The Different Kinds of Disks

Floppy Disk (3.5" floppy)
The oldest, slowest and smallest disk in current use.  Holds up to 1.44 MBytes (enough for about 400 pages of text, but not enough for even 1 digital photo or MP3 song). Erasable and reusable. Many new computer models don't even include them - use a CD-R or CD-RW instead.

CD Data disk (CD-ROM: "Compact Disc - Read-only Memory")
A CD that may contain any mix of computer programs or data (test, pictures, music files, etc).  Can hold up to 700 Mbytes (equivalent to 486 floppy disks, enough to hold roughly 150,000 pages of text, or 350 digital photos, or 200 MP3 songs). Can be used on any computer with a CD (CD-ROM) drive. CDs can not be erased or modified in any way. You can make your own data CD-ROMs if your computer has a CD-burner and the software that coes with it. Use any standard blank CD-Rs (not CD-RWs). 

CD-R (CD - Recordable)
A CD created with a computer's CD-RW drive (often called a CD "burner" or "writer") using a CD-R blank.  Same capacity as a CD-ROM. The blanks cost about 25¢ each and are available in any computer or office supply store. A CD-R can not be erased or modified in any way once it is recorded.  All recent computers come with CD-RW drives, but older computers have only CD readers that can read but not burn CD-R disks.  If your computer didn't come with a CD-burner, you can add an external one easily - it attaches to a spare USB port.  

CD-RW (CD - ReWritable)
A CD created with a computer's CD-RW drive using a CD-RW blank (available in any computer or office supply store).  Same capacity as a CD-ROM. CD-RW disks can be erased and re-recorded just like a floppy or hard disk.  However, CD-RW disks can only be read in CD-RW drives, not in the ordinary CD drives of older computers.  Useful for computer data back-ups, especially for data that changes often.  CD-RW drives can burn either CD-Rs or CD-RWs, depending on the type of blank disk you put in. If your computer didn't come with a CD-burner, you can add an external one easily for $30 - 40; it attaches to a spare USB port.  

Audio CD is a special format of CD containing music or audio book recordings.
Plays about 1 hour maximum. Holds about 20-25 standard 3-minute songs. Plays on any ordinary CD-player, boombox, car CD player, or on your computer.  You can make you own custom audio CDs using an ordinary CD-burner, Windows Media Player, MusicMatch, or similar software, and any standard blank CD-R (not CD-RW - you can not use a CD-RW disk to make an audio CD) .  You can also copy (or "rip") your commercial audio CDs to your hard drive (converting the songs into MP3 files, using software such as Windows Media Player or MusicMatch. The the songs can be re-assembled into custom audio or MP3 CDs or used to add music to slide shows and home movies. Or you can transfer the MP3 files to a portable music player (e.g. like an Ipod) via a USB cable.

MP3 disk is a computer data disk containing songs in compressed MP3 format.
Plays about 10-12 hours maximum - about 200-250 standard 3-minute songs. You can create MP3 files from your audio CDs by "ripping" them with Windows Media Player or MusicMatch or other software.  (Some audio books are now being sold in MP3 format, which allows the entire book to be fit onto one disk). Plays on MP3 disk players, recent DVD players and some car CD players (2003 models and later).  You can make you own MP3 disks with your computer's CD-burner. Use any standard blank CD-Rs (not CD-RWs).

Photo or JPEG disk is a computer CD-ROM containing digital photos in JPEG format.
The newer JPEG-compatible DVD players will play JPEG disks, showing a simple slideshow of the pictures on the TV.  You can also view the pictures on your computer (using Windows XP's built-in Picture Viewer or any other picture viewer software you may have).  Commercial photo CDs from a photo processor often have built-in auto-run software that automatically runs when you insert the disk.  

DVD (Digital Video Disk) was originally developed for playing movies.
Looks like a CD but requires a different player and disk media.  Usually used for movies, but can also be used for data storage (pictures or music files).  
Holds up to 4.7 Gigabytes (4700 megabytes, the equivalent of over 6 CDs or 3263 floppy disks, enough to hold 700,000 pages of text, 1800 digital photos, or 1200 MP3 songs).  The newer double-layer DVDs hold twice that.  Playable only in your computer's DVD drive or in a stand-alone DVD player (for viewing movies).  

You can make data DVDs using DVD/R or DVD/RW blanks and a DVD burner, available as an add-on to your computer for about $150 (in 2005). Blank DVD disks are available at computer stores and typically cost $1 - $2 each. Double-layer DVD blanks are much  more expensive (about $10 in 2005).
There are two types of DVD blank disks, DVD+R and DVD-R (also DVD+RW and DVD-RW).  Most older burners and players can only create and play one kind; the latest "dual mode" equipment  will handle both types.  

VCD (Video CD) and SVCD (Super Video CD)
A CD with video content.  Contains up to 1 hour of full-motion video with sound.  SVCDs have better video and sound quality that VCDs, almost as good as a DVD.  Both can be made with an ordinary computer's CD burner using ordinary blank CD-Rs, using software such as Memories on TV or  Photo Story 2 ($20, in Microsoft Plus Digital Media Edition, for Windows XP only).  Can be played on your computer and on recent DVD players, but not older models.  

Mini disk (3")
Same uses as regular CD disk, but holds about 1/3 as much stuff.  Used in some digital cameras and portable music players.  May contain computer data, pictures, music, etc. Playable in your computer's regular CD-ROM drive. You can also create these with an ordinary computer CD burner and mini CD-R blanks. The little disks fit into the recessed circle in the center of the CD drive's tray.

How to copy files to a CD-RW drive
1. Put a blank disk (CD-R or CD-RW) into the CD-RW drive.
2. If the computer displays a menu of choices, select "Open writable CD folder...".  Otherwise, open My Computer => CD-RW Drive.  
3. Open the folder containing the files you want to copy and drag them to the CD-RW window. Or you can click once on the file or folder that you want to copy, then click "Copy this file (or folder)" in the left-hand panel of tasks.
4. Pull down the File menu in the CD-R window and select "Write these files to CD".
5. The CD Writing Wizard opens. Click Next and follow the remaining instructions.

Note 1: To check to see if your computer is set up for CD recording, open My Computer, right-click on the CD-R drive, select Properties, click on the Recording tab, and make sure that "Enable CD recording on this drive" is checked.  

Note 2: An alternative to the above procedure is to use specific CD-writing programs such as RecordNow, Nero Express, or Roxio CD Creator, etc. Such programs are often supplied on new computers and on external add-on CD burners. Look for the Help menu, or click ?, or press F1.

(c) Tom O'Haver, January 2005