(The quickest way to register)

Forum

Dear visitor! The webpage is only available in English. We're sorry for the inconvenience.
  1. User picture
    • richard142 on Mon 20 Apr 2009
    • 08:09:53 AM UTC

    Formatting advice

    When formatting a disk I'm prompted to select File system and Allocation unit size.
    The defaults are UDF2.01 but 2.50 is an option for the File system plus 2048 bytes for the Allocation unit size.
    I tried to get information from an OSTA [?] site:
    http://www.osta.org/specs/pdf/201250diffs.pdf
    I was none the wiser after the event! Thus, I quote:
    "The first 32768 bytes of the Volume space shall not be used
    for the recording of ECMA 167 structures. This area shall
    not be referenced by the Unallocated Space Descriptor or
    any other ECMA 167 descriptor. This is intended for use by
    the native operating system."
    I understand none of this, eg ECMA 167 descriptor.
    Help please with interpretation. Also what is the optimum choice to back up txt and pdf files.
    Richard142.

    Richard142

Comments:

  2. User picture
    • g7w on Tue 21 Apr 2009
    • 10:29:03 PM UTC

    formatting which disk?

    formatting which disk?
    Normally CD-R's and DVD-R's are preformatted, otherwise your burning software can (should) be able to format based upon disk-type.

    Backup text and PDF and any other file-type onto a CD-R would be using the "data disk" type and keeping the disk open for more files; however a CD-R is not like a hard drive where existing files are over-written with new ones. I prefer using flash drives, you know.. those cute little USB memory sticks. You get more info than a CD-R and you can overwrite existing files with newer, modified ones.
    -------
    Against Intuition - gives us safety through Web of Trust.
    WOT Community - gives us security through unity.
    Thank you all
    G7W {G.O.M}
    http://g7w.net/
    • User picture
      • BobJam (not verified) on Wed 22 Apr 2009
      • 09:49:06 AM UTC

      CD-R's are cheap

      At WalMart I can get a pack of 50 Sony CD-R's for about $10 bucks.

      That means each one is 20 cents. While I agree with Dave and use thumb drives myself (a 4GB at WalMart is $14 bucks), I do use CD-R's now and then.

      But since they're so cheap (cheaper than the old 1.4MB floppy used to be), I close them out every time I write to them. Yes, that does often leave a lot of unused space, but closing it out makes the write a lot more stable than when you leave it open for another write.

      If they were more expensive, then I probably would leave it open and use all the space. But for 20 cents a pop it's a pretty cheap way to reduce the risk of a corrupted file.

      But I suspect that eventually the CD will go the way of the floppy. USB sticks, especially now that the BIOS's make them bootable, and they can carry portable apps and ISO images, and can accept overwriting, as Dave said, are the way to go for storage.

      The CD may stay around as long as installation software comes in CD's. but I wouldn't be surprised to see that migrate to cheap USB sticks too.

      As far as I know, " ECMA 167 descriptor" pertains to a formatting structure for audio CD's. But as Dave said, "Normally CD-R's and DVD-R's are preformatted, otherwise your burning software can (should) be able to format based upon disk-type".

      I have no idea why you're getting that prompt unless maybe you're trying to format a CD that's already been formatted by the manufacturer.

      So, under what circumstances do you get that prompt, specifically?