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Understand CD SpeedCheck out the
Frequently Asked Questions to take advantage
of out expert troubleshooting, get the latest updates, and learn about tips for using your
Imation products. For more information, including brochures, demos, and spec sheets, visit the CD-RW Media product page.
My
10x - 24x Ultra-Speed CD-RW media work in my CD-R/RW drive.If you have additional questions or comments, please contact our Technical Support.
Imation 10x - 24x CD-RW discs are only compatible with Ultra-Speed burners. The drive's middle rewrite speed has to be at least 10x speed (for example, 48x24x48) and carry the Ultra-Speed logo for you to be able to record to them. Ultra-Speed Imation media will not work in drives which carry the High-Speed logo or in older drives with no logo.
An audio CD-RW disc will only play back in MultiRead or MultiPlay compliant players. CD-RW media has a lower level of reflectivity than pressed CDs and CD-Rs. MultiRead compliant players are equipped with lasers that will compensate for this difference. Therefore, CD-RW audio discs cannot play back in a conventional CD player unless its MultiRead compliant. It is always a good idea to check with your drive manufacturer's User Manual or corporate website before purchasing media.
Computers purchased with a CD-RW drive will come with vendor supplied burning software, but if you are experiencing problems burning you can test the software by using the native software in Windows XP to see if the results vary.
Check the Microsoft Website (www.microsoft.com) and search on "burning CDs with XP" for details.
It is very difficult to estimate the life of a CD-R or CD-RW because there are many factors such as temperature and humidity, exposure to light, dirt and contamination, and handling and scratches, which can affect the life of a disc. For more information about CD-R and CD-RW longevity, visit the Optical Storage Technology Association (OSTA).
For ultimate durability consider using Imation CD-R media with ForceField™ Scratch-Resistant Coating. The unique, thin polymer layer of protection on the recording side guards against most everyday wear and tear that can interrupt use of the data stored on the disc.
Most backup programs for home computers aren't written so that they recognize a CD-RW disc as a viable backup medium. To make the disc recognizable, you have to format your Imation CD-RW disc for Drive Letter Access (DLA), or drag-and-drop functionality.
If your home computer includes a CD burner, the computer probably came with a packet writing program included in the computer's burning software package. A packet writing program will allow you to re-format your Imation CD-RW disc so you can drag-and-drop, or "drag to disc." The most common packet writing programs are: Ahead Nero/InCD, Veritas RecordNow/DLA, HP RecordNow/DLA, Sonic MYDVD, and Roxio Direct CD (now owned by Sonic). For assistance using these programs, please contact the software manufacturer.
It all depends on the burning software you are using. You cannot erase just one file from a CD-RW, but must reformat (erase) the entire disk to re-use the space.
Having said that, there are packet writing programs that make your Imation CD-RWs appear to act like large capacity diskettes. The software allows you to "edit" and "delete" files from those discs. And when you "delete" the files they seem to disappear from Windows Explorer. But in fact the space is still being used, and to regain that space, there is no way around it: you must reformat the disc.