# Computer question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 5, 2001, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/96957 "2001-12-05T02:51:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2001, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/96957/1 "2001-12-05T02:51:29Z")
Something terrible has happened involving my program “DirectCD.” I went to their web page, but it was no help, and there is no free support, so I want to ask here before I try to go through the rigamarole… (sp?) So, anyway, DirectCD is the program with which I write to CDs in my CD drive. I am using Windows ME on my PC. I had a CD with _many many extremely very important files_ on it. It was almost full. (almost up to the 700 MB limit.) I was writing a last few files to it - and my computer froze. I restarted, and it froze harder. So I switched it off and back on again and let it go through the disk scan. Then I went back to my CD, and _almost all of my files were gone._ But it wasn’t just that files were missing. The CD had gone back to its state from _July of this year._ Files I had renamed were no longer renamed. Folder trees I had rearranged were no longer rearranged. The disk was now _just like it was five or six months ago._ Every file I had added since then was, of course, gone. This is really a nightmare. This is really terrible. And what’s odd is, now under “properties,” the disk is reading as having a capacity of only 142 MB, rather than the 700 it is supposed to have. And I don’t seem to be able to write to this CD anymore, though I haven’t tried all possible ways of doing that yet. I am scared to touch anything. So, I am really in a pickle here. My question is, do you think there is any way to get my files back, and if you do think so, do you have any idea what that way would be? -Kris ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2001, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/96957/2 "2001-12-05T03:04:38Z")
Hmmm… someone will probably shortly be along to name some program for the PC that will read the binary data off of your CD and be able to extract it. It’s still there, after all, it’s just that the last session wasn’t closed. In the meantime, do you have a friend with a Mac? One of the neat things about multi-session disks on a Mac is that each session mounts (is visible) as a separate partition! Trying it in a Mac MAY be able to rescue you. If that doesn’t work, a data-recovery service may be worth the effort if the files are TRULY important. Whenever you add sessions to a disk, you don’t overwrite old data, you merely add new data and change the directory. However, because I’m not versed on PC software (other than the Office stuff), I can’t recommend a binary disk editor. This type of program would let you look at the disk on a logical block level, without involving the FAT (Windows directory system), and you could track down the BOF/EOF (beginning/end of file) for everything, and copy it. Granted, it’s a lot of work, which is why data recovery companies charge a lot of money. But, the point is, it IS possible. Any more help PeeCee people? ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2001, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/96957/3 "2001-12-05T03:22:57Z")
Do they usually come with cd-writing software installed? The Macs I have access to would be pretty generic, having nothing particularly special installed onto them that didn’t come with the original package… What should I look for in order to find out if they have this kind of software on them? -Kris ---
**Author:** ![JRootabega](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8e7dd6/32.png) [@JRootabega](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRootabega)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2001, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/96957/4 "2001-12-05T03:32:12Z")
DirectCD is for CD-RWs, right? (I don’t have any useful input, but the info might help someone figure it out in the future.) ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2001, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/96957/5 "2001-12-05T04:02:55Z")
From Adaptec’s website > [@](#): > > Question > Lost information in Direct CD dics or Direct CD discs no longer apprear valid or allow access. > > This information applies to the following product(s): Direct CD > This information applies to the following operating system All > > Answer > This can happen in different ways: by writing more data then there is available disc space, power surges, computer crashes, closing the disc incorrectly, etc. > > We recommend trying to read the CDs in another machine to make sure the information is actually not accessable. If they work on another system, your drive may be failing. If they do not, you can try to run Direct CDs Scandisc(Start\Programs\Adaptec Direct CD\Scandisc) and see if it can repair the disc. If not there is a program you can download called CD Diagnostics from [http://www.cdrom-prod.com/software.html](http://www.cdrom-prod.com/software.html) that might help. This is not our program and there are no guarantees with it, but sometimes it can help to regain lost information off the disc. > > To avoid this in the future, remember, always eject the CD with the Direct CD Eject Utility. This can be found by right clicking the Direct CD icon and choosing eject. Do not reboot or shut down without ejecting the disc. Also, remember that the format takes up room on the disc. (Approx 75- 125 mgs on a CDR and about 150-200 mgs on a CDRW.) Direct CD may not warn you when it is close to running out of space and can overwrite some of the pointers. If you’re not be able to close the session, it can rendering the disc unusable. > > To prevent data lose: Always leave 5% to 10% of the disc, for closing, at the end of the discs. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2001, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/96957/6 "2001-12-05T12:49:40Z")
I didn’t see that at their website. I’m glad you found it. I think that’s exactly what happened - I filled the disk too full and overwrote the pointers. I wish they’d told me about that _before_! Oh well. I’ll try the DirectCD scandisk and that other program. -Kris ---
**Author:** ![istara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e79b87/32.png) [@istara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/istara)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2001, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/96957/7 "2001-12-05T13:51:24Z")
I had _MASSIVE_ problems using DirectCD and EasyCD on my work computer with WindowsME. They came free with my LaCie burner. The Mac software (which I use on my home ibook) works absolutely fine. I never managed to get the PC programs to work. Not once. I couldn’t turn off DirectCD once it was installed, and EasyCD refused to work with DirectCD running. So I downloaded the free demo of something called Nero, and that worked a treat. ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2001, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/96957/8 "2001-12-05T15:28:48Z")
Yup, Nero is definitely the bee’s knees. Highly recommended. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2001, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/96957/9 "2001-12-05T23:43:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kris Rhodes \* > \*\*Do they usually come with cd-writing software installed? > > The Macs I have access to would be pretty generic, having nothing particularly special installed onto them that didn’t come with the original package… > > What should I look for in order to find out if they have this kind of software on them? > > -Kris \*\* Sounds like you already got your answers, but for the record, I meant to use the Mac only to RECOVER your data from the CD, not to repair it. Sorry for the confusion. (and moderns Macs _do_ come with CD-burning software included).