Has anyone successfully used UDF format over a long period oftime?

Well, I've been using Roxio's various versions(currently Drag to Disk)
with CD-R's(not CD-RW's)for quite a long time with problems perhaps 10%
of the time. Yes, it's handy and easy so I do use it still. However,
anything important is also burned to a multisession CD. The times that
I did have trouble with DirectCd/Drag to Disc I was able to read the
problem disc with DVD/CDR Diagnostic and transfer the files onto my HD
so I didn't lose anything. Bottom line: not 100% dependable.

Ken

wrote:
I keep hearing nothing but negatives about UDF. It seems such a
versatile way of saving to CDs. I'm wondering if anyone has
successfully used it over a period of a few years or more without losing
data?

wrote:

I keep hearing nothing but negatives about UDF. It seems such a
versatile way of saving to CDs. I'm wondering if anyone has
successfully used it over a period of a few years or more without losing
data?

I've found no problems with variable-length packets in UDF. They are as
well behaved and the discs are as reliable as any that are mastered.
You'll probably prefer closing to ISO 9660 Level 3, but UDF 1.5 is okay
if you can read them.

On the other hand, fixed-length packets are the least reliable and most
fragile format available. First, you have the 'forgetfulness' of
erasable media to begin with - even a fresh disc will develop
recoverable errors in a few months, unrecoverable as soon as a year.
Second, the directory information is held in RAM when the disc is in use
so is easily corrupted or lost, particularly in a Windows crash or power
failure. I recommend using fixed-length packets only for test.

Mike
--

http://www.mrichter.com/

.. -------------------------------------------
how HUGE are your BALLS, Adrian Miller?
-------------------------------------------
Only a trashy company like Roxio or Adaptec
let loosed in Usenet this utter trash
-------------------------------------------
Deirdre Straughan (Roxio) is a LIAR
-----------------------------------
Mike Richter is a LIAR
----------------------

"Kenneth J. Harris" wrote:

Well, I've been using Roxio's various versions(currently Drag to Disk)
with CD-R's (not CD-RW's)

--------------------------------
Why the F%^k use CDR's with UDF?
--------------------------------

===================
From: (GMAN) === Ex cRoxio/Acraptec Beta Tester
Date: 2/21/02

Windows 2000 Cannot Read CD-R Discs Created with DirectCD
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=268094

Well then it doesn't conform to UDF standards.

Why the F%^k are you using CDR's with UDF in the first place?

UDF and packet writing software were meant for CDRW to begin with.
===================

.. --------------------------------------
Mike Richter, were you born with
"Scam Artist" emblazoned on your face?
--------------------------------------

Mike Richter (Slimy Friggin SOB) barfed:

I've found no problems with variable-length packets in UDF. They are as
well behaved and the discs are as reliable as any that are mastered.

That's because the slimy friggin sob Mikey sees only CD-RW:

--------------------------------
Mikey sees CD-RW everywhere (ii)
--------------------------------

========================================
From: Peter Kronenberg
Date: 10/1/02
Subject: Help! Can't copy files to Direct CD

Mike Richter (Slimy Friggin SOB) spewed:

Peter Kronenberg wrote:

I'm having a problem with Direct CD. I think it started when
I upgraded to 5.3.1.154. I upgraded again to 5.3.1.154 SP4,
hoping that would fix it, but it's the same.

It is more likely due to a problem with your medium
than with the updates.

Are you writing to erasables or write-once blanks?

Your symptoms are familiar to those trying to write
fixed-length packets to an unproven medium.

I'm writing to the same batch of CD-R disks
that I've been using for a while.
========================================

----------------------------------------
Mikey, you are the Slimiest Friggin SOB!
----------------------------------------

--------------------------------------
Mike Richter, were you born with
"Scam Artist" emblazoned on your face?
--------------------------------------

.. --------------------------------------
Mike Richter, were you born with
"Scam Artist" emblazoned on your face?
--------------------------------------

Mike Richter (Slimy Friggin SOB) barfed:

hal wrote:
I keep hearing nothing but negatives about UDF.

fixed-length packets are the least reliable and most
fragile format available.

Thus unreliable ???!!! Wow! What a Slimy Friggin SOB!

First, you have the 'forgetfulness' of
erasable media to begin with - even a fresh disc will develop
recoverable errors in a few months, unrecoverable as soon as a year.
Second, the directory information is held in RAM when the disc is in use
so is easily corrupted or lost, particularly in a Windows crash or power
failure. I recommend using fixed-length packets only for test.

How about for backup?

=====================
From: Mike Richter (Acraptec ****)
Date: 9/1/99

You may back up ...to a DCD-formatted erasable.
=====================

But then:
======================
From: Mike Richter (Slimy Friggin SOB)
Date: 10/15/01

Combining the flaky UDF fixed-length packets with
the tendency of erasables ... to forget is
LETHAL for archiving.
======================

But then:
=======================
From: Mike Richter (Acraptec ****)
Date: 9/1/99

For Take Two to work IDEALLY, your drive must support
packet writing and you must have DCD installed...to do it.
=======================

Imagine supposedly the flaky, least reliable and most fragile format
MUST be used for Take Two, supposedly a backup software, to work
IDEALLY, no less!

----------------------------------------
Mikey, you are the Slimiest Friggin SOB!
----------------------------------------

--------------------------------------
Mike Richter, were you born with
"Scam Artist" emblazoned on your face?
--------------------------------------

.. --------------------------------------
Mike Richter, were you born with
"Scam Artist" emblazoned on your face?
--------------------------------------

Mike Richter (Slimy Friggin SOB) barfed:

hal wrote:
I keep hearing nothing but negatives about UDF.

fixed-length packets are the least reliable and most
fragile format available.

Thus unreliable ???!!! Wow! What a Slimy Friggin SOB!

Second, the directory information is held in RAM when the disc is in use
so is easily corrupted or lost, particularly in a Windows crash or power
failure.

Why then is the directory held in RAM? Is that specified by the format?

Is the directory indeed held in RAM? If that's the case, pressing the
RESET button will surely result in a disaster, won't it, Slimy Friggin
SOB?

==============================
From: DeepOne
Date: 7/9/00

I've watched the disc write lights on my Plextor drives when ejecting a
DirectCD CD-RW disc, and the drive never does any writing at that time.

Once, in an attempt to prove this, I wrote a bunch of files to a
DirectCD CD-RW disc. As soon as the write pulses ceased,

I pressed the computer's RESET button.

After the computer restarted, the CD-RW disc was fine, and all the files
I had just written were fully accessible.


Mike Richter (Slimy Friggin SOB) barfed:

When you load a fixed-length packet disc, the directory information
is read from the disc and translated in RAM. When you write to the
disc, the data are recorded immediately but the directory is updated
only in RAM.
==============================

----------------------------------------
Mikey, you are the Slimiest Friggin SOB!
----------------------------------------

--------------------------------------
Mike Richter, were you born with
"Scam Artist" emblazoned on your face?
--------------------------------------