Need Wiki on Burning CDs and DVDs

[BobH]

OK! So I'm an idiot! BUT, I'm an old idiot and won't be around long to hear the laughter!

For as long as I've been around computers, I have never learned to make CDs and DVDs. I must have a hundred disks lying around that I have made unusable. Nothing more can be put on them and what I put there cannot be read. I've tried many different programs to create new disks, but it seems there is some knowledge about how to do it that remains encapsulated in a a dense fog that my mind cannot penetrate. Even googling for wiki on this subject has failed to enlighten me.

I'd call it a mental block but that presumes more mental power than I possess, it seems.

I downloaded an ISO image of a disk partitioning application that I want to burn to a CD or DVD (I tried both, unsuccessfully). The site that I downloaded the application ISO image from recommended InfraRecorder as software to use to burn the image; so I downloaded and installed it.

I unzipped the downloaded partitioning application file and have the ISO image on my hard drive.

I installed and opened InfraRecorder and chose to Burn a DVD (my media is DVD-R from HP) and chose the source ISO file. It ran and showed a progress bar and ejected the disk when completed then asked me to close the disk so that it could verify it. I did and it did then ejected the disk again.

When I reloaded the disk, InfraRecorder showed it as already burnt, but when I clicked the X to close InfraRecorder I got a message saying that I still had not recorded the data. I cannot find an option anywhere in the menus telling me that I must 'close', 'write', 'complete', or otherwise perform some function to complete the process.

I've had similar difficulties trying to burn music CDs. There is something about this process that mystifies me. Can someone please point me to a decent wiki?

I realize that different software that burns disks have different options which they present differently, but I also realize that I don't know what the functions are that such software must perform. For example. with music CD's one (for lack of a better vocabulary) 'copies' the MP3 files to a CD. When all of the files are 'copied' or the the CD will hold no more files, one must then 'close' the CD so that other applications can read the CD. It appears to me that the data is actually written to the CD during the 'copy' process(es) and that the 'close' process must write some control or index value into a track on the CD so that the next application will recognize the process as having been completed. As I understand it, for as long as the CD remains 'unclosed', 1) it cannot be read by other applications, and 2) additional tunes can be added.

I realize that music and data must sometimes be 'ripped' from a CD. I suppose that means translating the formatting or file system from that used for the source CD/DVD to one that can be used by other applications. I have presumed that this had to do with protection of intellectual properties or some deficit of functionality between data formats for recording and playback (though this seems unreasonable to me).

I'll stop demonstrating my ignorance further because this post is getting too long, but I have many other questions.

I'd greatly appreciate and shall gratefully receive your help.

[Bigaldoc]

I don't know anything about this InfraRecorder you mention. But here's what I do.

I have used Ashampoo® Burning Studio for quite some time and don't have any of the problems you write about.

You might want to give it a try.

[BobH]

Thank you, Al!

My problem is not so much the software (I've used at least a half dozen different programs) as it is a lack of understanding of the paradigm. Should creating a CD or DVD be the same as, say, creating a floppy disk? If not, what it is the difference in the two processes?

[tomyrush]

couple of things right off
A. CD/DVD R are write once - read muliple. CD/DVD RW are closer to a floppy - write - read -write
B. CD's/DVD's write in a coil from the center outward - nonstop - to delete and rewrite something - in most cases the entire media is rewritten.
C. There are major differences between music/video CD's/DVD's and data CD's/DVD's can't intermix on same media

At one point I found a "wiki" like you are looking for. I will search and see if I can find it

Tom

[tomyrush]

found this article - it isn't the one I had, but it looks pretty good

http://www.thefreecountry.com/utilities ... ning.shtml" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Tom

[tomyrush]

couldn't find out how to attach pdf to reply - send me an email and I will send it to you

Tom

[tomyrush]

pdf is 3.2 mb - 184 pages
Tom

[HansV]

The maximum size for an attachment to a post is 256 KB...

[Pilgrim]

I don't know anything about this InfraRecorder you mention. But here's what I do.

I have used Ashampoo® Burning Studio for quite some time and don't have any of the problems you write about.

You might want to give it a try.

I second Ashampoo Burning Studio. The user interface (main window) is extremely simple with "categories" of different types of burning projects, e.g., Data, Music, ISO, etc. You choose which one fits what you are wanting to do and the program does the rest. You can also go into the "Change Options" section after you have added what files you want to Add and choose to not "finalize" the disk which enables you to add files later on, with the exception of ISO files which must be finalized.

[DaveA]

The biggest problem that I have seen about burning ISO's, is that most people think all one needs to is "Burn" the ISO file to a CD/DVD, but the ISO needs to be expanded and then burned. Some programs with do this all in one step, but, the programs needs to told it is an ISO. Most do have a special entry in the menu to do this.

But if one has Windows 7, there is a built in ISO burner, see http://windowsteamblog.com/windows/b/wi ... ows-7.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[ChrisGreaves]

OK! So I'm an idiot!

In the absence of any opinions to the contrary, I'd like to debate that.
I don't think you are an idiot, and I think that I'm not an idiot, either.
I have struggled with the same problems you describe ever since I bought my laptop 3? 4? years ago.
I have a DVD/VCD (dubbing) unit, the laptop, a cassette deck, cartons of CDs, cassette tapes, about 50 favorite VCR movies, and I really want to "get into" this media thing - when time permits.
There seems to be a huge learning curve.
I have a best-fit program that could allocate tracks to a CD so that I could take a collection of music and portion it out to several CDs.
I struggle with my inability to use a DVD disk (that can contain a 6 hour movie) to store 6 hours of MP3s to play in the car.
I don't comprehend why 6 hours of movies dubbed from VCR to DVD can't be played back on the laptop.
etc. etc. etc.
I suspect it can't be done, but I struggle to understand why I can't have 6 hours of music on a disk that slips into the player.

So, Bob, thanks for this post. I shall follow the thread with deep interest, and learn much.
You are, as usual, a born leader.
(later) I am resisting the impulse to write "You are, as usual, a burn leader"

[StuartR]

...the ISO needs to be expanded and then burned. Some programs with do this all in one step, but, the programs needs to told it is an ISO....

Many CD burning programmes will burn an ISO file direct to disk. This can be very important if the ISO file contains a boot block or other data that you can't simply extract as a file.

[DaveA]

StuartR,
That is what I was trying to say.

[stuck]

I struggle with my inability to use a DVD disk (that can contain a 6 hour movie) to store 6 hours of MP3s to play in the car.

You can't put a DVD in a CD player. You, err, need a DVD player. So while you will be able to get lots & lots of MP3s onto a DVD, you're never going to be able to play it on your car's CD player.

Ken

[BobH]

Thanks for the vote of confidence, Chris!

We'll beat this thing, yet!!

But if one has Windows 7, there is a built in ISO burner, see http://windowsteamblog.com/windows/b/wi" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... ows-7.aspx

Win7 is not a solution for me. It requires hardware upgrades that I do not otherwise need or want. At some point, I'm sure one of my old (4-5 years) computers will go belly up. When it does, it's unlikely that I'll be able to buy a replacement that is not capable of running Win7 - and will likely have it pre-installed. Until then, the ones I have are perfectly serviceable; and I feel no compulsion - lemming like - to scrap anything serviceable to fulfill the profit goals of the tin makers (we called 'em 'iron' in the old mainframe days, but I think 'tin' better describes the wares foisted off sold today) or the boys in Redmund.