I'm looking for recommendations for a decent external cd burner for an older computer/OS (Win 2000) and the best stores or online merchants to purchase it. [Barring that, if anyone has any hints for unjamming cd-rom drives that are jammed shut (and, I believe, off the track), I'd be interested!] [more inside]
posted by Mael Oui on Jul 8, 2009 - 8 answers

What would cause certain folders to show up when a DVD is mounted under Windows (XP, FWIW), but not to show up under Linux (Ubuntu Intrepid)? [more inside]
posted by claudius on Mar 5, 2009 - 7 answers

I have a legacy CDRW which shows up empty when mounted in either Linux or Windows. Extracting an iso image under linux via dd yields greppable strings which indicate files are hiding inside. How do I extract the files without knowing what format or filesystem they are in? [more inside]
posted by benzenedream on Oct 1, 2008 - 4 answers

Help! The CD drive keeps re-opening! [more inside]
posted by rossination on Apr 5, 2008 - 10 answers

Why will neither my computer nor VMware boot the Windows XP SP2 installation CD I got from my university? [more inside]
posted by goingonit on Oct 4, 2007 - 9 answers

How can I wipe a hard drive if I can't boot from CD and there is no floppy drive? We want to install winXP on a machine with Ubuntu (eventual dual-boot). [more inside]
posted by billtron on Jan 28, 2007 - 14 answers

How do I mount a Windows 98-burned CDROM in OS X? [more inside]
posted by valkane on Dec 3, 2006 - 8 answers

Do these disc repair machines really work?
posted by lilboo on Jan 16, 2006 - 13 answers

Folks, what on earth is wrong with my dvd/cd drive? If you can fix this i'll shower you with free drink if you ever come to Ireland. [more inside]
posted by kev23f on Dec 19, 2005 - 7 answers

Making an "updatable" CD-Rom (lots of linked, searchable pdfs/ docs) that needs to check the web for updated documents and download them to user's hard-drive, subsequently seamlessly showing data from HD/ CD as necessary. Any resources on coding said beast? Google-fu fails me. [more inside]
posted by Pericles on Dec 14, 2004 - 7 answers

Help! My CD-ROM device and (apparently) drivers have disappeared. Caveat: I'm running Red Hat 9. [more inside]
posted by IshmaelGraves on Nov 23, 2004 - 10 answers

CDRom encyclopaedia that updates itself from web. What do you call it's updating process? [more inside]
posted by Pericles on Sep 17, 2004 - 3 answers

When your iBook G4 loses faith in the idea that it has DVD drive, complaining of an error [-70012] when you stick a DVD in; when even firmware prompt commands like "eject" won't pop it out; when you realize that for purposes of style you have been deprived of a manual-eject pinhole; in such straits, friends, is there any hope of freeing your Digital Versatile Disc of "Spiderman" from the drive?
posted by inksyndicate on Jul 21, 2004 - 13 answers

I have lots and lots of CD-ROMs of old files, scans of old papers I wanted to throw away to save space, etc. I'd like to have an index of them on my hard-drive, and found Offline CD Browser, some freeware that seems to do this. Has anyone used software to index their CDs that they'd like to recommend?
posted by Stoatfarm on May 11, 2004 - 2 answers

My G3 Powerbook is 3.5 years old. I love my Powerbook and intend to stick with Apple. Unfortunately, my G3 is starting to deteriorate. The CD ROM is broken and programs randomly close for no reason. I lost several pages on a paper I was writing. Which is all to say that my parents generously offered to get me a new computer for Hannukah / graduation (I graduate in a few months). Since I definitely want to buy another Powerbook, should I just go out and buy the Titanium G4? Or do you think a G5 Powerbook will come out soon and I should wait?
posted by adrober on Dec 22, 2003 - 30 answers

This might be a little too specific, but does anyone know of a method to force a CD drive to spin continuously while running a Director app? [more inside] [more inside]
posted by backOfYourMind on Dec 10, 2003 - 7 answers