Topic: Question: How to burn a standard data CD/DVD on Vista?

[Nemesis]

A former co worker has the problem of burning standard CDs and DVDs on Vista for use on machines that don't read the default Microsoft Vista format.   He wants it for transferring data between machines that are not networked together.

Anyone have any appropriate links? 

Thanks in advance.

[Bonk]

I'd recommend giving InfraRecorder a try.

To build a truly compatible multi-platform CD, it is best to prepare the files in ISO 9660 directory/filename layout (DOS 8.3) if possible before even setting up a project to burn. If one must use long file names then the joliet extension has been pretty compatible in my experience, but best to stick to good old dos 8.3 path and filenames for everything to guarantee compatibility, then just burn in ISO 9660 Level 1 (11/8.3) without joliet. Single session, single track, close the disk.

Stay away from re-writeable media, cds are cheap - want to erase it? Break it in half and grab a new one off the stack.

DVD data disks? No guarantees of compatibility no matter how you do it due to the variety of DVD burning and reading hardware out there, as well as variability in media. Best to stick with CDs if possible. Though I imagine with trial and error one could establish a compatible data DVD setup among a few systems. (I have, but with same generation equipment and consistent quality media that is compatible with all the hardware involved)

[Nemesis]

I don't know if he has install rights on the machine that would be burning the disks so I can't be sure he could use InfraRecorder.  I'll mention it to him but I was hoping someone had links to a written procedure for compelling Vista to write standard disks instead of its own format.

I did suggest to him that he might want to consider using a thumbdrive instead.  Less worry about format, higher capacity, reusable and smaller.  I could get a 32gb one for about $90  Cdn or a 8gb for about $20.

[Bonk]

It does run portably as well: InfraRecorder Portable.

Need to watch compatibility with flash as well, USB is not so universal. Some machines will lock up tight if you put a flash drive in a USB port. Then there's USB1,USB1.1,USB2... etc, etc. almost as much hassle as DVD compatibilityand also trial and error.

Chances are the native burning tools in vista (i have not used them) burn multisession disks by default and the target system cannot read them. If you can write single session, single track disks and find a setting to close the disk it might work.

But if the user has permission to burn with the native tools then infrarecorder portable should work as well. (it does not need to be installed to a flash drive, just run the .paf.exe and install to a path with full user permissions. (not program files))

[Nemesis]

Need to watch compatibility with flash as well, USB is not so universal. Some machines will lock up tight if you put a flash drive in a USB port. Then there's USB1,USB1.1,USB2... etc, etc. almost as much hassle as DVD compatibilityand also trial and error.

I don't know the details of what he is doing but from what he wrote it looks like he is setting up a new machine with Linux (first time for him) and wants to take data from a Vista machine, so I would assume both machines to be new enough to be USB 2.  I know that when I last saw him he was considering buying a new machine and was disturbed by the directions Microsoft had chosen for Vista (DRM heavy) and was considering Linux then.

I hadn't heard about flash drives being a problem that way, the limited number of machines I have tried them on have (with the exception of a Win98SE machine) all just worked.  I haven't tried them on any Vista machines though. 

The only issue with DVD I had seen is with a very old DVD drive that predated recordable DVDs, it couldn't handle them, all those I've used built later had no problems. Again with my assumption of fairly new machines I wouldn't expect that to be a problem.

Chances are the native burning tools in vista (i have not used them) burn multisession disks by default and the target system cannot read them. If you can write single session, single track disks and find a setting to close the disk it might work.

From what was written when Vista first showed up I believe you are right.  The problem is explaining how to burn for interchange with other machines via E-Mail when I myself have never used Vista and don't know how Microsoft wrote the options.  I'm pretty sure if I was able to sit down with him I could figure it out myself even though I haven't used Vista.  He is competent with computers but not an advanced user.  He is an Engineer who uses computers but is not specifically interested in them and has always used Windows (he might have used DOS a little).

Thanks Bonk.

[toasty0]

It does run portably as well: InfraRecorder Portable.

Need to watch compatibility with flash as well, USB is not so universal. Some machines will lock up tight if you put a flash drive in a USB port. Then there's USB1,USB1.1,USB2... etc, etc. almost as much hassle as DVD compatibilityand also trial and error.

Chances are the native burning tools in vista (i have not used them) burn multisession disks by default and the target system cannot read them. If you can write single session, single track disks and find a setting to close the disk it might work.

But if the user has permission to burn with the native tools then infrarecorder portable should work as well. (it does not need to be installed to a flash drive, just run the .paf.exe and install to a path with full user permissions. (not program files))

Could also be as simple as - versus + format of the DVD media itself.