Trouble burning CDs

[Impret-Sir]

Hi all,
I want to compile a music CD with tracks from various CDs for playing in my car. Sounds simple I know. However, am I dreaming?, but I thought I could use a CD-R disc to do this, and set it up as 'muti-session" so that I could record to it on more than one occasion. But I find that after writing the tracks I have selected from the first CD, Nero "closes" the CD-R so it is no longer writable, so it now is sealed with just two songs on it. The same happens with photos my wife tries to save to CD-Rs' as well. I knew that you could not erase or alter data from a CD-R CD, (Like a CD-RW), but I am sure in the past we have used one more than once to add data at subsequent sessions until it was full, like a floppy disk. Am I going mad??!

[CHRIS1982]

you couldn't be more wrong. CD - R are for single use only they are not re writeable. CD - RW are for constant re use. just so you know it is best to make a full compilation on to a CD - R. thr reason for this is not many cd players will read CD-RW discs. which i have to say is a pain in the back side.

[vehelpfulguy]

Impret-Sir, you are right, you CAN write files to a CD-R, then add more afterwards in a later session (I do it all the time to make backups) as long as the CD is not closed.

What you cant do (as you say) is overwrite files on a CD-R.

I assume you are using "make an audio CD" option, so maybe be default Nero always closes the CD afterwards.

If you use "make a data CD" option (for mp3 files or data backup) then Nero probably does NOT close the session.

I can only suggest that if you ARE using the "make an audio CD" option you get all your files ready first, then burn the CD.

Remember you can only get about 70 minutes of "audio" on a CD.

[fo3nix]

(Agreeing with the above, note that most non-computer CD players will only read finalised (i.e., not multi-session) discs.)

[squarebear]

The default is to close the CD. You need to ensure that "Allow files to be added later (multisession disc)" is ticked.

However, like the others have said, the best practice for an audio CD is to burn it all at once as many CD players will not recognise a multisession disc.

[Impret-Sir]

Thanks for those answers folks, I have looked hard at Nero and could not find an option to not close the CD after burning, so helpfulguy, I will try your idea of making a Data CD instead of an audio one which is what I have been doing. Im not sure I understand how you can burn a compliation all at once squarebear, as the tracks come from different CDs so you would surely have to stop the burning process in order to swap CDs in the drive?

[vehelpfulguy]

>I will try your idea of making a Data CD instead of an audio one

I was NOT suggesting you use "data" instead of "audio" (although it may have read like that) I was just comparing how the 2 different systems work.

While some car CDs will play mp3s most CDs will need to be in audio format before they can be played ("audio" format is the format CDs are in when you buy them from the shop)

more.........

[squarebear]

A data CD will not play at all in your player. You need to copy the music tracks to your hard drive and then burn the compilation.

[vehelpfulguy]

You can make an audio CD from multiple tracks as follows.

1) Insert the master audio CD you want to take tracks off into your PC.

2) Use a program like Windows Media Player to "rip" the tracks off and make each track an mp3 file.

3) Do this with each master CD so you have mp3 versions of all the songs that you want.

4) Create a new folder on your PC and move into there JUST the mp3 tracks you want to put on your CD.

5) Use Nero to make an "audio" CD and point it to the folder you just created with the mp3 tracks in it.

6) Nero should take those mp3 tracks and make them into audio format on the CD. You should now be able to play this in your car.

[Impret-Sir]

Once again, many thanks for all your help!