How do I transfer jpeg photo files to a CD?

January 3, 2007 7:05 AM

I can't believe I don't know this, but how do I transfer jpeg photos from my computer to a writeable CD? I tried to write the files to a CD-RW, but Windows XP keeps telling me the disk is not compatible. It's just a standard CD-RW I bought at Staples. Do I need some sort of special Picture CD or something?
posted by zembla3 to Computers & Internet (10 answers total)

That CD is useless without pictures. (sorry had to get that out of the way)

This happens to me a lot, my computer seems to have a long standing feud with CD-RWs, it won't even read them. I also use XP, so it might be the same thing (which I've never figured out).

What I do is take the files with an USB memory thingy into my girl's PC and burn them there. Not much help from here, I guess, but I can tell you you don't need a special picture CD.
posted by micayetoca at 7:16 AM on January 3, 2007

Have you made regular CD-R discs from your data? What kind of CD-burner drive do you have?

..are you sure you have a cd drive capable of burning discs? These specifics would really help us help you.
posted by cowbellemoo at 7:31 AM on January 3, 2007

Didn't you get some specific burning software with the CD Rom drive? I would use that over XP.
posted by caddis at 7:36 AM on January 3, 2007

Does your CD/DVD player actually support the CD-RW format? Find out what drive you have,
My Computer->Properties->Hardware->Device manager and then if you expand the "DVD/CD-Rom drives" it will give you the model number of your drive.
Also Windows XP will only allow you to to write a complete set of files to a CD-RW, you can not add files at a later date.
posted by Ferrari328 at 7:37 AM on January 3, 2007

Here's a primer on using XP just in case you are not doing it right.
posted by caddis at 7:38 AM on January 3, 2007

I burn pictures to CD all the time, but I just use CD-R discs. As others have mentioned CD-RW discs can have some compatibility issues, and name-brand CD-Rs are dirt cheap so I don't worry about being able to reuse them.
posted by TedW at 7:40 AM on January 3, 2007

Response by poster: I have burned music to CD-RWs on this computer before, so I know it's not a problem with my disk drive ... I guess Windows XP has compatibility issues with CD-RWs. I'll try a regular CD-R. Thanks, everyone.
posted by zembla3 at 7:44 AM on January 3, 2007

Try updating the firmware on your CD drive (see the drive manufacturer's website). That should allow your drive to recognize newer media.
posted by Uncle Jimmy at 7:46 AM on January 3, 2007

That's a very good suggestion Uncle J.
posted by caddis at 7:50 AM on January 3, 2007

Did you try another disc? I get bad discs all the time.
posted by wsg at 8:37 AM on January 3, 2007