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DVD doesn't read CD-RW. Am I missing something?

A

A/\EKC

Member
I've got Creative 5X DVD ROM. In the manual they state that it should read the CD-RW's. But It's not! Am I missing something? I've got Adaptec EZ-CD Creator installed on my system. Shouldn't that be enough?
 
Not if you are trying to read a UDF format disk. That would be made with packet writing software like DirectCD, i.e., the CD-RW is treated like a big floppy and you can write files to the disk using Explorer. You need to install Adaptec's UDF reader to be able to read a UDF disk in anything other than a CD-RW drive.
 
My software told me to uncheck udf in msconfig. I guess I'll have to reenable it after seeing this. It was one of their fixes that did not work anyway. I know your response was for A/\EKC but you informed me as well. Thanks...
 
Yep. You are wrong. You have to download and install the UDF reader thing from Adaptec's web site in order to read UDF format disks in a drive that is not a CD-RW with DirectCD installed.

Not sure that made complete sense, so let's look at it this way:

DirectCD lets you read and write to a CD-RW as if it was a big floppy. This is done using the UDF disk format.

If DirectCD is installed, CD-RW drives can read UDF disks, but no other type of drive is able to. If DirectCD is not installed, then no drive can read UDF disks.

Unless the UDF reader software is installed. Then any Multi-Read capable drive (late-model CD-ROMs, DVDs, CD-R, CD-RW) can read UDF disks.

But the UDF reader is separate from DirectCD.

Make sense?
 
How about this? I've noticed lately that, when I take a CD-RW disc (produced with the most recent DirectCD version) to a NT4 rig and stick it into the CD drive, up pops a message asking if I want to install UDF software. If I say yes, the software is installed, and the old NT4 box can read the CD-RW! I haven't looked into it any further, but was pleased with this feature. Is this something that DirectCD is putting on the disc, or is it a feature of NT4 SP6a? Anyone know?

Regards,
Jim
 
Funny thing - I have 4 NT4 SP4 machines. All of them have no problem reading the CD-RWs! And they never asked me if I wanted to install anything. I thought that's because of their HP origin, but, apparently I was wrong!

Ignorance is what? ;-))))))
 
That's interesting. Don't know if it's part of one of the service packs or part of NT, but I don't think DirectCD is doing it. I don't have NT4 but when I stick a UDF disk in a Win9x machine it doesn't ask me anything, and won't read the disk unless I have the UDF software installed. Maybe on the SP4 machine somebody installed the UDF software or ?
 
Curiouser and curiouser!

A/\EKC: So your SP4 machines don't ask the question and just go ahead and play UDF discs, but my SP6 machines ask if I want to install software! Perhaps it is a Service Pack thing, and someone already answered "yes" on your machines? But I sure never read about that item, if it is part of an SP.

Workin': I clean-installed these NT4 SP6 machines myself. None of them had anything but the basic OS, IE4.01 SP1 with desktop "upgrade", and Service Pack 6a installed. I found out that they offered to install UDF reader by accident. I had prepared a CD-R with additional software I wanted to put on the systems, but I accidentally placed a UDF disc in the CD-ROM drive instead of the CD-R. That's when I got the notice. I tried the UDF disc in other machines and got exactly the same response. Are you using the "e" version of DirectCD? That's what was used to format the UDF discs I'm using.

At any rate, it was a pleasant surprise. If I knew where to find a "virgin" Win95 or Win98 machine, I'd try the discs out in it.

Regards,
Jim
 
Really hard to say. All my NT machines are HP. And they came with preinstalled OS. I did upgraded the OS to SP4, but to my understanding UHF reader if installed will be carried over to upgrade.....
 
Very interesting. Yes, I'm certain that you're correct in saying that the UDF reader would not be uninstalled by subsequent Service Pack installations. Must have been added by HP to their OEM image, I suppose.

Regards,
Jim
 
Interesting. I'm using the "d" version of DirectCD. I'll have to see if Adaptec has the "e" update available to download and see if that changes anything for me.
 
Hi!

I finally read the manual. 😀

Here's a quote from DirectCD's help file:

Reading DirectCD Discs on Other Computers

The UDF Reader driver (also called the Adaptec DirectCD Reader) enables MultiRead CD-ROM/DVD-ROM drives to read DirectCD (UDF) formatted CD-RW discs.

The UDF reader is automatically installed on your computer when you install DirectCD. Discs that are created with DirectCD can also be read on another Windows computer. If DirectCD is not installed on that computer, the UDF reader will be automatically installed from the DirectCD disc when it is inserted in the drive.

So I guess something new has been added. It's a good feature, and I guess it was introduced with the latest "e" version of the software. (Or at least I never noticed it in previous versions.)

Regards,
Jim
 
Now. This is so untrue! I have Adptec EZ CD Creator 4 installed on my machine (including Direct CD!). And, if you'll read my starting note - my DVD won't read CD-rw's. Not till I installed the UDF reader... I read that note and was confused as well....
 
The Adaptec site has information on the UDF reader, Easy CD Creator and DirectCD scattered about on their site. It's not convenient to locate it, but you can find it if you hop around on the site.

I don't know why it didn't work on your system. I do know that systems on which the Adaptec software had been installed were affect when Windows Media Player 7 was installed. On my system, the installation of WMP7 disabled both Adaptec programs. All I had to do to regain all functionality was to uninstall both Adaptec programs, then reinstall them. I don't know if the presence of other software might conflict similarly.

Another thing that might be of help to you is a listing of the drives which are compatible with, or which have been tested with, the UDF reader. Perhaps you're unlucky enough to have a drive that's not compatible with the reader???

Hope you find a solution.

Regards,
Jim
 
Why, Workin', are you suggesting that you have seen evidence of occasional inconsistencies on the Wintel platform? Say it ain't so!

😀

Regards,
Jim
 
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