Re: Saving to D--Packet Writing

["J. R. Fox" jr_fox@xxxxxxxxxx]

Michael Norman wrote:

> Thanks, Patricia, but after trying both INcd and WriteCD-RW packet writing
> software, I think I'm going to use another strategy for daily and long-term
> backup. Software just causes too many hang-ups on my W98SE system.

I'm coming to this thread a bit late, but it's not just your W98. I've seen
these packet writers wreak stability havoc on a few W2K systems also. There
was another packet writer program besides the Big Two above, or the one someone
else here mentioned he was going to try, and the name escapes me at the moment,
but I don't know if it would be any safer.

CDs are cheap these days, esp. in bulk. I have also seen some multi-session
(non-packet-writing) problems -- even within the use of one program -- and
cross-platform problems. Nero apparently cannot copy a multi-session CD, at
least not in one pass, whereas I never have that problem with the whole-cd Copy
function in RSJ on the OS/2 side. A cd made with one program on one platform
may not always pass muster (in terms of readability) when you access it from
the other OS.

In view of all this, where the cd contents are in a state of flux, I make
frequent updated / expanded / altered *whole-cd* versions with some regularity,
keeping the multisession thing to a bare minimum.  (e.g., "Project XYZ cd,
Edition 2.5", dated and with total used storage space as well as # of sessions
noted.) For the most important ones, I don't go multi-session at all, just
make a new edition. This costs a little more, and is somewhat less convenient,
but is best for reliability.

It is also useful to recall what I said in an earlier thread about dubious
media longevity. Think redundancy and cyclic duplication.


Jordan