The date would indicate today's date in editing the volume of the disk. Deleting files would only pertain to CDRW disks, for cd-r disks are write protected once the session is completed. As for ghosting, try resetting the configuration data in your BIOS settings, to see if a new read on all hard drives (which also include all internal cd type drives will provide a correct read) corrects this issue. If you had a prior configuration when this did not occur, system restore is also another option.
I changed the drive letters for my partitions because XP had tossed them all over the place randomly rather than contiguously.
However, ever since I changed them, when I put a cd into one of my burner drives (I have two) and go to read what's on the disk, I have ghost icons showing up for folders on one of the partitions. These icons all have shortcut arrows on them, and I can right click and choose Delete, but when I check the partition, the real folder is gone. I can then restore it and it goes back to the correct partition, but it also shows back up on the cd as a shortcut to it.
If I put the same cd into the other cdrw, it appears correctly as browsed.
I'm also getting a window every once in a while that is a 'cd writing wizard' (I have Roxio installed) that indicates I have a cd ready to be burned with today's date on it and it asks whether I want to burn it now, burn it later, or delete the files. I'm sure not deleting files, but can't figure out what this window is all about either.
Anybody got any clues about what's happened?
TONI

Chowhound
Comic Vine
GameFAQs
GameSpot
Giant Bomb
TechRepublic