CD/DVD where do I start?

I have a Dell 4600 computer with a NECDVD+RWND-2100 DVD drive. I have never
burned a cd or dvd but I would like to give it a try.My question is what
type disks do I use to make a cd or dvd or back up files? Under My Computer
for the dvd it reads as DVD/CD-RW. Under properties it reads as
NECDVD+RWND-2100AD. What is the best and easy software to use for burning
cd's and dvd's.
Paul

 

Use the software that came with your computer and consult its help file.

 

Big help there, Teddy...

Paul:
You use CDRWs or CDRs to backup CD material.
You use DVDRWs or DVDRs to backup DVD material.
If you're going to image your drive, you will most likely need 1 or 2
DVDRWs.
Differences between Rs and RWs:
A CDR can be recorded to once, or even continuously (in sessions) until it's
filled up. Then it cannot be erased / reused. These are VERY INEXPENSIVE /
cheap and are used most.
A CDRW can be erased and re-written to many times before the dyes start to
wear out and data loss occurs.
NEVER leave a recordable CD or DVD exposed to direct sunlight! (Think of
vampires bursting into flames...)
The sunlight will fade the dyes and the disc may become useless a lot faster
than you imagined.
A DVDR holds a TON more data than a CDR, and a DVDRW is eraseable /
re-recordable.
These are also a lot MORE expensive than a simple CDR.

There is free burning software available on the net: MusicMatch Jukebox is
one, Nero Burning is another, and (if I'm not mistaken) even Windows Media
Player has some burning ability, but it's not as easy as MMJ or NB.
Also, Dell used to sell Roxio Easy CD Creator with their systems for such
purposes. You *might* have a copy on your computer, might not, but it
wouldn't hurt to look.

Finally, make sure when doing a burn that you copy the image to hard drive
first (check your software application for this option... it should be in
there *somewhere*.) Otherwise, you risk "toasting" a CDR: creating a BAD /
unusable disc. Also, older Dells running windows '98 need to have *about*
90% resources free BEFORE attempting a burn, or you also run a major risk of
corruption (toasting the CDR).

 

Hey Dick, You left a pretty important thing out, didn't ya bud?

DVD blanks come as either DVD+R or DVD-R. Same with DVD+RW or DVD-RW.

If the drive came with your Dell, than it is a + ONLY drive, so you HAVE to
use + media.

 

Thank you, kind sir!
What, do you think, is the technical difference in these media? I don't
record DVDs myself, so have never run across that particular issue (until
now).

 

Just different standards. Beta vs. VHS. Some argue for +, some argue
for -.

I went the route to install an aftermarket drive that supports both and just
buy the cheapest blanks.

Tom

 

If your computer has Windows XP on it (which it likely does), you can use the CD
burning software that comes with the operating system. In addition, Dell may
well have pre-installed an OEM version of a commercial CD/DVD burning package.

I've used Roxio's, Ahead's, and NTI's CD/DVD burning software. They all work
pretty much the same for most routine tasks. The important thing is that the
NEC drive is SUPPORTED by the package you buy, should you choose to buy one.

All three companies have "Pro" versions of their products to do more than the
basic tasks. You can also buy more specialized software for burning audio CDs
and movie DVDs.

The NEC drive supports write-once CD, rewritable CD, and plus (+) DVD types of
media. DVDs also come in both write-once and rewritable, and there is a minus
(-) DVD type of media not supported by your drive.

Rewritable CD or DVD discs cannot be written and rewritten forever and ever. In
simpler terms, you never know when you've written to rewritable media for the
last time until you try to read it back. For that reason, many people favor the
far less expensive write-once media, treating them as inexpensive throwaways
when their content is superceded by a newer copy of the data (e.g. data backup).

.... Ben Myers

 

The NEC 2100A is basically an NEC 2500A with a crippled firmware so it
only writes to +R media. You can upgrade the firmware to make it a
2500/2510. http://forum.rpc1.org/viewtopic.php?t=23669

Of course, this 'technically' voids the warranty.