The main board on my 3 year old computer quit, so I had to build another computer, this one with Window XP Pro.
I was really impressed by the automatic loading of my printers, camera, and most importantly, my old HD with all my important info on it, load as a second drive. It was even able to read CDs that were left in the Write mode. Then several problem trying to get software and hardware to work with XP.

Like most people I did not have everything back up as I should. Really scared me at the thought of loosing my bushiness books. I had a CD burner on my old one, and I bought a DVD burner in hope of backing up info on a more regular schedule.
Biggest problem has been getting my old CD burner to work with the Roxio Direct CD that worked so well with my old computer. When I loaded it, windows said it made the system unstable, need upgrade software. After lots of searching though several sites and several down loads, I got a patch that seem to work ok when using the RW CD, but not the R CD. I don’t know why the drive makers don’t produce the software for their units.

My New DVD has NTI soft ware that is very complicate to do simple file save.
And it seem XP tries to impose on these operations, making it even more difficult.
I am sure a lot of it is not being familiar with the operation, and I will eventually find work-arounds.

I don’t do music or video records, only data.
I really loved the Roxio Direct CD method of formatting and managing cds and making it so easy to access and save files just like a hard drive etc, maybe I was spoiled.


Question,, is there a program that will manage both my CD and DVD in burning operations, and work well with XP?
Jax

I don't have a DVD recorder (just a player) but I think if you were to buy a program that handled both CD and DVD burning then that would probably take care of any difficulties you have. I've found that software provided with DVD and CD drives makes them work basically but are not usually full versions of whatever brand is supplied. There's nearly always a retail upgrade that involves parting with some cash. Once this is obtained, the software usually does all that you want it to do.

If you prefer Roxio software it looks like Easy CD & DVD Creator 6 will do it. Anything as well featured as this ought to be capable of just handling data. NTI supply CD&DVD Maker 6.7 if you want to look into their software.

About being able to drag and drop files onto a CD:
I use Nero software. It has an option to install INCD, which enables the dragging and dropping of files onto a CD as if it were just another drive (or big floppy disk). This only ever works with CD-RW disks. It just gives a disk error notice If I put (or leave) a CD-R in the drive by mistake. I'm not familiar with other software but I thought all would be the same in this respect since the disk simulates an ordinary drive that might be overwritten added to etc. A CD-R couldn't perform that function.

Thanks Telly,,
I don’t mind to spend the money for something that works. But it seems like a crap shoot when buying software. You never know what it will do. I just thought someone might have had some experience. I just paid $80 for the Sony dvd. that is less than I paid for my CD. So I can afford good soft ware.
The Roxio seems to have some difficulty with XP,, kinda afraid it might be the same with DVD version.
BTW.. on the old computer, it treated the CD-R just like the CD-RW. You would not know the difference except some archive would be changed to read only. Word file would simply make the change with no difference, by writing a new file and deleting the old one. Obviously permanently using up the disk, but there was plenty to waste. Pictures would not allow change.
Is the Nero a share ware? Where you try it before you buy it?
Jax

I haven't seen the latest Nero 6 being offered as shareware.

I realise it's a bit difficult to decide what to buy. About the only thing you can do is research any software that is advertised to do the job and then make a decision. I find the word 'review' added to the end of the software name is a good keyword to use in Google when researching software. It normally brings up some independent opinions. All later software is likely to be compatible with XP. I came across this on my Internet travels. I don't know anything about the software but it seems good ...and has that wonderful word 'freeware' in the description.

Quote:

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I just paid $80 for the Sony dvd. that is less than I paid for my CD

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Just amazing how fast the prices of these things falls. I just bought a DVD recorder to fit under the TV. It has taken the place of our VHS video recorder. It cost just £150-00 and works well. Eighteen months ago we would not have found one for under £600-00.

I use Nero and it works just fine for me, and most of my friends. It has an option that it automatically transfers new files to your CD/DVD every time you turn off your computer so backing up, or rather forgetting it won't be a problem.Now Nero doesn't have to be shareware, it can be freeware if you get my drift, at least long enough for you to check if it works for you then you can go back to legal waters, that I recommend anyway

Ah yes, one more thing - if you don't have them already, you could have two partitions on your HD, one for your OS, the other for the data, so that way if the OS goes, your data will be ok, or in general it is safer in case of some emergency.

I just clicked onto the link Telly provided “CDBurnerXP Pro”.
I think it is version 2.2.9
Sounds like something worth a try,, downloading it now on my super slow 28.8 modem.
I am not sure if this is Nero or what. Will let you all know how it works out.
Jax