Marc, Multi-session is better than packet mode, but it's much safer to use multiple discs - as it only takes 1 miswrite and that's the data on the CD/DVD unreadable.
Always have a cycle of at least 3 separate disc (sets) for your backups. Better also - have a daily set 1 per weekday a weekly set - 1 for each week in the month a quarterly set 1 for each quarter in the year and move 1 of those quarterly ones to an annual archive That deals with the problem where a file (workbook document etc) was emptied, or had much of it's data deleted/corrupted, and you replaced the good version in the backup sets with that bad version. Note - I also try to prepare a set of files that will be backed-up, then I do a PAR2 on them (up to 1GB per set, and 5% or 10%, but enough to re-create the largest file) Then I do a DIRPRT (karenware) of those files (with MD5 hash) do the backup Dirprt the resulting disc check the dirprt's match (Excel) and create a new masterlist of what's backed-up where (Excel) Need a restore - excel list shows where it is, A mis-read (deteriorated dye) and hopefully the PAR2 will recover it (Yes I'll have to load down the entire set ) Mis-read on the directory, and I can try an older backup - the MD5 will at least indicate if the backup is the same version, or if I will have to re-enter some data Yes - belt, braces, bit of rope, and a firm grip with one hand - but if you cannot just go and re-acquire the data then it can be really annoying to lose what took, and will now take many weeks to enter. (Oh! and don't forget that DVD's are far more robust and usable than CD's- DVD has the recording media in a plastic sandwich CD has it under the easily scratched, but needed reflective coating on the top of the plastic, and won't allow the same naming structure as Windows uses on a hard drive) JimB ----- Original Message ----- From: "Marc Sims" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, August 05, 2006 3:39 PM Subject: Re: DVD/CD is stuck I use Nero without the InCD applet and use its packet writting engine instead. When updating either data DVD-RW and CD-R disk I always use multiple open sessions with expansion using packet writting so that I can add more data without reformatting and rewritting the entire DVD or CD using Nero Express. In order to do this I copy an exact entire image of the DVD or CD to a folder on my HD then add new files to that folder using windows explorer. Then I insert the DVD or CD and add the files to it using Nero express which will then scan and compare the contents of the DVD to the DVD image stored on the HD. When it finishes it will only highlight in BOLD only the newly updated folders on the HD which get written to the DVD or CD. This saves me a lot of time just writting the updates to the DVD in minutes rather than 1/2 hour or more give or take few minutes without destroying the original contents of the DVD. I have over 1.5 GB of computers magazines, books and newsletters like PC magazine, MSDN, Dr Dobbs, BYTE(Remmeber that one), Technet magazine, Langalist, all in PDF format except for PC Magazine which dates back from 2004 to 2006. They are all stored on one DVD-RW. ;) Marc Sims Data Technician I Prince George's Community College -- ---------------------------------------- The WIN-HOME mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html
