freeware cdrw software???

June 12, 2006 10:53 AM

I'm looking for freeware cdrw software that will allow me to use cdrw's like they are floppy disk. I know this can be done using roxio etc but I would like to know if any free versions exist. thanks and it will be for a windows xp machine.
posted by antisocialiting to computers & internet (5 comments total)

Within Windows, there is a CD burner that will make "data CDs" (which is what you want.)

Throw a blank CD in your computer. Then drag some files (Word docs or something) onto the CD icon in the My Computer area.

Once that is done, you can right click on that CD icon and choose "Write to Disc."

It'll take a few minutes, likely, but then you'll have a data CD with those Word docs on it.
posted by k8t at 10:55 AM on June 12, 2006

ok thanks I did that earlier today, but lets say now I have 5 word docs on it. Then I want to put 5 more on. When I put the 5 more on will it delete the original 5 docs??
posted by antisocialiting at 10:58 AM on June 12, 2006

If it is a CD-RW, it shouldn't. Make sure that you have the original Word docs somewhere else, just in case.
posted by k8t at 11:11 AM on June 12, 2006

These Microsoft Knowledgebase articles describe how to to it in XP using its native tools:

Description of CD-R and CD-RW recording in Windows XP

How To Erase Files From a CD-RW Disc in Windows XP
posted by camcgee at 12:18 PM on June 12, 2006

Are you talking about packet-writing software, such as Nero's InCD? Software that will literally allow you to use your CD/RW like a floppy with read/write/erase capability on-the-fly? It's a pretty messy subject, since there are several incompatible packet-writing formats (though they're all called "UDF"). Nero has one, Roxio has another. Apparently HP has one that was originated by IBM and Sonic called DLA (info here).

I understand that this stuff isn't the most reliable in the world, and of course you need to have the software to read the disk on all machines you want to read it on. I haven't used the stuff for years.
posted by lhauser at 12:52 PM on June 12, 2006