Hello there,

I've recently bought a DVD writer, and one of the things I wanted to use it for was to write regular backups of 'My Docs', etc, off to rewriteable disks.

On older systems, I used Windows 9x with an application called UDFRInst which basically allowed you to use any inserted CDRW drive as you would a hard disk, adding files, deleting, moving, etc. It was all very convenient and allowed me to use simple DOS batches and apps such as Synchronx to replicate files between two folders, always keeping the latest greatest version...

Now under XP, using my new NEC2500A DVD+- Rewriter, I can't even use the standard XP 'burn files to CD' option. I can use Nero to write to RW's, and reuse by erasing disks, but that's all a bit of a pallaver (sp!?)

Is there an application I should use to allow me to use DVD+RW as a more convenient standard drive that I can read and write to using Windows Explorer?

Thanks for any help/advice
Joolz

 

Joolz,

the built in writing engine within xp is abit hit & miss tbh , make sure you have installed SP1 and all updates.

Anyway you want to format the disc in the UDF format, this will allow you to easily drag and drop files, delete, rename etc much like a floppy or hard disk, very handy!.

Do a google for a program called InCD, it's normally bundled with Nero, get over to www.ahead.com for a trail download or use a P2P to obtain it.

 

I have XP. I just got one of those USB Jump drives. In explorer I just right click the important files I want to backup and select send to.

Jen

 

All you need is INCD4 from the nero website, which enables packet writing to CDRW's. Forget XPs built in CD writing its crap, disable it completely.

I also have a NEC2500 and a Samsung CDRW, INCD works flawlessly writing to CDRW's on both drives, at the sametime if needed. Remember u need to format the CDRW as a packet CD. This is included by INCD as a context menu, and in my computer. The Samsung has Mount Ranier support as well, so I can also gain more space on a CDRW and not have to worry about formatting the CDRW beforehand. As this file format formats the space it requires as u move files to n from the CDRW.

Edited to say I believe INCD works with DVDRWs as well, although I havent tested that yet.

 

Indeed it does

 

Bonus

 

Yikes - Downloaded InCD from Nero site, and after install it asks for a reboot.
Well did my OS refuse to boot - oooooh yes. Gets as far as the XP loading screen and then reboots the machine in infinite loop! Only way back in was going into safe mode and performing a system restore from a few days back

Tried to install again and exactly the same thing happened again.

I'll try and troubleshoot a bit further as I've got a real need for this software on my machine. Perhaps I'll uninstall Nero and reinstall from the CD again after InCD (assuming it still doesn't mess my machine.

Has anyone seen this issue before, or got any other S/W recommendations?

Thanks for all the suggestions so far.
Joolz

 

Hello again,

After some mucking around I've got my system working. InCD works just fine but only if I totally remove Nero from my machine. Somewhat bizarre as they are both from the same company. Once Nero is off, I can load InCD without problems. Then, bizarrely, I can reload Nero and all appears fine. I've rebooted a few times and the machine seems stable, writing to DVD+R using Nero and DVD+RW using InCD (Explorer). Only time will tell if it stays this way.

I must say the installers are a little "different." Perhaps the Ahead installers do not take full advantage of the built in Windows Installer service and that is what is allowing some conflict amongst the files that these apps use. I thought we'd moved on from that rubbish some years back

Ah well. Live and learn.
Joolz