DVD RAM issues: Removing a disc from its cartridge; Apple System Profiler memory error; Back-up speed with Retrospect

Removing A DVD-RAM disc from its cartridge Recently, we purchased a 2.6GB Type II DVD-RAM disc. This is the type where the disc can be removed from the cartridge that contains it, thereby allowing you to use the disc in DVD-ROM drives, such as a slot-loading iMac, after you have written data to the disc. However, we could not figure out how to open the case to remove the disc. The LaCie disc certainly came with no instructions about how to do this. Eventually, with some help from LaCie tech support, we figured it out. For those with this same dilemma, check out this MacFixIt Forums thread for the solution. DVD-RAM and Apple System Profiler memory error In this MacFixIt Forums thread, we describe a "memory" error with Apple System Profiler that occurs only when a DVD-RAM disc is mounted on our G4 Mac with an internal DVD-RAM drive. We suspect another extension is also involved, but have not yet tried to isolate it. The symptom does not occur if a CD-ROM or DVD-ROM disc is mounted in the DVD-RAM drive. Retrospect and DVD-RAM back up speed According to Martin Smith, Dantz tech support has acknowledged that Retrospect can be extremely slow when backing up to a DVD-RAM disc in the internal drive slot of a G4 (can get slower than 5MB/minute). Dantz informs us that "a future update to Retrospect will address this issue." DVD basics Finally, an updated TIL article #24451 explains the basics of DVD technology, including the differences between the different types of drives and discs.