I thought that if you wrote a CD-RW using packet writing software such as Nero's InCD, you would need a UDF reader on any other computer to read that disc.

Well I wrote files to a disc using InCD and just for the heck of it I put the disc in a computer that has a brand new vanilla load of Win 2K with no UDF reading software or burning software. It read the disc just fine and I was able to use the files.

What gives?

It gets stranger by the minute. That was also my belief but if the idiots that write these Packet Writing programs don't know this then the consumers are left to fend for themselves. Beta testers of sorts. I gave up Beta testing for these packet writers a while back. I've lost gigs of data. InCD, DirectCD Write-CD-RW, all junk and should all be labeled with a beta designation. Anyone using packet writing should have a good system back program.

Roger Windows 2000 and XP have UDF reading capabilites by default.

BlackDiamondJr I agree with you however the new Mt. Rainier technology is supposed to address the flakiness of packet writing http://www.mt-rainier.org/ and here http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,97404,00.asp

all current packet writing software such as InCD and Direct CD add a UDF reader to the CD-R/W when formatting it so if a Windows 9x/Me system is identified you are prompted to install the reader off the CD-R/W so you can open the disk.

Originally posted by Harry O
BlackDiamondJr I agree with you however the new Mt. Rainier technology is supposed to address the flakiness of packet writing http://www.mt-rainier.org/ and here http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,97404,00.asp

all current packet writing software such as InCD and Direct CD add a UDF reader to the CD-R/W when formatting it so if a Windows 9x/Me system is identified you are prompted to install the reader off the CD-R/W so you can open the disk.

@Harry O
You know, when I first had access to Mt. Ranier about 6 months ago, I decided against my better judgement to test it using WriteCD-RW on my Windows 2000 rack. The instability manifested itself immediately and after less than 15 minutes and about four reboots the OS was hosed and prompted me to reformat. I guess I had learnt nothing after losing gigs of data with DirectCD and InCD in the past.

It's easy to make empty promises and to sucker unsuspecting consumers into committing with the advent of "new" technology. WriteCD-RW already offers this technology, newer versions of InCD is supposed to support it and the expected Roxio EZCD Creamator 6 is slated to support it as well. But, since the CD-MRW and CD-RW formats are so different and the fact that a written CD-MRW disc can only be read but not written to by most CD-RW drives it almost seems like a pipe dream. Crack pipe that is.
So based on previous track record and initial exposure to CD-MRW, I'm not too optimistic. Harry O, I guess we'll just have to see how it plays out.

Originally posted by BlackDiamondJr
@Harry O
You know, when I first had access to Mt. Ranier about 6 months ago, I decided against my better judgement to test it using WriteCD-RW on my Windows 2000 rack. The instability manifested itself immediately and after less than 15 minutes and about four reboots the OS was hosed and prompted me to reformat. I guess I had learnt nothing after losing gigs of data with DirectCD and InCD in the past.


I too am not overly enamoured with packet writing or Write Now CD-R/W. I played with it quite a bit with XP and Win98 but thankfully did not have it hose my system. I found the app itself to be buggy. I use Direct CD with my Yamaha and use Mt. Rainier. It is OK however I hardly ever use it. I don't even really know why I bother to have it installed.

My expereince with packet writing creating flaky disks parallels yours. One thing I've learned though is to never leave a packet formatted CD in the drive and to always eject it using the software and never the drive button. The info in the vcache sometimes doesn't get written to the disk when you shutdown or eject using the device button.

Originally posted by Harry O
One thing I've learned though is to never leave a packet formatted CD in the drive and to always eject it using the software and never the drive button. The info in the vcache sometimes doesn't get written to the disk when you shutdown or eject using the device button.


I've been following a few strings related to InCD because of my experiences. I found out through experience also that you could only eject a packet CD using the software, and if left in the drive the system somehow has to deal with this drive in annoying ways when using Windows explorer for example . I've never been able to use the eject button once INCD is running. I've never read anything about it but is that by design?

What kind of info is in Vcache?

I've got a Yamaha CRW2200, and am running InCD 3.37.0 on Windows 98SE.