[Ham-Computers] Recommendations for CD reader/burner

Tue, 10 Sep 2002 20:35:26 -0700

The R/W write once disks just fine.  So having the capability doesn't mean
you need to use it.  Anyway, would probably be hard to find a writer without
R/W capability and the price would not be different.

Roxio software comes with "DirectCD" which will also allow a one time write
CD to act like a floppy drive.  When full though, you are done.  It also
will not read on a regular CD reader unless the software is on that machine
or the CD is "closed" on the writer first.

Another issue with CD backups that is my biggest issue, but I think not an
issue if you do a full restore (which I never have had to yet) is.... since
a CD is read only (basically), when you move files back to the hard drive
they are read only and their attributes need changing.  A time consuming
effort if you copy a lot of files.

Dan KI6X

-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected]
[mailto:[email protected]]On Behalf Of Duane Fischer,
W8DBF
Sent: Tuesday, September 10, 2002 9:31 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [Ham-Computers] Recommendations for CD reader/burner

Hello John,

First, is your only reason for doing this 'mass storage'?

Depending on what you wish to put on a CD helps determine which type of
device
will service your needs the best.

I would not purchase a rewriteable CD rom unit, considering your needs, the
price of those diskettes is considerably more than those of the write once
only
type. At a cost of less than fifty cents each, you can afford to toss them
out
rather than pay four times as much for a rewriteable disk which is only
useable
most times four times.That is, you can erase and rewrite generally only four
times on these disks.

At least this is what is says on the ones I have here.

Another thought John:

Your older system may prohibit this, but with the current price of 3-0+ Gig
hard
drives, this might be more efficient for you than a CD burner. You have the
ability to reformat anytime you desire, erase, edit, add to and so forth. It
may
also eliminate potential hardware tsr conflicts you may get into with an
external, or internal CD burner considering your present configuration.

A tape back up system is also a third consideration. A lot of storage for
the
dollar and also reuseable.

Duane W8DBF

----------
From: John Burch <[email protected]>
To: [email protected]
Subject: [Ham-Computers] Recommendations for CD reader/burner
Date: Tuesday, September 10, 2002 10:50 AM

Zip disks of the 100 meg variety are getting harder
to find, and are becoming very expensive, so...

I want to purchase a CD R/W gadget for my computer
and am looking for recommendations, hints, and your
actual experience.  Of particular value to me would be
real experience as to what to look for, and especially,
what to avoid.

I don't care if the unit installs inside the computer or is
an outboard unit.  Outboard units might offer ease of
installation.  The blinding speed of a direct connection
to the computer's internal bus is not an issue as I will be
using the device for bulk storage.

The computer is an older P-166 with the incomparable
Win 98 SE operating platform.  It currently has a CD
reader configured on one of the IDE ports and the HD
on the other IDE port.  There is a Zip drive that also
hangs off of one of the IDE ports as a slave.  I'd rather
not disconnect the Zip drive, but will if I need to.

There are two USB "sockets" in the back of the thing,
but I have no idea if they work or actually do anything
as I have never done anything with them.  I have no
idea if they are useful for connection to an outboard
device.

What more questions can I answer before you flood me
with ideas, hints, and recommendations?

I am REALLY interested in advice about hardware or
any software to support it that I should avoid!

Thanks for the read, and for any help with this.  I am
soliciting any information that you'd like to share with
me before I stumble into this undertaking.

73 de John
..

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