ADN

zaphodz wrote:Check what kind of drive it is and google it to see if it supports dvd burning. If your aren't sure, tell me the name/number of it and I'll check for you.

I haven't successfully burned a DVD yet, but my laptop was bought with the distinct label of "dvd writing/burning".

I checked, and it says I have PIONEER DVDRW DVR-K16. A quick google search shows some problems with reading capabilities associated with this drive... I don't know. :disappoint:

Yeah it seems it supports all types of cd/dvd. Almost every google search has people complaining of problems with this sort of drive though...

Anyway, see if there is a driver or firmware update for it. Then see what your burning program tells you the drive can burn. For example, Nero has a diagnostic included that tells you what it can do with the burner.

Yes, I burned my first DVD with the aid of ImgBurn just a few moments ago.

But from what I've googled about "cd lifespan", I think this'll be the last time I burn a disc, at least until I find a decent electronics outlet that sells these gold-laced DVDs I'm reading about.

You're advice about alternative storage mediums, zaphodz, has been really helpful, and it has gotten me around to researching what is known as "solid state drives". Are they a viable option this early into their commercial production for data storage?

I told myself a while back that I'd only keep this laptop for ~3 years before upgrading, and I'm wondering what type of internal drive would give my files the most stability and longevity. It's truly been a godsend that this thread started off as a random article I found, and evolved into smarter data solutions tips for us all. It's great. :laff:

Man, I totally love ImgBurn, its the only burning program I have installed now...

Kumicho wrote:Man, I totally love ImgBurn, its the only burning program I have installed now...

Dude, as soon as I read this post, that little tropical chime when an operation is successful just went off in my head. :laff:

LMAO..! What an awesome piece of software...I just got done burning up some stuff myself..!

Solid state drives are still really expensive right now - they just aren't worth it considering the price of a traditional hard disk. Especially if you are just backing up.

Hard drives die. That's why I always have a spare backup somewhere. But generally speaking, the only thing better than a hard drive for backup is a tape drive. But tape drives are expensive and so are the tapes. They are mainly used in businesses and last I checked you can store something like 800GB on 1 tape.