CDRW Phenomenon

[wiltrot]

I just had something strange happen. I was copying a file (a backup file) on to my CDRW. I went to check it and everything on the disk was gone or at least I can't see it. There was 170mb of data on the disk and it still says it's there. It does show one little file (an xp update for my easy cd creater) but can't see anything else. So I copied something else just to see what would happen. It went through the process with no problems but can't see it either. My checking program backups onto the disk when I close the program, it also went through the process but can't see it either. I did another copy test but this time I copied a file I know was already on there just to see what it would do. Of course it indicated the file already existed and did I want to overwrite it. Why is this happening to me? :confused:

[Sylvander]

Was this an image file made by Microsoft Backup?
Did you tell Microsoft Backup to make it’s backup file on the CD-RW or did you make it elsewhere then drag & drop or cut & paste to the CD-RW disk?
Which application were you using to write to the CD-RW disk?
A Backup Program?
Or Packet Writing software like Direct CD or the Win XP built-in version? [Are you treating it like a giant floppy disk?]
Or something like Easy CD Creator?
Which program formatted the disk?

[wiltrot]

I'm using a third party program (B's Recorder Gold & Easy CD Creator 5 Direct CD) and I disabled CD Burner in XP. I haven't had any problems with it and really I don't have any problems now, except for this one CDRW disk. For some reason or another this one file I right click sent to (just like you would to the floppy) the CDRW effected this one CDRW disk. The file was a copy of a backup I made with Backup Now NTI Deluxe. It supposedly was less than 2 mb. in size.

[ErnieK]

Wiltrot
I hope I am correct with this.

This might be a stupid question, but did you clos (finalise) the disk after writing to it? If the session is not closed you will not be able to see the files on it.

All you will be able to see when you check it is the space taken up. The fact that you were able to write more data to the disk suggests that it was not closed (finalised).

[Budfred]

I think that as long as you are reading the disk on the same drive that created it that you can still read it even though the disk isn't finalized. I don't know why you can't read the files at this point, but I think it should be possible to do so.

[wiltrot]

I think something happen to the data on the disk. I'm going to wait a few days before I reformat the disk. Unless there's some way to rescue the data.

[Sylvander]

“B’s Recorder gold” [never heard of it] must be a packet writing prog [because you used the “Send To” command on the Context Menu and there was no warning response].
So you were using the CD-RW disk as a giant floppy.
I do this using “Direct CD” Packet writing software and the file appears immediately [unless it’s a big file in which case you’ll see the transfer displayed] just as with a floppy.
There’s no need to finalise with this software although…….

UH OH! I’ve just realised.
You mustn’t close down the Packet Writing prog and then remove the disk from the drive.
[Let’s say the PC crashed or something or the prog was not responding and you ejected the disk.]
The prog MUST be running when you eject the disk, because it’s then that the disk session is finalised.
If I did remove a disk without the prog running I’d put it back in without the prog running then start the prog and then eject it and the file record would be updated then.

DIRECT CD HELP FILES SAY
Ejecting a DirectCD Disc
-------------------------------
When you tell DirectCD to eject a disc from your CD-R or CD-RW drive DirectCD gives you various formatting options, depending on what kind of disc is in the drive and how you want to use the disc. To eject a DirectCD disc, follow these steps:
1. Right-click the CD icon on the Windows taskbar.
2. Select Eject from the drop-down list box. The Eject window appears.
Note: You can also press the Eject button on the CD-R or CD-RW drive.
3. Read the text that appears in the window and select the option you want.
4. Click Finish to eject the disc from the drive.
DirectCD ejects your CD from the drive.
When you are ready to add more data to the CD, see Writing More Data to a DirectCD Disc.
If you want to be able to read the DirectCD disc on a standard CD-ROM drive, see Ejecting a DirectCD Disc to Read on Another Computer.

Fixing an Unreadable Disc
---------------------------------
If no window appears on the screen after about 15 seconds when you insert a disc in the drive, the disc may have an unreadable format. This situation can occur, for example, if the CD-R or CD-RW drive temporarily stalls while you are writing a large file to the disc. DirectCD has a ScanDisc utility that may be able to make a disc readable again and allow you to write to it and read from it. To use ScanDisc, follow these steps:
1. Double-click the CD icon on the Windows taskbar. If the disc has an unreadable format, the ScanDisc window will appear.
2. Read the information in the window, then click the Start button.
Note: You can click the Help button in the ScanDisc window to learn more about ScanDisc.
3. Wait while ScanDisc repairs the disc.

[wiltrot]

Man oh man. I wish I had waited a little while longer before reformatting that disk. I found The Ultimate CD/DVD data recovery tool! No kidding it really works.
:rolleyes: IsoBuster (http://www.smart-projects.net/isobuster/)