unable to save to dvd or cd drives- need file permission

Toni
Thanks for the quick response. There is nothing called user permission.
There is DCOM configuration properities. When I typed dcomcnfg in the run box, it says that it or some of its files are missing. I checked the password properties and it says all user can use and I have never used any passwords for this computer so i have nothing that i can put in to change from an old password.
I did not install power dvd xp 4.0 from cyberlink or any of the other software that came with the new dvd drive because of what I have been reading on the boards here indicating they can cause problems.
Paula

When I am in; for example a works text file, and go to file and then save as. Then go up to the cd drive which is m( a disc is in first, either memorex cd-r high capacity or Maxell cd-r) The top line says m:/ and then the name of whatever I am trying to save to the cd. I have Nero and Adaptec but did not tryto access them and have never used them. I have saved to cd in the past but not in several months. Your questions have me wondering if i am missing some very simple step? i did try saving a file to the hard drive and that did just fine without a problem.
Paula

Kees
I was able to save to the cd drive last week. and that is not new equipment and have always just saved to it. The only thing I can think of that is different is that after windows critical update it wouldn't shut down properly and I did do the microsoft fix for that. I dont understand why I could save to a disc in the cd drive last week and not this week? But I will try to do some reading. Any suggestions for where to read. The cd drive came with this computer when I bought it new about 4 yrs ago.
Paula

Paula,

You get this error with 'save as'. But you don't write which program it is you use the 'save as'-feature in. As it seems to me it's a message from this application, and not directly from Windows 98, can you please tell name and version of this program.
And more information on the target would be useful. Are you trying to write to a cd-r or to a cd-rw? If a cd-rw, is it formatted? Does the cd appear in Explorer? Is it empty or can you see previous files on it (the files you wrote there last week, for example)?

And a few interesting experiments:
1. File>Save As in basic Windows programs like Paint and Notepad.
2. File>Save As in Internet Explorer (tell the version) and Outlook Express
3. Copy a file to the CD in Explorer (with drag and drop and with copy and paste)
Tell the results.
And a last question: does the program name DirectCD ring a bell?

Hope this helps.


Kees

KeesFirst let me thank you so much for your patience as well as your knowledge.
I threw out the cd i wrote to last week. I am using cd-r either maxell or memorex.
I tried using the save as in numerous different programs all with the same results. even tried in internet explorer 6 same results, tried in works word processor, tried in corel print shop, tried in front page, paint.and notepad. all with same original error message.
Direct cd rings a bell but i hope you are not going to ask me why.
Outlook express same error message.
I must say I am enjoying the process of learning. Of course would be happier if we could get it to work.
I opened m drive and tried to drag a jpg to it. Again said access is denied.and- Make sure that the disk is not full or write protected.
I tried with two different discs,just to make sure. In copy and paste ; after copying and then opening the drive , paste is not an option.I did try control v and just got a ding sound.
I opened a third brand new disc also a cd r high capacity memorex, same result.
My sis reminded me today that this was an original problem when this computer was new.
Of course we dont remember how it was solved.
I am really wondering if it is in anyway possible that the microsoft download to fix the problem of not shutting down(following those critical update downloads) could have reverted something back to a setting somewhere. Or made part of the computer think it is in xp or nt or part of a network?? Dont know didnt mean to babble. Just trying to think of possibilities.
?Just checked with son , who has been using this batch of discs, not the exact same disc. Says discs fine do not need to be formatted.

Paula,

That's exactly what's the cause. A cd-r (and for that matter, a cd-rw also) is 'write protected'. Which means you can't write to it, save to it or update data on it; you can only read data from it. Unless you use a cd-burning-program (like Nero). That's the only way to write to it. Explorer and File>Save just don't work in Windows 98. That's the way it is, and you better get used to the idea.

Some additional remarks:
- The 600 or 700 Mb on a cd-r can only be written once. When it's full, it's full. You can't delete data from it. You can only throw it away if you don't need that data any more (better destroy the disk if there's confidential information on it).
- A cd-rw can be 'formatted' (like a good old diskette). It loses all it's old data then, and you can reuse the full 600 Mb for new data. In fact, a cd-rw must be formatted to start with, because they are sold unformatted.
- Most cd-burning programs support multi-session burning. That means that you can write 600 Mb in parts, not necessarily in one time. If you have 20 pictures on a photo CD, those programs can add another 20 later-on, and so on, until it's full. If only single session is supported, you can burn exactly one time. If you burn 10 Mb then to a cd-r, the other 590 Mb are doomed to stay unused forever.
- A burned CD should be kept in the dark. Light tends to gradually erase the data on it. A CD you buy (with music or software) is made with another technology, and not sensitive to light. Although it's not designed to keep it's information forever, 30 to 50 years is reasonable to expect. CD's you burned yourself have a shorter lifetime.
- DirectCD was a special technology to use a cd-r or cd-rw as a kind of extra hard disk. You could add information to it, or delete information from it. But it needed a special program to do so (called DirectCD), and the results weren't very good, so it tends to get out of use.

If somehow you don't believe me, go to the Windows 98 forum, and repose your question based on the current status of the problem. Somebody like Bob Proffitt is perfectly capable to confirm or correct whatever I tell you. He's the expert you need.

Hope this helps.


Kees

Kees
Thank you so much for your time . I will mosey on over to the 98 forum. Not for cofirmation. I totally believe you, but to see if they can figure out why I could do it last wek and not this week.
Thank you again for all your efforts and patience.
Paula

Good ,succint post, Kees. Except. The reason prerecorded CDs and DVDs are less sensitive to light is that they are coated after burning. When we burn them, they are not. chuck

go to google type in cdroller click on i1m feeling lucky and download or buy the program download the free version of cdroller it can show you all the files on your cd that you can not open but will not redownload them to your hard drive you must BUY the cdroller program to retrieve your lost files the web site talks about easy cd creator as one of the worst offenders of write protecting and losing of files

Thank you. I have now resaved everything to disk using nero. I must say it seemed easier but that was probably because i had tried the other one first. I did like the drag and drop aspect.I will definately go look at the site
Paula

Making backups is an annoying, but necessary thing to do. Let's hope you never need them. A backup is like a fire-insurance.
A little bit of browsing through this forum or Computer Help or the OS forums give far too much instances of hard disks suddenly failing beyond recovery, or Windows-not-running problems that can only be solved by a format of the hard disk.

A nephew of mine, whose son is studying Computer Science by the way, lost most of his digital photo's that were only stored on his hard disk. Which shows that studying Computer Science is no guarantee for knowing and doing certain basic things with computers, that even you and me know.
But I must admit he's able to put a photo album on his web site with some program he probably has an illegal copy of. He's good in making copies of copyrighted software and music also.


Kees

Point well taken. That is why I was so frustrated at not being able to figure it out.
I do feel sheepish not geting it when you were trying so hard to explain it. But i made a copy today of my website, which is what I was most afraid of losing.
I know it is unusual but, everything on my Sjogrens site is information or photos that are mine and since I didn't steal it I was afraid it would disappear and I would have to start from acratch again, including trying to get my roses to grow so I could use their pictures again. I didnt even use a template, not that I didnt try,LOL but I couldnt figure it out so i just did my own thing. It is simple but is serving the purpose of edducating people on Sjogrens Syndrome. www.sjogrens.netfirms.com , if you want to take a look.
Will take a day off tomorrow let my head clear, and then start to seriously back everything up. Will leave my son , the web producer, to do his own back ups. He finally told me today that he uses nero to save evrything including data to disc.
I am sure I will be back with more questions but for now thank you, I feel I have learned and that is always a good feeling for me and it could not have happened without you.
I have printed out your instructions and I now have my cnet info file, so that hopefully I wont be asking the exact same question again. Paula.

You didn't seem to pick up on something Kees said. Using a program like EasyCD Creator, InCD, DirectCD, etc. is a
risk. You gain an easy path to "burn to CD" rather than
"drag and drop" in a burning program. From personal
experience, I can tell you that discs burned with these
shortcuts may decide not to open again, even on the same
computer using the same program. And you do have to use the same program on any computer you try to open them with. Over the years I have seen many posts referring to this. I may be reading your post wrong and you are referring to the Roxio burning program and not the sub-program. If so, I appologize. If not, beware. chuck

Chuckieu,
Just when I thought I had this straight. I used Adaptec easy cd creator(which i didn't think was any too easy). But will probalby be using nero in the future. If drag and drop does not work nor copy and paste and it is essential to use a burning program. Are you now saying that things I save using these programs are risky and may not work. If that is what you are saying than what is not risky and gets the job done.
Paula

Chuckieu,
Just when I thought I had this straight. I used Adaptec easy cd creator(which i didn't think was any too easy). But will probalby be using nero in the future. If drag and drop does not work nor copy and paste and it is essential to use a burning program. Are you now saying that things I save using these programs are risky and may not work. If that is what you are saying than what is not risky and gets the job done.
Paula