NOTE: You, the customer, are solely responsible for data security. WinBook strongly recommends that you perform a backup of all personal data contained on your system prior to performing this procedure. Warning: WinBook will NOT be held responsible for any data loss incurred during this process.

CD-R vs. CD-RW Media
CD-R discs are recommended for any CDs you wish to take to another computer system. CD-RW can be used, but some older CD-ROM readers will have problems accessing the information on these discs. If the CD-ROM reader has a Multi-Read icon like the one you see on the CD-Writer, then that drive will be able to read RW media.

Using Adaptec's Direct CD

If you are using a CD-R disc, formatted with Direct CD, there is an options window that appears when ejecting these discs. The window will ask you if you wish to leave the disc "open" for further writing, or "close" the disc to be read on other computers. Choosing the second option will place a Table of Contents on the CD that most CD-ROMs need in order to access the information. If you are using CD-RW discs, you will not see the eject options because these CDs cannot be "closed". Because of the specialized format that Direct CD uses, even after "closing" the disc to be read on other computers, many systems will not be able to read these discs. The reason for this is two-fold:

1. If the formatted Direct CD disc is not closed, either by choice, or by the fact that it is RW and cannot be closed, you must install Adaptec's Direct CD Reader software on the computer you wish to read the CD from. This will allow Windows to make sense of the UDF format, the file system Direct CD uses.
2. If the CD-ROM is not Multi-Read capable, you will not be able to read the CD, either with Direct CD Reader installed, or with the Direct CD disc "closed". This is because the data on a Direct CD disc is written in packets of information, rather than in tracks, like a standard CD. If the CD-ROM drive is not Multi-Read capable, then it also means that it is not packet-tolerant, and will not be able to access the information regardless of how it is prepared.

Using Adaptec's Easy CD Creator or CD Copier Deluxe
These two burning applications from Adaptec write to CD in the standard track format, adding a Table of Contents to the end of the session. This method of writing is most widely recognized by other CD devices and will increase the chance for successful "disc interchange". Even with this method, however, the above information about CD-RW media still applies. Using Easy CD Creator or CD Copier Deluxe with RW media may still create difficulties reading the information, unless the reader device is Multi-Read capable. Using CD-R with this software, however, affords you the best chance of reading your created CDs on another computer and is the recommended method.

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