Well remembered Mike! And yes I installed it on my Compaq Presario = +RW; +R . For some reason I can't make my version of Nero Express do ANYTIHNG with +RW DVDs! It stubbornly only works with -RW and -R.

TIA

Grazie

Grazie, I don't know what to suggest other than seeing if there's a software update for Express. After all, -R/-RW did come out first.

Mike

Acronis True Image 9.0 as recommended here.
Only had it a few days but it seems very capable. Not free though but anything that'll save me having to rebuild a sys disk again is cheap.

Apart from disk imaging it'll also do file backups etc. Works over a network etc.

Bob.

Grazie - you might check to see if there is a firmware update for your drive. I'm shooting in the dark a bit here, but I know that firmware updates sometimes include Media IDs that may have been previously unrecognized or not treated correctly by the drive.

Grazie:

Sounds like a drive issue. Have you used Nero "InCD" to format the disk first? Then you can use it like a drive letter.

Michael

Michael I don't know what you mean? Please explain?

TIA

Grazie

Grazie, because you are a creative artist, I must ask the following question..... did you place the CD media right-side up? --- Just kidding!!!! I think Michael was referring to the drive in the matter of firmware update for cdwriter? Did the CDwriter pass performance test? His other reference was to Nero "InCD", a simple way to use cd media like a hard disk, there's a lot of docu's on using this on Google.

I'd suggest InCD by Ahead Software (developers of Nero). It's been included in most burners I've bought and I've never had a problem with it.

The great thing is that all you have to do is format the blank DVD+/-RW with InCD once and after that, it's recognized as if it were a huge floppy disc whenever you insert it into your drive. It's great because you can just drag/drop files to/from the disc from any program (even windows explorer).

Yes,
and I think XP will natively read the disks now without you having to install anything, that used to be an issue with Win2K from memory.
Bob.

Look ..

* The Combo reads and writes DVD+R & DVD+RW

* I have some s/w - Copy2DVD - that writes to the DVD+RW but will refuse to ADD any further, additional files without erasing files that I had previously placed there.

* And yes I know which side is UP - I learnt this from 30 years of throwing pottery - Lol!

* Jive, I like the sound of your "InCD by Ahead Software"

Grazie

Mike rs170 had the key to your problem.

When you first write to a rewriteable disk, there is a setting for whether to finalize the disk or not.

Finalizing is often needed to read it on other computers/with other software.

On the other hand, once the disk has been finalized, you can't add to it.

Uncheck this and you should be OK.

Coursie . .

"When you first write to a rewriteable disk, there is a setting for whether to finalize the disk or not."

I understand this. And was what I looked for prior to coming here. The CopyToDVD does have what they call: MULTISESSION.

This requires the user to choose either to CLOSE or if there is enough space to keep the media writable. This is the one I've chosen. PLUS there is an option to select: "If erasable media is detected, prompt to erase it" - of course I have NOT selected this option.

Hence all my consternation.

As to NERO the ADD or APPEND files does not appear to be an option.

As to "InCD" s/w, I've Googled and searched. I have not come up with a "recent" downloadable session that is even capable as downloadable option. I get routed to failed and unknown websites.

TIA,

Grazie

InCD ships as part of Nero, installed it on a PC today. I don't know if it's available standalone. I think XP has the ability to read disk created with it but not write them.

Bob.

With Version 6 of Nero - INCD is presented as a separately downloadable (or not) file update.

Beginning with the current offering- Version 7, the update package forces you to download, but not necessarily choose to install INCD.

Version 7 has been plagued by many user complaints and I think its fair to say it has "bloatware tendencies". NERO seems to be doing its traditional diligent work to work out the bugs.

For backing up I prefer to trust DVD-RAM which requires no (beyond XP) software to write to "drag & drop" data verified FAT 32 files, and has much more robust "re-use cycles" than does RW. Downside - fewer drives support it, higher initial cost for blank media, comparatively slow writing.

The problem I have with using any form of optical backup is you have to force yourself to do it and then file the media and keep some form of database so you can find it.
I'm leaning towards investing in a Thecus 5200 with 2TB of RAID 5 and running Ture Image on all my systems with scheduled backups. Cost is reasonable and with a little quick and easy discipline everything gets backed up without human intervention.

Bob.