CD-R with mp3 files not recognized

I don't understand why, all of a sudden, my computer doesn't recognize an inserted CD-R containing mp3 music files. Previously, whenever I would insert such a CD-R, my PC would recognize it after a few seconds, indicating that the CD was ready for me to access my mp3 files. There must be a simple answer to my problem.

My mp3 files were copied using Adaptec/Roxio products (Easy CD Creator, CreateCD, and DirectCD). Recently I bought a faster burner (Yamaha) and Nero programs were included with it. So now I have NeroBurn, InCD, and NeroMix -- in addition to the above-mentioned Adaptec/Roxio programs -- installed on my computer. I can't imagine that the installion of Nero would somehow prevent my CD-R mp3s from now being recognized. Whenever I place a CD-R containing my scanned photographs into Drive E (DVD-ROM) they are recognized. When I insert one of my mp3 CD-Rs into Drive E, nothing at all happens. Then, when I insert it into Drive D (CD-ROM), Adaptec Easy CD Creator 4 takes over. I'm really confused by all of this. As I said earlier, I feel there must be a very simple answer as to why my music mp3s are not being read. I would gratefully appreciate any help. Thank you.

Bill

P.S. I apologize for this confusing post! I hope I haven't included more information than necessary, and I hope all of this will make sense to someone!

 

If anything “takes over” when you insert a CD it means that the CD was formatted for packet writing. EZCD will not only never “take over”, it will not even work when you insert a formatted CD. You are dealing with DirectCD in that case.

DirectCD has known conflicts with Nero. Nero suggests you do a search for SCSI1HLP.VXD and delete it. Doesn’t always work. Disabling DirectCD doesn’t always work either. An uninstall of DirectCD is your only sure choice. Close out all of your CDs written in DirectCD so they can be read in any computer before you uninstall the program.

Simple rule – if you format a CD you can only write to it with packet writing (DirectCD, InCD). If you don’t format the CD you use normal mastering software (EZCD, Nero).

Confirm whether you formatted the CDs and we can go from there.

I’ll take my guess on your drives from your post:
D – CD-ROM
E – DVD-ROM
F – Yamaha burner.

Your post would make more sense if D were your CD writer and E the DVD-ROM, but you were specific that D was a CD-ROM

How do you have them hooked up on the IDE bus?

 

Once again I want to apologize for my limited knowledge of computers. I've been trying to describe my problem to the best of my ability, but I'm not very good at understanding computer terminology.

Actually, you are right. My CD writer is 'D' and my DVD-ROM is 'E'. I shouldn't have said CD-ROM.

As far as I know, I formatted all of my CD-R's and CD-RW's (named them all with 11 letters or less). I con't recall 'closing out' any of my CD's written with DirectCD.

I found SCSI1HLP.VXD. Should I still delete it even though I have already uninstalled DirectCD?

Thank you very much for your input. I have gotten so confused by this issue of burning CD's that it's really worn me down the past couple of days. I was up 'til 4 AM last night!

Yes, my CD-R's were burned in DirectCD format, but I don't know about the properties options setting. I assume you're right in saying that it was probably checked to notify me whenever a disc is ready to access, but I don't remember having set it manually. (Does it set automatically?) Of course that was a number of months ago, and it doesn't help that my knowledge of computers is very limited. Also, it sounds logical that installing Nero could have disabled this auto notification.

Last night I would solve one problem and another would arise. I'll spare you the details here, but I finally had things set where I could use either Adaptec or Nero and both of them would recognize my mp3 CD-R's. I burned a couple of test CD's successfully but also had at least a couple of coasters. I noticed, however, that when I'd be using Nero, all of a sudden the Adaptec Easy CD Creator box would come onscreen. I got tired of this happening, plus I figured it was messing up the burn process, so I decided to delete the set of Adaptec programs. Besides, I was getting comfortable with Nero and liked it better. But after deleting Adaptec, I soon discovered that I couldn't get Nero to recognize my music CD-R's! The one question I now have is 'Do I have to check an option that would allow my mp3's to be made ready for access?' Other than this one problem, I really enjoy using Nero.

Several hours ago I went to AudioGalaxy and downloaded numerous mp3's and easily burned a CD using Nero. What I like most about Nero is that I don't even have to convert the mp3's into WAV files before burning, so the burn process is really speeded up! BUT, the big problem I have now is that I have MANY CDRs and a few CDRW's with VERY MANY mp3 files that, so far, I have been unable to access using Nero. Now I'm even thinking of AGAIN deleting Nero completely and reinstalling Adaptec, which I am actually more familiar with, but I really don't want to do this. I hope that I can get things straightened out so I can use Nero smoothly. Perhaps I need to learn more about disabling and enabling certain options. Any more helpful input you might have would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again!

Bill

 

”Close out all of your CDs written in DirectCD so they can be read in any computer before you uninstall the program” I guess you didn’t see it the first time so I will try it in bold. DirectCD will allow you to close out a CD so that it can be read in ISO format by any computer rather than the specialized UDF format used by packet writing. You normally don’t close packet written CDs unless you want to do this, which is why it doesn’t automatically offer the choice every time.

Your easiest recourse now would be to download and install the Roxio UDF reader: http://www.roxio.com/en/support/udfwin/udfwinupdates.html With it on the computer you will be able to read your packet written CDs in both your DVD and burner.

There are two types of writing software. Packet writing (DirectCD and InCD) and mastering (EZ CD Creator and Nero). They are separate programs and you should get them clear in your mind so you don’t confuse the two.

If you format a blank it is ready for packet writing. Any time the CD is in the burner and the computer is on it is active once the CD is formatted. There is no switch. You can always just drag or cut/copy>paste stuff to your D drive and it will record or overwrite (with RW). It acts just like another HD on your computer. Sounds great but it has some limitations that cause most people to eventually gravitate away from it and to mastering software.

With mastering software you never format the CD. Even if you record to RW you can’t erase individual items – just the entire CD so you can start over. With music you want to close the disc so it can be read in any entertainment player. For data you want to record multi session which leaves the disc open for more data but closes the individual session so you can read what is there. Once you fill the disc you can close it. The copy utility always closes the disc.

You evidently recorded your MP3s as data to a formatted CD using packet writing. You have to install the UDF reader for earlier versions of DirectCD so that it can be read on your DVD drive – it will just read on the burner without it. When you put the formatted CD in your burner it activated DirectCD as it should have.

If you install the UDF reader and never again format a CD I think you will have no more problems. No reason to remove SCSI1HLP.VXD if you have uninstalled DirectCD.

 

I unistalled DirectCD.
My question is this: why would anyone want or need to format a CD-R/RW?

 

If you uninstalled DirectCD and don’t have other packet writing software on your computer you can’t format a CD.

You format a CD so you can packet write to it. This makes the burner like another drive in Windows Explorer and you can just drag stuff to it rather than have to open the recording software each time you want to burn something.

Sounds good on paper but there are a lot of negatives in the details.