In Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7, how can I drag-and-drop and copy files directly to recordable CD, DVD and Blu-ray discs in the same way as I can to a hard disk drive? That is, without having to start my disc-burning software.

Answer

Note that there is no support at all in the inbuilt burning software in Windows XP for burning recordable DVD discs (DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW and DVD-RAM). Third-party software, such as Cyberlink PowerDVD, has to be used. Microsoft probably did not want to compete with third-party software by including DVD-burning in Windows XP.

The following video shows you how to go about burning files to a recordable CD in Windows XP. The page says that the method can be used for burning to recordable DVD discs, but Windows XP does not support burning DVD discs, only recordable CDs. A CD Writing Wizard is used, not a DVD-writing wizard.

Burn a CD or DVD in Windows XP -

http://video.about.com/windows/Burn-a-CD-or-DVD-in-Windows-XP.htm

However, Windows Vista can burn both recordable CD and DVD discs:

How to burn CDs and DVDs in Windows Vista -

http://www.vista4beginners.com/Burn-CDs-DVDs

How to burn data and ISO files to recordable CD/DVD/Blu-ray Discs in Windows 7 - http://www.pcbuyerbeware.co.uk/...

UDF packet-writing software enables a user to drag-and-drop files to blank recordable CDs or DVDs using Windows Explorer, My Computer in Windows XP (Computer in Windows Vista) , and the standard Save functions from within applications. Windows Explorer in Windows XP provides some support for recordable UDF discs that allows you to read UDF discs produced by some third-party software, such as Direct CD. You can only read the data on the disc, because it is not possible to write to, add files, delete individual files from an existing disc, or update any single file using a UDF disc in Windows XP. You can only erase the entire disc.

After the packet-writing software has formatted the rewritable disc, you can add files and folders by making use of Windows Explorer to drag-and-drop files or folders to your optical drive, or by using the Send to command by right-clicking files and folders in My Computer (Computer in Windows Vista) or Windows Explorer and selecting the optical CD/DVD writer. Doing that makes it appear as if the files are being written to the disc directly, as in a UDF system. However, nothing of the kind is happening. By default, copies of the files are stored on the hard disk in your Documents and Settings folder. In My Computer, you can then right-click on the drive/writer's icon and choose Write these files to CD, or open the drive by double-clicking on its icon and choose Write these Files to CD, which appears in the bar on the left of the window.

If you are working within an application, (Word, Excel, Access, etc.), you cannot save to the drive letter directly from the application. You have to go to either My Computer, or Windows Explorer to save the file to the recordable CD media.

There are two leading software packages that work in that way with most CD writers. Drag to Disc, which used to be called DirectCD, is part of Roxio's Easy Media Creator. InCD is part of the Nero suite. Both of those packages can use rewritable media, such as CD-R and CD-RW discs. Roxio's Drag to Disc can even drag-and-drop write to write-once media, such as CD-R, DVD-R, and DVD+R discs. You can also use DLA, which is available as a stand-alone program from Sonic.

Cyberlink PowerDVD software comes bundled with many desktop and laptop PCs. It features drag-and-drop recording to DVDs. You just drag a file or a selction of files to its icon on the Desktop.

Visit http://www.cyberlink.com/ to download a trial version of that software.

Hardware-based packet writing has been made possible by the Mount Rainier (MRW) standard, which means that the CD/DVD writers themselves support packet-writing. Mount Rainier (MRW) is a format for recordable optical discs that provides packet writing and defect management. Mount Rainier can be used only with optical drives that support it, but it works with standard CD-R, CD-RW, DVD+/-R and DVD+/-RW media.

Windows XP with Service Pack 1 (SP1) installed provides some support for the Mount Rainier format. At present, a computer running Windows XP SP1 or higher, (SP3) will read Mount Rainier discs directly in a CD writer that has the necessary firmware, or in most drives using the reader program EasyWriteReader from http://www.nero.com/. Formatting and writing a Mount Rainier disc requires a CD writer with firmware installed that supports the format. Third party software, such as InCD (version 3.28 or later) and Drag to Disk support it on CD-RW discs.

Mount Rainier (packet writing) -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Rainier_(packet_writing)

Windows XP and prior versions of Windows (95/98/98 SE/Me) do not support MRW natively. Those versions of Windows require third-party software to read and write MRW-formatted discs - usually the same packet-writing utilities that allow native UDF filesystems to be written to optical discs. The versions of Windows Vista for home users, released on January 30, 2007, support the Mount Rainier standard natively.

At the time of writing (March 2009), there was no information available on the web about drag-and-drop writing to Blu-ray discs in Windows Vista, so it would appear as if Vista does not support it. However, if you want to drag-and-drop files to a rewritable Blu-ray (BD-RE) discs, you can use third-party software that supports it, such as Cyberlink Power2Go 6.

If you need some matters clarified with regard to burning recordable CDs in Windows XP, perhaps the information this page will do that for you:

Burning CDs in Windows XP - http://www.aumha.org/win5/a/xpcd.php

Computer diagnostics: How to solve or fix common desktop and laptop PC problems

To diagnose and troubleshoot specific and general problems with Microsoft's software (Windows 95, 98, Me, XP, Vista, Internet Explorer, and Outlook Express) using the MS Knowledge Base, visit the Diagnostics page on this site.

Click a relevant link below to visit the information it describes on this website:

1. - Recovering and repairing Windows XP when a computer crashes or fails to boot

2. - Recovering and repairing Windows Vista when a computer crashes or fails to boot

3. - Windows Vista problems: How to fix problems with Windows Vista

4. - Recover, restore and repair Windows 7 (Win7) when a computer crashes or fails to boot

5. - Windows 7 problems: How to diagnose and fix problems with Windows 7

6. - Windows XP: How to troubleshoot and fix shutdown, restart (reboot), and startup problems

7. - Typical DLL (Dynamic Link Library) device driver problems

8. - Software problems: How to fix problems with Windows, programs, and utilities

Also visit the Software pages on this site for more information on specific software-related information and problems.

9. - Motherboard and power supply problems: How to fix common problems with faulty motherboards (mainboards) and power supplies (PSUs)

10. - RAM memory problems: How to fix problems with the Random Access Memory

11. - Hard disk drive problems: How to fix computer hard disk drive (HDD) problems

12. - CD/DVD drive problems: How to fix problems with CD and DVD drives and discs

13. - Processor problems: How fix common processor (CPU) problems

14. - Video/graphics card problems: How fix common computer video and graphics problems

15. - USB and FireWire problems: - How to fix common USB and FireWire problems

16. - Network problems: How to fix common wired and wireless networking and internet problems

17. - Laptop/notebook problems: How to address or fix the most common laptop/notebook problems

How to fix problems with device drivers in Windows XP and Windows Vista and Windows 7

Although the information on the following page is specific to Windows XP, much of the advice is relevant to the earlier versions of Windows. Click here! to read Troubleshoot Device Driver Problems. Click h ere! to go to Tips for fixing common driver problems in Windows Vista. Those tips should also be applicable to Windows 7.

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Visit the Build a PC page for information on how to build a desktop PC and solve self-build problems, and visit the other pages, such as the Video/Graphics, Sound, Motherboards, and Monitors pages for more problem-solving information, all of which can be accessed via the menu items and jump menu on the orange navigation bar, or via the site search engine at the top of each of the main pages.

The Tips & Tricks pages of this site contain additional useful tips, tricks, and problem-solving advice.

The safest way to upgrade RAM memory: Use the UK and US Crucial Memory Advisors

Paul Mullen, who was the highly-respected computer guru of the Helpfile at ComputerShopper.co.uk - "I have recently been buying my memory only from Crucial Technology. I would rather pay the extra cost than waste time trying to track down the obscure program faults that bad memory can cause."

The best way to choose RAM memory for a brand-name desktop or laptop computer, or memory for a particular make/model of PC motherboard is to make use of the Crucial Memory Advisors (provided under the brief guideline on the minimum memory requirements for Windws XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7). If the Crucial memory you receive does not work, you are guaranteed a refund and standard shipping is free.

The memory requirements of the versions of Windows Vista and Windows 7

Most of the versions of Windows Vista require more RAM memory to run optimally on a computer that doesn't use memory-hungry applications than Windows XP. A video-editing application is an example of memory-intensive software. Only Windows Vista Home Basic has a recommended minimum amount of memory of 512MB, which is the same amount recommended for Windows XP. Windows Vista Home Premium, the most popular version, and Windows Vista Ultimate require a recommended minimum of 1GB (1024MB) of memory, which is twice the amount of minimum memory recommended to run Windows XP. Note that if you are using a 64-bit version of Windows, up to 4.0GB, it requires twice the amount of memory as a 32-bit version, which can only use a maximum of about 3.5GB. For more information on computer memory, read the RAM pages of this site, which includes information on the lower memory requirements of Windows 7.

UK - Crucial Memory Advisor - UK

USA - Crucial Memory Advisor - USA

How to Use the Crucial Memory Advisor

For example, if your computer has an Asus motherboard, open the menu, scroll down to ASUS, and click GO. If, say, you have a Dell computer, scroll down to DELL, and do likewise. You will be taken to the relevant information on Crucial's website.

If you don't know the make and model of the motherboard installed in your computer, here is a good free utility - Belarc Advisor - that creates an analysis of the hardware and software on a personal computer. Look under FREE DOWNLOAD - http://www.belarc.com/. Another utility that also provides detailed information on the memory itself is CPU-Z.

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