Universal Disk Format, abbreviated as UDF, is a universal vendor-independent file system for optical media designed for data interchange and portability, allowing an operating system to read, write and modify data stored on optical media that was created by another operating system. Since you are using ROXIO Easy CD Creator 5, you know it as DirectCD. When you create a disk with DirectCD, UDF, downloadable free from Adaptec and ROXIO, will allow that disk to be read on a system that does not have DirectCD, thus, the disk become portable.
I don't know the details of what happemed on your system last night, but most Users have UDF installed (and don't even know it) with no problems.
Thanks for your reply. I visited the Roxio site a couple weeks ago looking for updates to CD Creator, but am sure I did not download anything. In this day and age it might have scanned my system and downloaded the reader.
I tried to reformat a CD-RW Ultra Speed 16x-24x disk awhile ago, but gave up after an hour and 40 minutes, not sure what is going on. Glad I leave the pictures on my hard drive. Could I load them onto a USB "Key" drive when I get a new computer. I plan to get the 256 Meg size and do it in segments. Thanks again for any info.
CDRW or CDR disks are questionable when using packet writing. Packet writing has never been known for reliability. They will occasionally lose the format for an unknown reason.
That is why most of us "old guys" have abandoned it. I place my pictures and important files on CDR disks using Data Project. CDR disks are now very inexpensive and once written to, last a long time and the data is safe.
The UDF Reader is part of the format and goes on every disc that is formatted. However XP is the first OS that includes a UDF Reader as part of the OS making the install of another one undesirable.
Normally the Reader as well as an auto detection program, also in the format, are never visible to the user.
What happened was that your disc went bad which happens far too often in packet writing. – fastest way to kill a packet writer disc, it to leave it in the drive and shut down the PC.
Packet writing is best used for transferring files from one PC to another when no other means exists. To use it for anything you value is about as good as storing your discs in your microwave oven to keep them dry and safe!
As other forum members have said, Cd-RW is not that reliable. I would transfer anything you have now on CD-RW's onto CD-R's. Just make data disks with CD-R's using Easy CD Creator or whichever burning program you use. These are much safer. Now, in the past I have been able to use the program CDR-DVD Diagnostic (used to be called CDR Diagnostic) to read CD-RW's that have gotten messed up and become unreadable. In almost all cases I was able to read the bad CD-RW's using this program and it allows you to move the files from the bad CD-RW back onto your hard drive so you can re-save them. Worth a try. Look around on the internet for the program--you can do a Google search.
Skybird
10.9K Posts
0
January 1st, 2005 20:00
file system for optical media designed for data interchange and portability,
allowing an operating system to read, write and modify data stored on optical
media that was created by another operating system. Since you are using ROXIO
Easy CD Creator 5, you know it as DirectCD. When you create a disk with DirectCD,
UDF, downloadable free from Adaptec and ROXIO, will allow that disk to be read
on a system that does not have DirectCD, thus, the disk become portable.
I don't know the details of what happemed on your system last night, but most
Users have UDF installed (and don't even know it) with no problems.
dalem29
2 Intern
•
2.2K Posts
0
January 1st, 2005 21:00
Thanks for your reply. I visited the Roxio site a couple weeks ago looking for updates to CD Creator, but am sure I did not download anything. In this day and age it might have scanned my system and downloaded the reader.
I tried to reformat a CD-RW Ultra Speed 16x-24x disk awhile ago, but gave up after an hour and 40 minutes, not sure what is going on. Glad I leave the pictures on my hard drive. Could I load them onto a USB "Key" drive when I get a new computer. I plan to get the 256 Meg size and do it in segments. Thanks again for any info.
Skybird
10.9K Posts
0
January 1st, 2005 21:00
Packet writing has never been known for reliability. They
will occasionally lose the format for an unknown reason.
That is why most of us "old guys" have abandoned it. I place
my pictures and important files on CDR disks using Data Project.
CDR disks are now very inexpensive and once written to, last a
long time and the data is safe.
Jim Hardin
2 Intern
•
2.1K Posts
0
January 2nd, 2005 00:00
The UDF Reader is part of the format and goes on every disc that is formatted. However XP is the first OS that includes a UDF Reader as part of the OS making the install of another one undesirable.
Normally the Reader as well as an auto detection program, also in the format, are never visible to the user.
What happened was that your disc went bad which happens far too often in packet writing. – fastest way to kill a packet writer disc, it to leave it in the drive and shut down the PC.
Packet writing is best used for transferring files from one PC to another when no other means exists. To use it for anything you value is about as good as storing your discs in your microwave oven to keep them dry and safe!
kjharris
428 Posts
0
January 2nd, 2005 14:00
Ken