Hello all... I have just started using my CD-RW system....depended on floppies before but my new laptop doesn't have a floppy drive so I've got to get used to other disks. Am I doing something wrong or is it not possible to selectively delete items from a CD-RW as you can with a floppy. I tried to and got the notice back "Read only and cannot be deleted etc." I can easily erase the entire disk but not separate items. I'm completely new to CD's so if this is a dumb request, bear with me. Thanks, Jim

You cannot erase something from a CD after you have BURNED the surface. Once an item has been written to the disk, it will stay there until the material on that disk degenerates. There are Rewritable disks however that you may want to invest in. You can always over-write programming that you put on those disks. Tomorrow the Stars!

You cannot selectively delete files from a CD-RW disc because Windows XP CD burning features uses ISO File System. Under this file system, individual files cannot be changed or deleted; they can only be erased as a whole. To overcome this, you will need a third party application like Nero or Roxio that uses the UDF file system. Under this file system, files are written to a series of packets as an individual operation, and, later, those of a file can be selectively erased or updated. i_XpUser

Read this article. It will explain that you cannot delete individual files from a CD-RW. You have to erase the entire disk. You have to read between the lines and see that this is the procedure using the Windows XP built in burning software. This is a cheap and dirty piece of software that really doesn't do a lot for you. To burn and maintain disks properly, third party burning software is required. XpUser has quoted some above. Also be aware that CD-RW disks should not be used for backup purposes. They are quite unreliable. You will eventually get the scenario where you put your backup into the drive and the computer tells you the disk is blank. It happens so consider yourself warned. Use CD-R for backup. They are write once disks but they are fairly cheap. Hope this helps.

XPuser is correct but as an extension to his post you should use Google to investigate "InCD" (Nero) and "DirectCD" (Roxio). Both these programmes will allow you to selectively erase items and both are supplied with your burning software... provided you are using Nero or Roxio of course! Once I thought I was wrong, now I'm not so sure!

Do not use Incd or DirectCD These program are good if you never want to share data with anyone else. The data is written in a way that it is not standard so not everyone can read it. I know I have used and abandoned the program for this very reason. You need a good cd burner program. Not the default program from MS. Get CdBurnerXp pro CdBurneXp Pro This program allows deleting of individual files and is also handy for other cd related stuff. That is if you use cd-rw's. Also it can erase cd-rw's if you like. I have been using it for a year with no problems at all. Never say Never Romeo Void Firefox 1.0.7 A Safer Browser Thunderbird 1.0.7

Thanks to all who helped me with responses. It is clear that I need to get better software. I rather suspected this might be the case. Best regards, Jim