my latest, they left off the MIDI connector in order to give me 5-channel surround sound speaker connections - with no warning before delivery. Why would I buy a portable that makes me lug around 5 speakers?

There are quite a number of ways to network/connect two machines, but that involves decisions about what hardware you have, and what you prefer to get.

The "cleanest" connection would be to get an ethernet card for the PC Card slot on the old machine, a small hub, and a couple of short 10Base-T cables. Hubs come in two kinds - the "switching hub" is preferred; but either would work for your present needs.

Most of the other connection methods are "workaround" ways of avoiding doing the "real thing." Ethernet is the standard for network connections. If you have a real use for it, one of the wireless systems might be useful - and your new machine may actually have an IR port you haven't found(?); but you'll eventually wish you had the 'net(?).

My first real question would be - why you want to "migrate" Win98SE settings to a new WinXP setup. I suspect that you've found the instructions somewhere in the XP or 98SE documentation that tells you you can do this; but I've never found it helpful. The "migrate" or "transfer" utility information I can recall studying when I last set up a new machine was intended for use only if you want to set up the same system on a new machine. You're setting up a new system, and don't want Win98SE stuff trashing the XP system.

Assuming that your new XP machine is up and running, any add-on software should be installed - new from your source disks - on XP. And then check for new XP drivers for each and every program. (You need to install because any registry entries in XP may want DWORD (32 bit) entries, and 98SE only has 16 bit entries to transfer there, among other reasons.)

Email and address books should be compacted and saved, to CD or floppy, and "imported" by the email program on the new machine. Cookies are plain text files and can be copied.

Your own work, documents and worksheets and such, can be burned to data CDs and just copied to the new machine. You can apparently burn a CD on either machine, and either machine can read a simple data CD made on the other. (i.e. you have Nero installed on both machines?).

Putting all the data files on a CD, for purposes of copying them to the new machine, will incidentally give you a complete backup that you can file away and smile about when you hear about someone else's loss of data.

I may be missing something; but I don't see any obvious reason for "migrating" anything instead of just copying what you want to put on the new machine.

John

Subject: RE: Tech: Why is my CD burner acting this way?
From: Amergin
Date: 30 Oct 03 - 03:33 PM

ok...to add on this...

My dear future wife is having a similar issue....she burned a cd of mp3s and it won't play on anywhere but the cdr/w drive...she goes to the dvd player that does play mp3s and it won't play there...needless to say she'sfrustrated...

I suggested she see if the disk is closed...but all she can find is that she goes to my computer and it says the disk is full....

She has windows 98...and a desktop...

thanks.

Subject: RE: Tech: Why is my CD burner acting this way?
From: GUEST,MMario
Date: 30 Oct 03 - 03:52 PM

did she "create an audio disk" or did she create a data disk full of mp3's?

Subject: RE: Tech: Why is my CD burner acting this way?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 30 Oct 03 - 03:57 PM

Amergin -

It sounds as though she may have burned the CD as a "data" CD containing mp3 files instead of as a "music" CD. In this case, the DVD player, and most other "players" won't be able to read it. The burner drive can read and play the files as individual files, just as if they were on her hard drive.

There are some remaining incompatibilities between burners, players, and media that continue to cause problems, though; so it may be just an unfortunate combination of burner vs blank vs reader. A quick test for compatibility is to burn a "duplicate" of a known good (playable) CD. If you have a CD reader and separate CD burner, you should do a disk-to-disk for this. If you only have one drive, your software will determine whether you have to copy to hard drive and back, or may do it automagically.

I've found Nero best for audio CDs, although I don't do mp3. Nero is a r.p.i.a. for data CDs though, so I usually use Roxio EZCD for them.

John

Subject: RE: Tech: Why is my CD burner acting this way?
From: Amergin
Date: 30 Oct 03 - 04:10 PM

ok....yeah it turned out she saved them wrong...but when she was trying to do it properly it would only save 14 of these songs and the others it said were damaged...though they play fine...

Subject: RE: Tech: Why is my CD burner acting this way?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Oct 03 - 05:10 PM

Geez--I'll keep reading along, so when the kids' new Dell arrives next week maybe I'll have a head start on trouble shooting.

The ad at the bottom of the Mudcat page at this moment goes to this place and the ad says "File transfer via USB." Maybe an answer is right under your nose!

SRS

Subject: RE: Tech: Why is my CD burner acting this way?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 30 Oct 03 - 06:39 PM

The best way to connect two machines, if you're going to use them "connected" on a regular basis, is still to set up a peer-to-peer LAN. (i.e. a Workgroup) The more or less standard, and most reliable way of doing that, is to use "network ports" (ethernet) on each computer, with a small hub. Adding a network port to a desktop is easy, and cards are pretty cheap. PC cards, or the newer BusCard equivalent, are easy, but not as cheap.

There are numerous "kit" type setups that are more or less equivalent to the ethernet. You can get wireless setups - RF or IR, adapters to piggyback on phone lines, gizmos to use your power lines, etc. For most people, these should only be considered if you have a specific need for what they do.

USB is really just a glorified serial port, and is best used for connecting peripherals to a single computer. It can be used to connect two computers for file transfers, but it's a little limited in what else it does. For connecting two computers, "sneaker net*" works about as well, at least for occasional use.

[*For the real novices, "sneaker net" means copy it to a floppy on one machine, put on your sneakers/tenny-runners and trot the floppy to the other machine, and copy from the floppy. These days you can probably use CDs instead of floppies.]

An advantage of USB over the older serial port is that you can theoretically connect more than one device to a single port, and many new computers come with two or more connectors that often do connect to the same single port. A few actually put a "mini hub" between the connectors, so that you actually have more than one functional port, but it's not too common. If you're connecting more than one or two USB devices, it's often a good idea to add an external USB hub to keep them separate.

There's no end to the bits and pieces you can keep adding; but in most cases, anyone who promises a "quick and easy" solution will get there by leaving out something that the "standard methods" can do - and do better.

John

Subject: RE: Tech: Why is my CD burner acting this way?
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 30 Oct 03 - 11:46 PM

Thanks, John and everyone. I realized that this file transfer "utility" (large quotation marks on that one) decides for itself what files it wants to transfer, and that included all of the countless megabytes worth of proprietary compacted Compaq system files that I would have absolutely no use for. So I just decided to transfer the "settings" using a ZIP disk, hoping at least that all my tweaks in Word 2000 would be set up. No such luck--Word is still plain vanilla, so I have to tweak all over again. Fortunately, most of the macros I had set up were for typing my chart notes in the office. Now that I no longer have a private practice and dictate my notes on the hospital system, I don't need them. It's just a matter of rearranging the toolbar.

I'm not sure what exactly happened when I transferred my settings...doesn't seem like much of anything. Well, at least I didn't go out and buy a bunch of hardware I'd never use again.

That explanation for why Windows didn't recognize my CD burner with a blank CD-RW in place makes sense. (It's nice to have SOMETHING make sense, at least!)

One more question, as long as I'm up...(actually it's only 6:30 PM here) You talked about saving emails to a CD. I use Netscape Communicator for my email program. I remember having a hell of a time transferring emails the last time I switched computers, and finally gave up. I'd like to transfer my inbox to the new machine. I have it set to compact the inbox automatically whenever it gets to 200 kb or something like that. What do I have to do, exactly, to transfer those messages? Can I just put the inbox file on a ZIP and stick it in the Netscape folder, or is there some ritual I have to do first to make sure the new computer will be able to integrate it? I use Netscape 4.79 on my old machine and 7.1 on the new one (I liked 4.7x!--very unhappy at how many sites left it in the lurch.)

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Tech: Why is my CD burner acting this way?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 31 Oct 03 - 03:24 AM

In Word, most of the macros will be somewhere in one or more of your "document templates" = *.dot files (usually). Getting the "new" Word to recognize them may take some styles/templates management, but you can at least do some "salvage" by making sure you get the *.do* files from the old machine. Unfortunately, recent Word versions have a whole buch of "junk" templates, so you may want to explore a little to find which ones you need. The templates usually aren't too large, so you could probably just save them all as a backup. I only find about 5MB of *.dot in my Word 2002 setup.

I don't know anything specific about Netscape, but most email files are in database format, which means you almost have to save the entire database to get any of it. The main purpose of compacting is to rebuild the index files that allow the program to find stuff in the database. The most common failure in moving email is getting the data but not the index.

You should do a fresh "compact" on your email, to make sure the index is up to date, then copy the entire email folder to your zip disk. You can then (I'm guessing a little with respect to Netscape) import the inbox, and/or whatever other email folders you want, into your new setup, from your "backup folder" on the zip disk.

You can sometimes get by with copying a folder, if a folder by the same name exists on the new machine before you do the copy. The next time you compact, it may find the files that were copied in ... or not. Better to take the whole thing, and use the built in transfer system.

As indicated, I'm speaking general email data types - without specific familiarity with your program. Perhaps someone who uses it will be along soon with more first-hand experience.

John

Subject: RE: Tech: Why is my CD burner acting this way?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Nov 03 - 12:19 AM

I wonder if I can tag this question onto this recent thread and get an answer without having to start a new tech thread?

I can't get the new wireless router to connect to my earthlink account via my dsl modem. It is all plugged in, but it won't make the connection. The Earthlink tech was NO HELP and rather smug (he did say they offer wireless for $10 a month--yeah sure, and after a year I keep paying for their service but I would have paid off my wireless equipment).

The other option, which I am strongly considering now, is simply running the wire through the coaxial wall outlet (nothing is hooked to it, the cable was put in "just in case") up into the attic and down into the other room to plug into the new computer. In my office where the DSL modem lives we put in a special plug that has the coax and the phone line in the same J box and coming out of a divided faceplate. The phone connection in the other room is funky and needs rewiring anyway. I would simply tie the old phone cord to whatever I want to pull through the wall from the attic and pull the wire back down to where it needs to go, maybe even another divided faceplate. But is a probably 30 to 40 foot chunk of cable (ethernet) going to be as good as or better or worse than the wireless network? Wired is a heckuva lot less expensive. If I decide to move the computer, I'd have to run more wire.

I can take back the wireless router and the wireless network adaptor and get a wired-router and some of the right phone cord, or will coaxial work? Any thoughts?

SRS

Subject: RE: Tech: Why is my CD burner acting this way?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 06 Nov 03 - 09:02 AM

Stilly -

I haven't migrated to DSL (yet) so I can't comment usefully on your wireless connection. It does appear, from data at at least one Dell site, that the ISP interface to a wireless hub does need to be specifically configured for wireless.

If your DSL interface wants to talk to a computer - and not to a wireless hub - you could probably rig the computer to "serve" the wireless LAN and pass internet traffic through to the DSL interface; but that gets into a sytem design sort of thing best done by a "hands-on" consultant.

If you really want to use your coax wire that's already in place, you will need some sort of interface box(es), since ethernet is a 4-wire system and coax is only 2-wire. It would probably be simpler in the long run to install new wire. The ethernet wire (cable) that you need is 2 pairs of twisted wire pairs (4 wires total) on 8-pin connectors (RJ-45) that look like ordinary telephone connectors but are a little larger.

With the original 10BASE-T system, you could sometimes get by with 150 meter (about 450 foot) cable runs, with the limit being signal strength decay. Anything you install now should be 10/100BASE-T, which is limited to 100 meter (about 300 feet) cables by the specification. It takes a certain amount of time for a signal to get from one end of a cable to the other, and the higher frequency requires that an answer be returned within a certain time. The 100 meter length is the maximum, under ordinary conditions, that allows the "answer" to get back in time to keep the system up. The 100 meter limit applies to each run between two computers or other devices.

Provided that you use 100BASE-TX Category 5 cable, 30 to 50 foot runs should be no problem.

If you want to connect more than two devices, you will need a "hub." An ethernet "link" can only have two ends, so the hub is needed to connect more than two things. Each computer or other device is on a "link" that connects to the hub. The hub can have as many connections as you're willing to pay for, but for most people 4 or 5 is sufficient. I use a 16-point LinkSys hub that was about $190 (US) a year ago, but you should be able to get a 4-point for around $30 or so.

Hubs do come in two kinds, "repeating" and "switching." The "switching" hub is preferred if you are going for best performance; but either is ok for simple systems and the "repeater" is usually a little cheaper. (The 100 meter length limit, or a little less to allow for device lag, should be applied to the total distance between computers through the hub if you use the repeater, but can be applied to the computer-to-hub run [usually] if you use a switching hub.)

My personal preference, from the reliablility standpoint, is the hard-wired LAN; but a good wireless setup can be perfectly satisfactory. I'm also told that a wireless setup can be "as secure" as hard wiring; but it does require that you use all the security features available - and most people don't.

John

Subject: RE: Tech: Why is my CD burner acting this way?
From: GUEST,Stilly River Sage (on the new computer)
Date: 06 Nov 03 - 01:08 PM

John,

Thanks for your help. This morning I spent time on the phone with a tech from India to sort out how the Netgear was connecting to Earthlink. I am not sure what all we did, but it involved a DOS screen at one point.

If I add any more computers, I'll quite possibly run a wire from the router hub that is in next to the DSL modem. I can move around easily in the attic and it's a lot cheaper. But I'm not planning that now, and by the next computer perhaps these networking cards will go for chunk change (this Linksys went for about $50 and I got the wireless router for $79. I went with the older 802.11b technology, because it would be overkill to pay for "g" when it won't speed up anything. The higher end "g" stuff is closer to $200 for the router.

Once I got this online I immediately updated all of the firewall and antivirus software, and right behind that there were 13(!) critical updates and service packs at Microsoft to install. So much for Dell giving me an up-to-date new computer!

We still have to get the sound card working (probably replaced) and the monitor has a flaw, so that will also get replaced. But I think we're out of the woods as far as the rest of the funcitonality.

Whew!

SRS

Subject: RE: Tech: Why is my CD burner acting this way?
From: wysiwyg
Date: 25 Feb 04 - 12:03 PM

"This drive is in use by another Application: 'Roxio DirectCD Kernel'. Easy CD Creator cannot use it until the application has completed."

Gateway
Gateway-installed E Drive
Windows XP
Roxio Easy CD Creator

????

~Susan

Subject: RE: Tech: Why is my CD burner acting this way?
From: GUEST,MMario
Date: 25 Feb 04 - 12:09 PM

appears that you are setup for "direct CD" which treats the CD as a removable drive.

You have to turn that off to use CD creator - which expects an "unformatted" disk

Subject: RE: Tech: Why is my CD burner acting this way?
From: wysiwyg
Date: 25 Feb 04 - 12:13 PM

Huh? How doodatt?

~S~

Subject: RE: Tech: Why is my CD burner acting this way?
From: GUEST,MMario
Date: 25 Feb 04 - 12:19 PM

there should be a "direct CD' icon in your system tray - that should have a "close" or "exit" option.

Subject: RE: Tech: Why is my CD burner acting this way?
From: wysiwyg
Date: 25 Feb 04 - 12:41 PM

.... no.... nothing like that in Task Manager either, but now it's working for some reason....

~S~

Subject: RE: Tech: Why is my CD burner acting this way?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 25 Feb 04 - 03:49 PM

WYSIWYG -

The "close button" may be in a "Safely Remove Hardware" icon in SysTray, on the toolbar at the bottom right of the screen. When you connect something like your digital camera for downloads, or connect an external hard drive, it appears there. You do need to go there and "turn it off" before you unplug it.

I would expect that if you "mount" your CD drive as a "read/write" it probably would appear in the same place.

The "purpose" of the Safe Remove is to terminate any controller that may be running before the hardware is removed and the controller gets confused.

If your CD started working for you now, chances are that it didn't restart as a "removable" device with a re-boot, and there won't be anything in the "Remove" box if it's not running now. If there are no "removables" running, the box may not even appear.

John

Subject: RE: Tech: Why is my CD burner acting this way?
From: wysiwyg
Date: 25 Feb 04 - 03:53 PM

It's all mystery to me-- for months its light blinked even tho it was not being used. I can't seem to recall ever using that software or the E drive since I got XP installed last summer, so I can't tell when the problems began or if any recent downloads had it hung up. Sometimes the puder insisted it had no D or E drive too till I rebooted several times. Why can't computers just work the way they are supposed to? Is it time to call the techie?

~Susan

Subject: RE: Tech: Why is my CD burner acting this way?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Feb 04 - 11:31 AM

After burning a CD I touch the eject button lightly once, and it brings up the dialog box about how I want to save the CD before finishing. Do I want to use it like a drive on the computer, do I want other machines with this program to read it, or do I want all machines to read it. I also have the option to close it so nothing new can be written to it. This is part of Roxio's CD Direct program (and was also there when it was called Adaptec).

SRS

Subject: RE: Tech: Why is my CD burner acting this way?
From: wysiwyg
Date: 26 Feb 04 - 11:53 AM

Can I add data files (playlists) to a "music" CD of MP3s?

~S~

Subject: RE: Tech: Why is my CD burner acting this way?
From: GUEST,MMario
Date: 26 Feb 04 - 12:07 PM

put the mp3's on the CD as DATA and add your playlists...

Subject: RE: Tech: Why is my CD burner acting this way?
From: wysiwyg
Date: 26 Feb 04 - 12:27 PM

But when I made CDs as data, not all the MP3 files would play on my portable MP3 player-- it would not recognize them all. So I thought I should have made them as music CDs-- if not, then any ideas on why they don't play all their files?

~S~

Subject: RE: Tech: Why is my CD burner acting this way?
From: GUEST,MMario
Date: 26 Feb 04 - 12:39 PM

yeah - that's the catch 22. There is a way to do mixed data and music cd's - but I don't recall it at the moment...

okay - I googled a bit. Suppossedly (I haven't tried this) you do your audio CD but DO NOT CLOSE IT - then you add the data as a seperate session. The audio player (in this case your portable MP3 player) should be able to access the mp3's and when you use the CD in the computer you should be able to access the data files as well.

Subject: RE: Tech: Why is my CD burner acting this way?
From: wysiwyg
Date: 26 Feb 04 - 12:46 PM

So close the session but not the disk?

~S~

Subject: RE: Tech: Why is my CD burner acting this way?
From: GUEST,MMario
Date: 26 Feb 04 - 01:05 PM

correct.

Subject: RE: Tech: Why is my CD burner acting this way?
From: wysiwyg
Date: 26 Feb 04 - 06:04 PM

OK. Will try re-doing one of the ones that isn't working well, and report back.

~S~

Subject: RE: Tech: Why is my CD burner acting this way?
From: wysiwyg
Date: 05 Mar 04 - 02:36 PM

... and what I got was a disc with fewer tracks, but it plays in a regular CD player!

So-- MP3 data disc for backup archives on fewer discs, but music discs (assume they're now .cda's) for the everyday playback copies.

Yeehahhh!

..... so I assume I will get better sound if I have .wavs to start with and leave them as wav's till the music CD is made? Then convert to MP3 to make for better longterm storage?

~S~

Subject: RE: Tech: Why is my CD burner acting this way?
From: GUEST,MMario
Date: 05 Mar 04 - 02:40 PM

that is where I get lost. according to a friend you can lose up to 20% of "sound qualitry" converting to an mp3.

Subject: RE: Tech: Why is my CD burner acting this way?
From: wysiwyg
Date: 05 Mar 04 - 03:03 PM

Sure, it's a lesser-quality file. Smaller, tho, and takes less space. An hour in WAV will not fit on a CD. An hour or more of MP3 will tho.

~S~

Subject: RE: Tech: Why is my CD burner acting this way?
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Jul 08 - 09:30 PM

Hi there, if someone could please tell me what the problem is here, I'd greatly appreciate it. When I try to burn a music cd, it tell me to connect a burner and restart the player??? I've never had this problem in the past, can someone please tell me why this is happening?
Thank you so much.

Subject: RE: Tech: Why is my CD burner acting this way?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 08 Jul 08 - 09:42 PM

I've experienced weird problems on a friend's machine - it's not recognising a particular CD player occassionally.

Possibly try checking that the plugs are connected firmly (and unplug/replace a few times to 'wipe clean' the contacts) - power off first.

Robin

Subject: RE: Tech: Why is my CD burner acting this way?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Jul 08 - 10:25 PM

CD burners are one of the computer components that every so often die and need to be replaced. The good news is that they're cheap and easy to replace. I'd put in a duo DVD/CD burner (you can now get them for under $50).

I was having problems with LightScribe software on the DVD burner in my HP, so I put in a second DVD burner, without that software (Pioneer, I think). Also, I was using Nero 8 but it has a lot of issues (trying to map all of your files, something to do with VISTA, and it also defeats some burning programs like DVD Shrink). I went back to Nero 6, pre some of the fussy software.

Hope this helps. And please give yourself a moniker to use as a guest, so we can tell you from all of the other guests. Thanks!

SRS

Subject: RE: Tech: Why is my CD burner acting this way?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 08 Jul 08 - 11:01 PM

Stilly -

My Vista let me install my Roxio Easy-CD 8 burner program, but disabled it the first time I turned it on, and then informed me that it was being disabled at every boot after that. I could force it on and burn one disk, and then Vista turned it off again. Updated to Roxio Easy Media 10 and no problems since, but Vista is really hard on anything without the latest built-in DRM features.

I had Nero on our couple of XP machines, but it's set up more for multimedia and I've found Roxio better for data disks. Haven't tried our existing Nero version on Vista, but would expect it's too old to run.

The CD-ROM in my old XP machine was still running (with one BIOS update and two driver updates), but that computer was on it's third burner, second audio card, third graphics card and had gone through four monitors when it died last week of a smoked CPU.

(Services in about a week when the new computer gets here to hear the eulogy. Since the new one had to be Vista to get the hardware I need, it probably won't get the message.)

John

Subject: RE: Tech: Why is my CD burner acting this way?
From: M.Ted
Date: 09 Jul 08 - 12:59 AM

First thing, check to see if your program has been inadvertently set to make a DVD when you've got only a cd burner connected, or some such thing.

Next, make sure that the device you intend to use is actually a burner and not simply a cd or dvd player.

Next, check to see what devices your program is aware of, Toast Titanium has a pull down menu under "RECORDER" where you can find that info-

Somewhere in here, check to make sure the recorder/burner doesn't have a recorded disk in it, and that you are not trying to burn a copy of it(A dumb mistake, yes, but it can happen, and it does happen).

Now, check to make sure you have a driver for the device you are trying to burn to--if not, and maybe even if so, go to the mfg website and look for the latest updated driver. Even if you bought the burner yesterday, it is quite possible that there is a updated driver that will fix your problem.

Somewhere in the mix, you should try burning from another program, and also check for updates of the program your using.

When you can't think of anything else, connect the burner to another computer and see if you can burn from it. If you can't, it maybe time to order a new one.

Subject: RE: Tech: Why is my CD burner acting this way?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Jul 08 - 01:28 AM

JinK,

I use XP-Pro, and will avoid VISTA for as long as possible.

Nero wasn't improved in the last couple of versions, as far as editing and burning are concerned. It is getting more multi-media, like you say. Nero is necessary to use DVD Shrink, but with the Nero versions 7 and 8, any copies* will play only on your computer DVD player, not on a separate dedicated entertainment center DVD player. It was Nero that caused this to happen, so I got rid of it.

SRS

*legal, personal copies, of course.

Subject: RE: Tech: Why is my CD burner acting this way?
From: GUEST,DWR
Date: 09 Jul 08 - 04:13 AM

(Services in about a week when the new computer gets here to hear the eulogy. Since the new one had to be Vista to get the hardware I need, it probably won't get the message.)

John

This is off topic, or at least a tangent. I don't know about anyone else, but I'd like to see a blow by blow from John as he hammers out the kinks in his lovely new operating system.

I am not exaggerating when I say that I have had more trouble with this %&$^##/blessed Vista than my previous five machines put together (3.1/95, 95, ME/XP, XP, XP) and have struggled every step of the way over the last few months. Every turn seems to bring new nasty surprises that I have difficulty coping with.

So if you have the inclination and the time to do so, John, I would certainly make time to read what you have to say on the subject in a dedicated thread. Perhaps something you (and others who stop by) have to say on the subject will make life easier for the new Vista owners, however reluctantly they have joined the New World Order.

I always read with interest what you and the other knowledgeable writers have to say on various tech subjects and I thank you for those many, many generous contributions to our forum.

Subject: RE: Tech: Why is my CD burner acting this way?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 09 Jul 08 - 05:39 AM

DWR -

I've already sort of expressed my opinion of Vista, and from a user standpoint it's not too favorable. Actually the greater damage was done to Office with the release of Office 2007. Both have extensively changed the interface to "facilitate discovery" by the user. In other words, the Microsoft "user model" is a gross idiot who is expected to NOT KNOW HOW TO DO ANYTHING, so the interface has to be so "busy with little hints" that NO USER will ever be able to consistently do anything well.

Blow by blow?

The WinXP desktop died a few days ago. As noted, I've worn out several displays, replaced lots of components, it was showing RAM errors frequently, power supply sagging, and then it simply quit.

Hard drive removed and into a USB External case. All the stuff on the drive is intact. While I'm waiting for the new machine, a Vista Home Premium laptop is being "studied."

1. Flatbed scanner lost completely, as it was running on a Win95 era driver and there is no Vista replacement driver and no substitutible driver. A comparable replacement scanner will be about $300 (US) but I can probanly get by with one of the $100 ones, since we have two other scanners now.

2. Large planform printer is working after about 10 or 11 hours research. It's an HP 9650 4-color Super-B (13" x 19" max paper) and there is no Vista driver; but HP suggests using the 9800 series Vista compatible driver. It's running, but I haven't had time to test all the functions (and big paper is ^@$#%^! expensive, so I'll wait until I need to print something and punt what doesn't work.

(A fringe benefit of installing the "alternate" HP driver is that now several web pages at MSNBC show an HP icon in the address bar instead of the normal IE or MSNBC icons. Quite puzzling.)

Driver installation instructions for substituting the 9800 for the 9600 were incomplete and partially incorrect, but a few hours fiddling got it in place.

3. LaserJet printer (HP1200) no changes required. I already had a good driver on the laptop.

4. Small (letter size) inkjet/scanner combo, Canon PIXMA 610 needed all new drivers, even though I had used it with the laptop. Installing drivers for the other printer apparently made exising drivers "incompatible." Canon had updated Vista drivers for download, but since separate drivers for print and scan, and an updated program for scanner control were needed, it took maybe 6 hours to find, download, and install them all.

5. LAN connections to remaining two desktops almost completely non-functional. (I've been through trying to get the Vista to talk to the others for about a year now.) A new infobit revealed that Vista uses a different default name for Workgroups than WinXP and all prior Windows. I knew that, but didn't know that Vista changes the name back to it's default when you reboot^*, if you try to use the Workgroup name for which the other machines are already set up.

^* Not all the time. Just sometimes, but randomly.

6. An ACCIDENTAL DISCOVERY while looking for something completely different may have shed some light on Vista file sharing.

Vista has specific designated "Public Folders" that (they say) are easily shared.

Option 1: put all 2,785,492 files and 17,422 folders that my three computers need to share into one folder (Instead of on three separate hard drives).

Option 2: To share a folder or drive other than one of the designated ones, it appears that the network has to be set up as a "private" network.

6a. After renaming the workgroup network names on the other machines to agree with the Vista default name, I find that changing the workgroup to a "Private Local Network" changes the network name on the Vista machine. At present, the other two machines can see the folders on the Vista machine but can't access any of them, and the Vista machine can only see one of the other machines (but can't access any of the files), so some additional setup is needed. All computers can share printers on all computers - just not files.

7. We have used Outlook Express for email for more than a decade, but it does not exist for Vista. It also ceases to exist (sort of) for WinXP if you update to IE7. It is replaced by "Windows Mail" in Vista, and WinXP users are encouraged to use "Windows Live Mail" as the replacement. Nobody knows what the differences between "Oulook Express," "Windows Mail," and "Live Mail" are. Critical information, for me, is whether "Windows Mail" backups can be imported to OE on the non-Vista machines, and whether OE backups can be moved in and out of "Mail." Microsoft give NO INFORMATION that's in any way useful.

I'm waiting until the new machine gets here to set up my email, so I'll only have to do it once. No clue whether it will be useful; but a fallback "out" is to go to Outlook. I figure it will take no more than a couple of months to TURN OFF most of the useless "features" in Outlook that I DON'T WANT on my computers. I can read my mail in my browser, and backups/archiving can wait. The other two (XP) machines still have existing email setups that work.

All machines have internet access via router/DSL hookup.

Numerous unpleasant "quirks" in Vista handling of USB external drives have also popped up, but I don't have enough of a handle on what's happening there as yet even to describe the behaviour. Suffice to say that sometimes the drive mounts immediately, and other times (at random) Vista decides I have to reset it to be shared before the Vista machine to which they're connected is allowed to make changes - which takes almost two hours for Vista to "set sharing" on one of the couple of drives where I've run into this.

Just lots of fun. (But still not as bad as what they did to Office.)

John