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Making Data CDs Using DirectCD

Getting Started with DirectCD • Understanding CD-R and CD-RW Technology • Uses for DirectCD • Starting DirectCD • Understanding the DirectCD Main Window • Changing DirectCD's Options • Copying Files to a CD • Ejecting a CD • Reading CDs • Adding and Erasing Files • Checking CDs for Problems • Troubleshooting DirectCD

Getting Started with DirectCD

DirectCD formats a CD-Recordable (CD-R), CD-ReWritable (CD-RW), or DVD-Recordable disc so you can directly copy files to it in much the same way that you copy files to a floppy disk or removable drive. You can then use Windows Explorer, or any other program that can read from and write to a drive letter, to copy files to a CD.

DirectCD provides a file system based on UDF v.1.5 and writes data to the CD using packet writing technology. This file system gives you drive letter access to your CD-Recorder.

Once your CD is formatted, you can copy files to it using drag and drop in Windows Explorer, as well as other methods. See Copying Methods.

Understanding CD-R and CD-RW Technology

If you are new to making your own data CDs, the following sections will help you understand some of the related terms and technologies.

About CD-ReWritable Technology

If you have a CD-ReWritable drive, you can use two types of CDs to make your own CDs:

• CD-Recordable (CD-R) discs
• CD-ReWritable (CD-RW) discs

CD-RW is a technology that, like CD-R, allows you to record information to a CD. The difference is that with CD-RW you can also erase the contents of a CD and rewrite new information to it. Depending on how you want to use your CD, each CD type offers unique advantages.

NOTE: Only CD-RW and MultiRead CD-ROM drives can read CD-RW discs, and only CD-RW drives can write data to CD-RW discs.

About UDF v.1.5

Universal Disk Format version 1.5 is a file system standard that enables a CD-Recorder to be used as a logical device on a computer system. In other words, UDF lets you read files from and write files to a CD in your CD-Recorder, just as you would read and write files to a floppy disk or a hard disk.

If you have DirectCD 5.0 installed, you automatically have the UDF Reader needed to read UDF v.1.5-formatted CDs. When you make a CD using DirectCD, it automatically copies the UDF Reader for Windows to the CD. When you insert the CD into a drive, the reader will automatically ask if you want to install it.

UDF v.1.5-compatible readers are available for most common operating systems and must be installed for CD-Recorders to read UDF v.1.5-formatted CDs.

Uses for DirectCD

DirectCD is the easiest way to copy data files directly to a CD. Some uses for DirectCD include:

• Archiving data
• Backing up a hard disk
• Disseminating information to field offices
• Transferring and distributing data to other Windows systems
• Distributing databases

You should use CD mastering software, such as Easy CD Creator, to make CDs when you want to make:

• A test copy of a CD before having it factory-duplicated
• CDs that can be read on different operating systems such as DOS or Windows 3.x
• Music CDs
• Special data CDs, such as enhanced CDs

Refer to your CD mastering software's Online Help for more information.

Starting DirectCD

Choose one of these ways to start DirectCD so you can begin copying files to your CD:

• From the Easy CD Creator Project Selector window, click Make a Data CD, then click DirectCD.
• On the Windows taskbar, click Start, point to Programs, point to Roxio Easy CD Creator 5, point to Applications, and select DirectCD Format Utility.
• Double-click the DirectCD icon on the Windows taskbar.
• Insert a CD-R, CD-RW, or DVD-Recordable disc that you already formatted using DirectCD or another UDF v.1.5-compatible program into your CD-Recorder. After a few seconds, the CD Ready dialog box appears. This tells you that you can now read and write your files using any program that can read from and write to a drive letter.

The DirectCD main window appears, where you can format a CD for drag and drop file copying.

Understanding the DirectCD Main Window

The DirectCD main window gives you access to DirectCD's functions and displays information about the selected CD-Recorder and CD. From here you can format a CD, which prepares the CD for file copying. After you format a CD, you copy files to the CD using Windows Explorer or other Windows programs. See Copying Methods.

• Select CD: Select the CD-Recorder that contains the CD you want to work with. If you have only one CD-Recorder installed, that CD-Recorder is automatically selected for you. If the CD-Recorder you want to use is not listed, be sure that it is properly installed or check the Roxio Website for drive support updates.
• CD Info: Displays the following information about the CD in the selected CD-Recorder:
  • Status: Current state of the CD. Refer to the Online Help for information about the Status and Type.
  • Label: Name you typed to identify the CD.
  • Free Space: Amount of space (in MB) that is available for use on the CD.
  • Total Space: Amount of data (in MB) that the CD can store.
  • Type: Type of CD. Refer to the Online Help for information about the Status and Type.
  • Compressed: Compression status of the CD: Yes or No.
  • Used By: Program that is currently using the CD.
• Format CD: Displays the Format dialog box, where you can format a new, unused CD. Formatting a CD prepares it to accept files. You can also format a previously used CD-RW or DVD-Recordable disc, which makes any existing files on the CD unavailable. See Copying Files to a CD-R Disc for the First Time, Copying Files to a CD-RW Disc for the First Time, Copying Files to a DVD-Recordable Disc for the First Time.
• Eject: Ejects the CD from the currently selected CD-Recorder. Depending on the type of CD and the options you have selected, the Eject Options dialog box may appear. See Ejecting a CD-R Disc, Ejecting a CD-RW or DVD-Recordable Disc.
• CD Utilities: Displays the Utilities dialog box, where you can access ScanDisc. See Checking CDs for Problems.
• Erase CD: Allows you to erase the contents of a CD-RW or DVD-Recordable disc to free up space. See Erasing a CD.
• Make Writable: Allows you to add files to a CD-R disc that was made using Easy CD Creator with the Close Session and Leave CD Open option. You must make the CD writable before you can add more files to the CD. See Adding More Files to an Easy CD Creator CD-R Disc.
• Web-CheckUp: Launches your computer's Internet browser and automatically goes to a software update Website.
• Options: Displays the Options dialog box, where you can change DirectCD's options. See Changing DirectCD's Options.

Changing DirectCD's Options

DirectCD allows you to customize several options.

To change options:

1. From the Select CD drop-down list box on the DirectCD main window, select the CD-Recorder you want.
2. Click Options. The Options dialog box appears.
3. Change the options, as needed.

   The selected options apply whenever you use DirectCD on this computer.

   Setting	Description
   Show the CD Ready Notification	Select this option if you want the CD Ready dialog box to notify you that the CD is ready. This tells you that the CD is ready for direct read and write access when you insert a CD formatted by DirectCD into your CD-Recorder.
   Show the Ejected CD Notification	Select this option if you want the CD Ejected dialog box to notify you each time you eject a CD using DirectCD.
   Show Icon in Taskbar	Select this option if you want the DirectCD icon to appear in the Windows taskbar. Double-click or right-click the icon to access DirectCD's functions.
   CD-R Eject Options	For more information, see Ejecting a CD-R Disc and Comparing the CD-R Eject Options.
   Always Leave As Is	Select this option if you want DirectCD to automatically leave the CD as it is so that it can be read and written through drive letter access in the future when you click Eject. Only computers with CD-R or CD-RW drives can read the CD.
   Always Show Eject Options Dialog Box	Select this option if you want DirectCD to automatically display the Eject Options dialog box when you click Eject, letting you select the eject option you want to use each time.
   Always Close
   Close to UDF v.1.5	Select this option if you want DirectCD to automatically close the CD to the UDF v.1.5 format when you click Eject. The CD can then be read on most CD-ROM drives after installing the UDF Reader.
   Close to Read on Any Computer	Select this option if you want DirectCD to automatically close the CD to the ISO 9660 standard when you click Eject. The CD can then be read automatically in most standard CD-ROM drives under Windows.

4. Change the Options Available for Drive [letter], as needed.

   These options apply only to the CD-Recorder you selected on the DirectCD main window.

   • Label: Type a new name to identify your CD or keep the same name. The CD label can be up to 11 characters. You cannot use the following characters in a label: \ / : ; * ? " < > | + = . , [ ].

     NOTE: You should be sure that the CDs you are using are rated for the speed of the drive. You do not normally need to change the read or write speeds.

   • Read Speed: Displays the current read speed of the drive. You may want to change the read speed to be closer to your write speed if you are writing a lot of data to the CD. Refer to the Online Help for additional information about changing the read speed.
   • Write Speed: Displays the current write speed of the drive. You may want to change the write speed to match the speed rating of the CD. If you make a CD and then cannot read it in the same drive, try lowering the write speed and writing the data again. Refer to the Online Help for additional information about changing the write speed.
5. Click OK.

Copying Files to a CD

Before you can copy files to a blank CD, you must format it. The format options available vary based on the type of CD you are using. The following sections describe copying files for the first time and the various file copying methods you can use.

Copying Files to a CD-R Disc for the First Time

Before you can copy files to a CD-R disc, you must format it.

NOTE: The Format CD button is not available for a previously formatted CD-R disc.

To format a CD-R disc:

1. Insert a blank CD-R disc into your CD-Recorder.
2. From the Select CD drop-down list box on the DirectCD main window, select the CD-Recorder that has the CD you want to format.
3. Click Format CD. The Format dialog box appears.
4. In the Label text box, type a name to identify your CD.

   The CD label can be up to 11 characters. You cannot use the following characters in a label: \ / : ; * ? " < > | + = . , [ ].

   If you are formatting a CD-R disc, you have no Format Type options available and the formatting takes 15 to 30 seconds.

5. Click Start Format. CD formatting begins and a progress dialog box appears.

   You can do other tasks on your computer while the CD is being formatted. The CD Ready dialog box appears when formatting is complete.

6. Click OK. The CD is ready for you to copy files to. See Copying Methods.

Copying Files to a CD-RW Disc for the First Time

Before you can copy files to a CD-RW disc, you must format it.

You can also format the CD to erase its data. Using Quick Format for this purpose only deletes the internal directory where the files are listed. You can no longer see or access the files, but the files are still stored on the CD.

To format or erase a CD-RW disc:

1. Insert a blank CD-RW disc into your CD-Recorder.
2. From the Select CD drop-down list box on the DirectCD main window, select the CD-Recorder you want.
3. Click Format CD. The Format dialog box appears.
4. In the Label text box, type a name to identify your CD.

   The CD label can be up to 11 characters. You cannot use the following characters in a label: \ / : ; * ? " < > | + = . , [ ].

5. If you want to enable data compression on the CD, select the Enable Compression option.

   Compression makes your files take up less space on the CD. Once a CD has been formatted using compression, all data will be compressed on the CD. The compression ratio varies from approximately 1.5:1 to approximately 3:1, depending on the type of files you copy to the CD.

   To read the CD, you must either have DirectCD 5.0 installed or have the UDF Reader installed. When you make a CD using DirectCD, it automatically copies the UDF Reader for Windows to the CD. When you insert the CD in a CD-Recorder, the reader will automatically ask if you want to install it. To write to the CD using other CD-Recorders in other computers, you must use DirectCD 5.0.

6. Select the Format Type you want to use.
   • If you are formatting a blank CD-RW disc, you may have two options:
     • Fast Format: Fast format is a special type of formatting supported only on some CD-RW drives. The option is available only if your drive supports it. Fast format allows you to start using the CD in 3 to 7 minutes, while the remaining formatting is done in the background. Background formatting takes up to 90 minutes to complete, depending on the speed of the CD-Recorder and what other work the computer is doing at the time. You can safely interrupt fast formatting by ejecting the CD. When you reinsert the CD into a CD-RW drive that does not support fast format, you can read the CD, but you cannot write data to it until formatting is complete. When you reinsert the CD into a drive that supports fast format, the formatting continues from where it left off and you can write data to the CD.
     • Full Format: Full format takes about 60 minutes for a 2x drive and about 15 minutes for an 8x drive. It verifies the integrity of the CD surface, prepares the CD for data, and writes the UDF file system to the CD.
   • If you are formatting a CD-RW disc that has been fully formatted before, you have two options:
     • Quick Format: Quick format takes only a few minutes. It writes the DirectCD file system to the CD, but does not verify the physical condition of the CD. Any files that were on the CD will not be accessible, but they are still on the CD.
     • Full Format: Same as described for the Full Format option above. Any data that was on the CD will be completely erased.
7. Click Start Format. CD formatting begins and a progress dialog box appears.

   You can do other tasks on your computer while the CD is being formatted. The CD Ready dialog box appears when complete.

8. Click OK. The CD is ready for you to write information to it. See Copying Methods.

Copying Files to a DVD-Recordable Disc for the First Time

Before you can copy files to a DVD-Recordable disc, you must format it.

You can also format the disc to erase its data. Using Quick Format for this purpose only deletes the internal directory where the files are listed. You can no longer see the files, but the files are still there.

To format a DVD-Recordable disc:

1. Insert a blank DVD-Recordable disc into your DVD-Recordable drive.
2. From the Select CD drop-down list box on the DirectCD main window, select the disc you want.
3. Click Format CD. The Format dialog box appears.
4. In the Label text box, type a name to identify your disc.

   The label can be up to 11 characters. You cannot use the following characters in a label: \ / : ; * ? " < > | + = . , [ ].

5. If you want to enable data compression on the disc, select the Enable Compression option.

   Compression makes your files take up less space on the disc. Once a disc has been formatted using compression, all data will be compressed on the disc. The compression ratio varies from approximately 1.5:1 to approximately 3:1, depending on the type of files you copy to the disc.

   To read the disc, you must either have DirectCD 5.0 installed or have the UDF Reader installed. When you make a disc using DirectCD, it automatically copies the UDF Reader for Windows to the disc. When you insert the disc in a DVD-Recordable drive, the reader will automatically ask if you want to install it. To write to the disc using other DVD-Recordable drives in other computers, you must use DirectCD 5.0.

6. Select the Format Type you want to use:
   • If you are formatting a blank DVD-RW or DVD+RW disc, you have only one option:
     • Full Format: Full format takes about one hour for a 1x drive. It verifies the integrity of the disc surface, prepares the disc for data, and writes the UDF file system to the disc.
   • If you are formatting a previously used DVD-Recordable or a blank DVD-RAM disc, you have two options:
     • Quick Format: Quick format takes only a few minutes. It writes the DirectCD file system to the disc, but does not verify the physical condition of the disc. Any files that were on the disc will not be accessible, but they are still on the disc.
     • Full Format: Same as described for the Full Format option above. Any data that was on the disc will be completely erased.
7. Click Start Format. Disc formatting begins and a progress dialog box appears.

   You can do other tasks on your computer while the disc is being formatted. The CD Ready dialog box appears when formatting is complete.

8. Click OK. The disc is ready for you to copy files to. See Copying Methods.

Copying Methods

Once your CD is formatted and ready for data, you can copy files to it a number of ways:

• In Windows Explorer, drag and drop files onto the CD-Recorder drive letter (it has an icon like this ).
• Select Save As from any Windows program's File menu and select the drive letter of your CD-Recorder.
• Use the Send To command by right-clicking a file in Windows Explorer and then selecting the drive letter of your CD-Recorder from the pop-up menu.
• Use MS-DOS commands from a DOS window.

Ejecting a CD

You must eject a CD to remove it from your CD-Recorder. The options available for ejecting a CD depend on the type of CD you are using. The following sections describe ejecting CDs.

Ejecting a CD-R Disc

When you eject a CD-R disc, you have three options. The option you select depends on how you plan to use the CD.

To eject a CD-R disc:

1. From the Select CD drop-down list box on the DirectCD main window, select the CD-Recorder you want.
2. Click Eject, or from Windows Explorer, right-click the CD-Recorder drive letter and select Eject.

   If the Show Eject Options Dialog Box option is turned on, the Eject Options dialog box appears.

   If the Show Eject Options Dialog Box option is turned off, DirectCD ejects the CD immediately using the option selected under CD-R Eject Options. See Changing DirectCD's Options.

3. If the Eject Options dialog box appears, select the option you want:
   • Leave As Is: Leave the CD as it is so it can be read and written to as a drive letter. Standard CD-ROM drives will not be able to read the CD.
     • Only computers with CD-R or CD-RW drives can read the CD.
     • Use this option when you plan to keep adding files to the CD and you do not need to give the CD to someone else to use.
   • Close to UDF v.1.5: Close the CD to the UDF v.1.5 format so that it can be read on most CD-ROM drives after installing a UDF v.1.5 reader.
     • Use this option when you need to give the CD to someone who has DirectCD 5.0 installed or who you know has a UDF v.1.5-compatible reader installed. This option uses less space on the CD for each session than described in the Note below for ISO 9660.
     • When you make a CD using DirectCD, it automatically copies the UDF Reader for Windows to the CD. When you insert the CD into a CD-ROM drive, the reader will automatically ask if you want to install it.
   • Close to Read on Any Computer: Close the CD so that it can be read automatically in most standard CD-ROM drives.
     • Use this option when you need to give the CD to someone else to use and that person may not have a UDF v.1.5-compatible reader installed. CD-ROM drives under other operating systems, such as Unix, Linux, and Macintosh, can also read the CD without using any special reader.

       NOTE: This closes the CD to the ISO 9660 standard. The ISO 9660 information requires approximately 22 MB of space on the CD for the first session, and approximately 13 MB for each additional session.

4. If you selected the Close to Read on Any Computer option, you can also select the Protect CD So It Cannot Be Written To Again option.

   Selecting this option permanently closes the CD so you can never copy more files to the CD.

5. Click Eject.

   DirectCD ejects the CD using the option you selected.

For more information about the eject options, see Comparing the CD-R Eject Options.

Comparing the CD-R Eject Options

When you eject a CD-R disc, you have three different options you can use. Which option you use depends on how you plan to use the CD. The table below summarizes the key characteristics of each option.

NOTE: You must have the Show Eject Options Dialog Box option selected to see the following options when you eject a CD, or you can select one as the default option. See Changing DirectCD's Options. Setting Use of Space File Name and Path Length Read-Only Setting on Files Leave As Is Uses no additional space on the CD. No limits other than those of the Windows operating system. Does not change files on the CD to read-only. Close to Read on Any Computer Uses approximately 22 MB of space on the CD for the first session, and 13 MB for each additional session. Limits file names to 64 characters and the path to 8 folders and subfolders. Changes files on the CD to read-only. You can change the read-only setting after copying the file to another computer by right-clicking the file in Windows Explorer and selecting Properties. Close to UDF v.1.5 Uses less space than Close to Read on Any Computer for each closed session. Limits file names to 64 characters and the path length to a total of 248 characters. Does not change files on the CD to read-only.

Ejecting a CD-RW or DVD-Recordable Disc

When you eject a CD-RW or DVD-Recordable disc, you have no options to select. DirectCD ejects the CD immediately.

Reading CDs

Where you can use a CD depends on the type of CD and the eject option you select. The following sections describe where you can read each type of CD.

Reading CD-R Discs

Where you can use a CD-R disc depends on the option you select when you eject the CD. You have three options available when you eject CD-R discs.

NOTE: You must have the Show Eject Options Dialog Box option selected to see the following eject options when you eject a CD. See Changing DirectCD's Options.

• Leave As Is: This leaves the session open and in UDF v.1.5 format. You can read this CD on computers that have one of the following configurations:
  • CD-R or CD-RW drive with DirectCD 5.0 installed.
  • CD-R or CD-RW drive with a UDF v.1.5-compatible reader installed. When you make a CD using DirectCD, it automatically copies the UDF Reader for Windows to the CD. When you insert the CD into a drive, the reader will automatically ask if you want to install it.
  • MultiRead CD-ROM drive with a UDF v.1.5-compatible reader installed. When you make a CD using DirectCD, it automatically copies the UDF Reader for Windows to the CD. When you insert the CD into a drive, the reader will automatically ask if you want to install it.
• Close to UDF v.1.5: This closes the session, but leaves the CD in UDF v.1.5 format. You can read this CD on computers that have one of the following configurations:
  • CD-R or CD-RW drive with DirectCD 5.0 installed.
  • CD-R or CD-RW drive with a UDF v.1.5-compatible reader installed. When you make a CD using DirectCD, it automatically copies the UDF Reader for Windows to the CD. When you insert the CD into a drive, the reader will automatically ask if you want to install it.
  • Most CD-ROM drives with a UDF v.1.5-compatible reader installed. When you make a CD using DirectCD, it automatically copies the UDF Reader for Windows to the CD. When you insert the CD into a CD-ROM drive, the reader will automatically ask if you want to install it.
• Close to Read on Any Computer: This closes the CD to the ISO 9660 standard. CD-ROM drives under Windows and other operating systems, such as Unix, Linux, and Macintosh, can read the CD. No reader is needed to read the CD.

For more information about the eject options, see Comparing the CD-R Eject Options.

Reading CD-RW Discs

Only CD-RW drives and MultiRead CD-ROM drives can read a CD-RW disc.

Reading DVD-Recordable Discs

DVD-Recordable drives can only read DVD-Recordable discs manufactured specifically for the type of DVD-Recordable drive. For example, only DVD-RAM drives can read a DVD-RAM disc, and only DVD-RW drives can read a DVD-RW disc.

Adding and Erasing Files

After you copy files to a CD, you can add more files to it or erase the files.

Adding More Files to an Easy CD Creator CD-R Disc

If you are using CD-R discs that you made using Easy CD Creator with the Close Session and Leave CD Open option, you must make the CD writable before you can add more files to the CD.

To add more files to an Easy CD Creator CD-R disc:

1. Insert the CD into your CD-Recorder.
2. From the Select CD drop-down list box on the DirectCD main window, select the CD-Recorder you want.
3. Click Make Writable. The Make Writable dialog box appears.
4. Type a new Label if needed.

   The CD label can be up to 11 characters. You cannot use the following characters in a label: \ / : ; * ? " < > | + = . , [ ].

5. Click Make Writable and wait until the CD Ready dialog box appears.

You can now add more files to the CD using Windows Explorer or other Windows programs. See Copying Methods.

Adding More Files to All Other CDs

If you previously formatted a CD-R, CD-RW, or DVD-Recordable disc using DirectCD, you can add more files to it until the CD is full.

If you are using CD-R discs that you made using Easy CD Creator and the Close Session and Leave CD Open option, see Adding More Files to an Easy CD Creator CD-R Disc.

To add more files to a CD:

1. Insert the CD into your CD-Recorder.
2. If you selected the Show CD Ready Notification option, wait for the CD Ready dialog box to appear and click OK. See Changing DirectCD's Options.
3. Continue copying files to your CD. See Copying Methods.

Erasing a CD

You can use the Erase CD function on CD-RW and DVD-Recordable discs to erase the internal directory that lists the files on the CD, making the files inaccessible. You must format the CD again before you can copy files to it. See Copying Files to a CD-RW Disc for the First Time and Copying Files to a DVD-Recordable Disc for the First Time.

NOTE: You cannot use the Erase CD function on a CD-R disc.

To erase the contents of a CD:

1. Insert the CD into your CD-Recorder.
2. From the Select CD drop-down list box on the DirectCD main window, select the CD-Recorder you want.
3. Click Erase CD.

   DirectCD confirms that you want to delete all data from the CD and that the erase operation will take several minutes to complete.

4. Click Yes to confirm that you want to erase the CD. DirectCD erases the entire contents of the CD.

Deleting Individual Files

You can delete individual files from a CD using Windows Explorer. When you delete files from CD-RW or DVD-Recordable discs, you free up space on the CD.

When you delete files from a CD-R disc, you only delete the internal directory where the files are listed. You can no longer see the files on the CD, but you do not actually free up space on the CD.

To delete individual files:

1. Insert the CD into your CD-Recorder.
2. In Windows Explorer, right-click the file or files you want to delete.
3. Select Delete from the pop-up menu. Explorer confirms that you want to delete the selected files.
4. Click Yes to delete the selected files.

Checking CDs for Problems

ScanDisc allows you to recover files from a CD created with DirectCD if the CD is not working properly. ScanDisc has a good chance of recovering several types of files, including:

• Files not visible in Windows Explorer: The writing process was interrupted before file directory information was completed, but most or all of the files were written to the CD. This means that the files may be on the CD, but Windows Explorer cannot see them.
• Damaged files: Files that have unreadable sections in them because of damage to the CD.
• Lost files: Complete files that do not have a file name associated with them. They can also be files that you deleted from the CD.

Some files may be so damaged that ScanDisc cannot recover them. ScanDisc attempts to report the names of any such files.

ScanDisc can also repair a damaged CD, making some or all of it usable again.

Use ScanDisc when any of the following happens with a CD-R, CD-RW, or DVD-Recordable disc when it is in a CD-Recorder:

• You cannot see some, or any, of the files on the CD using Windows Explorer.
• You cannot open a file on the CD with the software that you used to create the file.
• The process of writing files to the CD was interrupted by a system or power failure.
• DirectCD reports a CD status of Unrecognized Data.

Starting ScanDisc

To start ScanDisc:

1. Insert the CD into your CD-Recorder.
2. From the DirectCD main window, click CD Utilities. The Utilities dialog box appears.
3. Click ScanDisc. The ScanDisc dialog box appears.
4. Click Scan to start the ScanDisc process. ScanDisc starts checking the CD and the ScanDisc Progress dialog box appears.

   If ScanDisc finds problems on the CD, it asks if you want to scan the CD for the information needed to recover files and repair the CD.

5. Click Yes.

   ScanDisc starts scanning the CD and the ScanDisc Progress dialog box appears. For information about the Status, refer to the Online Help.

   If ScanDisc finds files on the CD that you can recover, it asks if you want to recover them. See Recovering Files.

   If ScanDisc does not find files to recover, it continues with the scanning process.

Understanding the ScanDisc Process

After you start ScanDisc, it reads your CD and looks for specific problems and shows its progress for each of the following steps in the process:

1. Checking the CD: ScanDisc checks if it can read the CD, that is, can it see the list of files and folders on the CD.
2. Getting CD Information: If ScanDisc cannot see the files and folders on the CD, it gathers information about the CD. This can take several minutes or more.
   1. After gathering the information, ScanDisc asks if you want to recover the files on the CD. We strongly recommend that you do this if you need to access the files. See Recovering Files.
   2. If you decide to recover the files, ScanDisc allows you to select the folders and files to recover and where you want to copy them.
   3. If ScanDisc finds damaged files during the recovery process, it displays a list of the damaged files it recovered. See Recovering Lost Files.
3. Finding Lost Files: ScanDisc looks for lost files and allows you to copy any lost files it finds to another location. See Recovering Lost Files.
4. Repairing the CD: ScanDisc tries to repair the CD so that you can use it again. After the repair, the files that were on the CD may not be available and the CD may have less space for new files. ScanDisc may not be able to repair badly damaged CDs. See Repairing CDs.
5. Checking File Integrity: ScanDisc looks for damaged files. If it finds none, ScanDisc reports that it is done.
   1. If it finds damaged files, it asks you if you want to copy the damaged files to another location (such as a hard disk or floppy disk). ScanDisc cannot repair damaged files, so they will be reported each time you run ScanDisc on the CD. See Recovering Damaged Files.
   2. After copying the damaged files, ScanDisc reports that it is done.

Recovering Files

If ScanDisc finds that the CD has problems and that there are recoverable files on the CD, it asks if you want to attempt to recover the files from the CD. We strongly recommend that you recover all files that have data you need. If you do not, the files may not be accessible after ScanDisc repairs the CD later in the process.

To recover files:

1. Click Yes when ScanDisc asks if you want to attempt to recover files. The File Recovery dialog box appears.
2. From the Source Folders list, select a folder that has files you want to recover.

   By default, all files and folders listed are selected.

3. From the Source Files list, deselect the files you do not want to recover.
4. From the Destination Drive drop-down list box, select where you want to copy the files.

   You can select any drive on your computer except the CD-Recorder you are recovering the files from. If you want to copy the files to another computer on your network, you must map the drive first. Refer to your operating system's documentation about mapping drives.

5. From the Destination Folder list, select the folder where you want to copy the files.

   If you want to create a new folder, click New Folder and type a name for the folder.

6. Click Copy.

   ScanDisc copies the selected files to the location you selected and the File Copy Progress dialog box appears.

   If ScanDisc finds damaged files, it lists the file names.

7. Click Done. The File Recovery dialog box appears.
8. Repeat Steps 2-7 as many times as needed to copy all of the files you need from the CD.
9. From the File Recovery dialog box, click Done to proceed to the repair process.

Recovering Lost Files

If ScanDisc finds lost files during the recovery process, it asks if you want to recover the files.

We strongly recommend that you recover all files that may have data you need. If you do not, the files may not be accessible after ScanDisc repairs the CD later in the process.

To recover lost files:

1. Click Yes when ScanDisc tells you that it has found files that have no file name. The Select a Destination dialog box appears.
2. From the Destination Drive drop-down list box, select where you want to copy the files.

   You can select any drive on your computer except the CD-Recorder you are recovering the files from. If you want to copy the files to another computer on your network, you must map the drive first. Refer to your operating system's documentation about mapping drives.

3. From the Destination Folder list, select the folder where you want to copy the files.
4. Click Copy. The File Copy Progress dialog box appears and shows ScanDisc's progress.

   ScanDisc copies the lost files to the location you selected. The lost files are given unique, sequentially numbered file names starting with sd000001.rec.

   Lost files may also be damaged. If ScanDisc finds damaged lost files, it lists them with their unique names (sd000001.rec) in the Damaged Files dialog box. ScanDisc copies the damaged lost files to the location you selected, but it adds blank spaces where the data could not be read. You may still be able to open these files with the original application that you used to create them, or you may have to try other strategies. See Repairing CDs.

5. Click Done to proceed to the repair process. A message appears letting you access information about the lost files.
6. Click Continue to continue the ScanDisc process. See Repairing CDs.

Repairing CDs

After letting you recover files from a damaged CD that you made using DirectCD, ScanDisc asks if you want to repair the CD so that it is usable. If you click Yes, ScanDisc tries to make the CD usable.

NOTE: After repairing a CD, the files that were on it may no longer be accessible. ScanDisc cannot repair all damaged CDs.

To repair a CD:

1. Click Yes when ScanDisc asks if you want to repair the CD. ScanDisc repairs the CD and the ScanDisc Progress dialog box appears.

   After completing the repair, ScanDisc may check the integrity of the files on the CD.

2. Click Done.

Recovering Damaged Files

After ScanDisc repairs the CD, it checks the integrity of each file on the CD looking for damaged files. If it finds damaged files, it asks you if you want to copy the damaged files to another location (such as a hard disk or floppy disk).

To recover damaged files:

1. Click Yes when ScanDisc tells you that it has found damaged files. The Select a Destination dialog box appears.
2. From the Destination Drive drop-down list box, select where you want to copy the files.

   You can select any drive on your computer except the CD-Recorder you are recovering the files from. If you want to copy the files to another computer on your network, you must map the drive first. Refer to your operating system's documentation about mapping drives.

3. From the Destination Folder list, select the folder where you want to copy the files.

   If you want to create a new folder, click New Folder and type a name for the folder.

4. Click Copy. The File Copy Progress dialog box appears and shows ScanDisc's progress.
5. Click Done to proceed to the repair process. The Damaged Files dialog box appears listing the damaged files that were copied.
6. Click Continue to continue the ScanDisc process.

   If there were any files that ScanDisc could not recover, the Unrecoverable dialog box appears with a list of the files.

   The ScanDisc Progress dialog box appears showing that the ScanDisc process is complete.

Troubleshooting DirectCD

Explorer Cannot See Files Copied to the CD

You may not be able to see files on a CD using Windows Explorer for several reasons. The table below summarizes the most common reasons and possible solutions.

Possible Reasons	Possible Solutions
The file was deleted or the CD was erased.	If the file was deleted or the CD was erased, you cannot retrieve the data.
The writing process was interrupted before the file directory information was completed, but most or all of the data files were written to the CD. This means that the files may be on the disk, but Windows Explorer cannot see them.	Try using ScanDisc. See Checking CDs for Problems.
The CD's rated speed did not match the write speed of your drive.	Check the rated speed of the CD and the write speed of the CD-Recorder. The CD should be rated the same speed or higher than the CD-Recorder speed. For example, if your CD-Recorder is a 2x speed, you should use CDs rated at 2x, 4x, or higher. If the CD has a lower speed rating, either use a different CD or change the write speed of the CD-Recorder. See Changing DirectCD's Options.

Fixing an Unreadable CD

If no DirectCD window appears after about 15 seconds when you insert a CD you made with DirectCD, the CD may be damaged or have an unreadable format. This situation can occur, for example, if the CD-Recorder temporarily stalls while you are writing a large file to the CD.

DirectCD has a utility, ScanDisc, that may be able to recover your files from the CD and make it usable. See Checking CDs for Problems.

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