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General discussion

Adaptec/Roxio Easy CD Creator 4 and Direct CD Wizard

Feb 20, 2005 6:51AM PST

These CD burning programs came loaded on my Dell Desktop purchased Feb., 2001. I've made Data CDs on CD-RW discs in both Easy CD and Direct CD. I've not been able to check either of these in any standard CD-ROM drive so I can't confirm readability of these discs in a standard CD-ROM drive.
I've read the reference material for these programs a number of times, but am still left with a few gnawing questions that I hope someone can help me with.

1. On the disc made with DirectCD, I can't seem to eject the disc using the eject button. I have to activate the DirectCD program and use its eject button
command. Why? If I put this CD in a standard CD-ROM drive on a machine without the DirectCD software, how would I eject it?
2. Does the DirectCD created disc need the DirectCD program and/or UDF to read it?
3. I believe, I understand, once formatted and created with DirectCD, I can later add or remove files much as I would any other disk storage media. Correct?
4. On a CD-RW disc created with Easy CD Creator 4, should I be able to run this on a standard CD-ROM drive? If not what do I need in order to read it?
5. On a CD-RW disc created with Easy CD Creator 4, can I add and remove files, post creation? If so, How?

I'm getting ready to send a potential publisher a CD-RW loaded with files and I need to be sure they can be read and CD ejected on whatever drive they may be using. I would appreciate responses to these concerns. Thank you!

Discussion is locked

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I had problems with CD-RWs made using Direct CD
Feb 20, 2005 8:34AM PST

being read by other computers. The ones I made were only readable on the computer where they were made. Thank goodness they wasn't the only copies I had.

I also experienced the formatted CD-RW not responding to the eject button if I had recently added data and DirectCD was running.

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The eject issue was patched by Roxio.
Feb 20, 2005 9:01AM PST

But given how old the version is now, my bet is the patch is not available. And furthermore, it resolved some incompatibilities with machines that couldn't read such and more.

Time to move on?

Bob

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Thank you, but no thanks!
Feb 20, 2005 9:11PM PST

I appreciate your solution as always being the way out, but I do not intend creating volumes of CDs, only a couple of data CDs here and there. For me to spend $40 to $80 to upgrade to a program, most of whose features I would never use, doesn't make sense. I'm still trying to find out if someone can tell me if a CD created on Easy CD Creator 4 is readable on most standard CD-Rom players, or do I have to include a UDF copy? Most of what I've heard, says I should stay away from using the DirectCD Wizard because of the ejection related problems. Thank you!

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Get real.
Feb 20, 2005 10:29PM PST

1. Such creations are not readable by all machines.

2. 40 or 80 bucks? You must be kidding me. A new CDRW drive cost me 10 bucks on sale and included the new software. If this issue is not worth that much to fix, it's time to pack that machine up.

3. What bother with UDF at all? And if you need new CD recording software, here's a freebie I use all the time -> http://www.cdburnerxp.se/

"'m still trying to find out if someone can tell me if a CD created on Easy CD Creator 4 is readable on most standard CD-Rom players, or do I have to include a UDF copy?"

a. Easy CD Creator is capable of creating multi-session CDRs that can't be read on all machines.

b. DirectCD is not compatible with all machine.

Hope this helps,


Bob

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Thank You again Bob, I'll try to
Feb 21, 2005 1:33AM PST

By the way, "Hope this helps", sounds a lot better than "Get Real". I'm not having a problem with my drive, it's other people's drives I'm concerned about. Perhaps I could "Get Real" if I knew where you got a drive with new Easy CD Creator for $10. I'd buy it for the software alone. My reference to $40 to $80 refers to the cost of ECDC 6 on the Roxio Site. Thanks DRT

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I picked it up at
Feb 21, 2005 1:35AM PST

An OfficeMax sale.

I still find them for under 20 bucks. With software. I run into people that will not part with 20 bucks to fix such an issue. What can you do but think "get real" and write/speak... "Best of luck!"?

Bob

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This is what I call help
Feb 21, 2005 2:06AM PST

Thank you Bob, for the info. I agree you can think what you like, but should use some filter when you speak or write. I guess my problem is the apparent generation gap(I'm 77),and I'm more in tune with the "Show Me" mode. Thanks again for all your help. DRT

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It could be you
Feb 21, 2005 3:01AM PST

"I'm not having a problem with my drive, it's other people's drives I'm concerned about."

That will include a new computer should you buy one. That is how I found out the formatted CD-RWs I created with DirectCD weren't always readable by other computers.

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A Final Happy Ending, I Hope
Feb 22, 2005 9:56AM PST

Bob

I wanted you to know that between your info and what I gleaned from participating in the Roxio Discussion Forum on ECDC 4, I believe my problems are solved and I don't have to pack up my machine. The summary of tips on ECDC 4, that worked for me are as follows:
1. For saving Data Files, use a CD-R disc rather than CD-RW.
2. The data is better preserved on a CD-R.
3. Stay away from the DirectCD program for this purpose. There are too many specific (ie: machine operating platform, type CD-RW Drive, Multi-Read, etc) requirements for the end user to meet in order to read the CD Disc created with DirectCD. There is also an ejection bug in this version of DirectCD.
4. Use Blank Discs designed for the recording speed or range of your drive.
5. Keep your Lens clean by periodically running a CD-ROM Lens Cleaning Disc. This last one, although seemingly innocuous, solved a problem I had reading CD-Rs after creating them with ECDC 4.

I list this summary with the hope that someone who needs it, can see it all in one place.
Thx again-DRT

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If you toss out DirectCD, then that is the major causes ...
Feb 22, 2005 9:59AM PST

And the need for the patches they once offered.

Outside of just 2 features, I could toss ECDC 4 into the bone pile and just use -> http://www.cdburnerxp.se/

Such is stable and costs nothing to use.

Bob

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Fix for unreadable CD's
Feb 26, 2005 6:20AM PST

I have two cd's that were created using the DirectCd wizard, and now they are unreadable, is there a restoration tool or piece of software I could use to recover these files on the CD-R

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Try ISOBUSTER.
Feb 26, 2005 6:49AM PST

But your story is just one of the many why I no longer use DirectCD or similar...

Bob

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Direct CD
Feb 28, 2005 12:14AM PST

I had my unreadable CD-R unravelled by a hacker I know, it cost me 50 bucks, but the material on it was worth saving. Since then I've completely gone over to Nero. They have it all. Amos.

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RE:RE:Fix for unreadable CD's
Jul 18, 2006 9:25AM PDT

I have the same problem. I was backing up my quicken files on a cd created through DirectCD, using Easy CD Creator 4. Well, suffice to say, I "messed up" the old computer, bought a new one, and tried to install ECDC4.....didn't work. I tried simply sticking the old CD in the new machine.....it says it's blank. I was able to get one last oomph out of the old machine and tried to save the files to the desktop, then copy them to a CD formatted on the new machine....nothing. Any programs out there that can get the Quicken files for me? I am afraid the only way to view them is through the old comp....