Cd-R or Cd-RW?

loveandlight

I want to be able to save some cash spreadsheets to disc and then add to the figures and make amendments as and when. I thought I needed to use a Cd-RW but someone in Currys said a Cd-R would do and someone in Mapplins said a Cd-RW. I tried using a Cd-R tonight but it keeps saying it is a read only file. So does this mean I should go out and buy Cd-RW's instead?
Thanks.

BillScarab

CD-R = CD-Recordable
CD-RW = CD Re-Writable

In other words CD-R is what use to be called WORM media, Write Once Read Many. Once you've written something to the disc you can't change it.

CD-RW is re-writable so you can later things on the disc. You and the person in Maplins were correct, the person in Currys is an idiot, or misunderstood you if I'm being charitable.

planemad

Read only means it cannot be edited and saved to the same location.

I would suggest that that you get a little 1gb USB key and save it on there, this way its smaller than a disk and you can write and rewrite data on it thousands of times.

You could also encrypt the files so that only you can view them with you password to keep away prying eyes.

d123

planemad wrote: »

Read only means it cannot be edited and saved to the same location.

I would suggest that that you get a little 1gb USB key and save it on there, this way its smaller than a disk and you can write and rewrite data on it thousands of times.

You could also encrypt the files so that only you can view them with you password to keep away prying eyes.

I would definitely agree that the USB key is the best medium for this, but it is actually possible to keep adding to a CD-R if you use a program like Nero and choose the "do not finalise" option. It then allows data to be added (but not edited) until the CD is full.

albertross_2

It's better to save them to a hard disk, and use the other mediums as a backup

d123

albertross wrote: »

It's better to save them to a hard disk, and use the other mediums as a backup

If it's important info I wouldn't save to a HDD as primary save, solid state memory is safer and less likely to corrupt. A USB stick or even good quality memory card is a better bet.

HDD's seem to go wrong at just the wrong time.

albertross_2

Pull a usb flash drive out too quickly, and it is very easy to corrupt. If that is your only copy, your work is gone.

d123

albertross wrote: »

Pull a usb flash drive out too quickly, and it is very easy to corrupt. If that is your only copy, your work is gone.

Either you have been unlucky, or I have been very lucky. I use a Philips 2GB USB stick for transporting data, I have used it for over 2 years, 5 days a week and never had a problem with it.

I also have a CF and SD slots in my laptop which I use to transfer images from my cameras. I use both more on a daily basis and have done so for going on 2 years as well. I only buy quality branded memory cards like Sandisk and Lexar, once again never had a problem with them and the laptop.

However I have had 2 hard drives fail on me in the last 2 years....

albertross_2

You have been both lucky and unlucky then. I have just been lucky.

Stephen_Leak

I'm a professional IT tech' in a school and wouldn't recommend a USB stick for long term storage. If you have one with a LED, just see how long they actually take to write! They are also just not stable enough. For transferring data and short term storage, they are OK - and certainly better than not backing anything up.

Personally, I use two CD-RWs for my routine monthly data backup. I keep one at work as an offsite backup in case of fire, flood, etc. Because of the file size involved, I also use two DVD-RWs for my photographs.

I use CD-Rs for things that won't change, like programs. For instance, I copied my downloaded HTML editor and FTP client programs to a CD-R, in case I ever have to rebuild my PC. I could probably download them again, but its nice to have them on a disc, just in case the sites are now gone and for simple convenience.

devizes18193

how about google docs