If you formatted the CD (or DVD) with Direct CD then it is "locked" by Direct CD.  This happens on Roxio, with a CD-RW Burner and may also apply to a DVD burner.  For example, if you want to make an audio or data CD, using the "Music Project" or the "Data Project", you must use a BLANK UNFORMATTED CD, if you previously format the CD (CD-R or CD-RW) with Direct CD, then the Audio Project or Data Project will give you the error message you are getting. 

You can just stop DirectCD from loading at startup, then you'll be back to the native XP method of copying files onto CD. In fact, I find that even with DirectCD loading at startup, if I use an unformatted CDR or CDRW disk, the native XP method works fine. DirectCD only takes over if I use a disk previously formatted with EasyCD.

To stop DirectCD from loadiing, click start, Run, Type msconfig, startup tab, uncheck the box next to direct CD, restart. A box comes up, just check the box on it and click OK.

Alternatively, use regedit to delete the entry in the run key shown in msconfig as the location from which DirectCD is started. 

Message Edited by JRosenfeld on 11-07-2003 07:29 PM

Thanks for the response.  This whole thing is "deja view all over again".  I ran into the same conflict between Adaptec and BackUpMyPC a couple of years ago on another Dell machine.  Except this time I don't know how to turn off Direct CD without uninstalling Roxio.  As far as I'm concerned, Direct CD is just a nuisance anyway.  Is there a way to turn it off?

Didn't work.  I unchecked Direct CD in msconfig and rebooted.  However, in that state the format command is gone and the drive won't open when I press the Open button.

I just reread your first post, and see that you refer to DVD disk. The XP method only works with CD-R or CD-RW disks. But then, as far as I know, so does DriectCD drag and drop. Neither will write files to a DVD disk.

If you want to write to a DVD disk, then you have to use the DVD data project method in Roxio EasyCD Creator, assuming that that is you software. Also, you need to make sure that you get the right DVD format, depending on your DVD drive (some use DVD-R or-RW, others use DVD+R, +RW, video/data disks, the - and/or + is crucial).

If you use Easy CD creator, make sure that you have updated to version 5.3.5.10. Also if your DVD writer is the NEC 1100 A, update the firmware from Dell downloads.

You are right that with DirectCD not started, the format command is missing; that is because for the XP method you have to use an unformatted CD R disk. As I said in my previous post, with CD-R or CD-RW disks, the XP method works with an unformatted disk, whether or not DirectCD is started. If I put a CD disk previously formatted by DirectCD, then with DirectCD started, it takes over; with it not started, the XP method does not work.

JR: DirectCD and Drag to Disk will work with DVD media just fine. Of course you have to format the media first.

You are correct that XP is not able to do it.

Jim,

Thanks for the correction. I use DVD+RW disks as backup to data files, and find it convenient to use the DVD data project method, as it involves copying several thousand files. I'd not tried dropping individual files onto DVD with DirectCD. If I put a DVD+RW disk that has some files on it in and open DirectCD, it wants to format it first, presumably because it was closed when I burned the data DVD project onto it. I haven't got a fresh DVD+RW to hand, but will try next time.

Depending on the value of your backups, I would stick with what you are doing… Packet writing can go south faster than a robin in Wisconsin.

To use RW media that has not been formatted for DCD, you would have to erase it first.