pc help again please

[BensGrandad]

Blimey, I'd ask why you scan everything but sure you have good reason.

One memory stick will have far more capacity, just bung it into one of the several USB ports you have on your laptop / PC and simply save the file. You can create untold amounts of folders and save your various things in there just like you would direct to your C drive (which is another question but I won't ask)

Do not use disks ... totally redundant!!

It s something I have done for years rather than have files of paper and letters etc in filing cabinets . It stems from from my pub days when I often needed to refer back to letters/statements or invoices. Thanks for the advice I will start to use a memory stick for each year rather than CDs and DVDS. One last question without wishing to sound stupid can I scan a document and save it to a memory stick just by copying it rather than to a disc.

 

[thony]

Have you recently installed anything like Norton Utilities? That has a history of corrupting registry entries that cause CD drive problems.
I've had to edit a setting in my registry many years ago for that very reason.
I'm not convinced that this is your problem, but you could try the following:
Your CD drive or DVD drive is missing or is not recognized by Windows or other programs

...which has a "fix it for me..." to save you having to edit the registry.
I can't for the life of me find (or remember) the registry fix that I used.

As others have hinted, you may be better scanning to your hard drive, then copy everything to a USB Flash Drive, or SD card if your PC has a card-reader. This would be a lot faster than using discs, and will probable be more reliable.
If you do that, though, make sure you remember to "eject" the drive/card (or select the "safely remove hardware" from the systray) before removing it, or there's a risk of corrupting the whole drive. For important data, having backups of backups, or alternating between two memory devices, can be a good idea.

 

[Originunknown]

More to the point why do you even need to put them on removable media.

Just file them on your hard drive and then a copy on another hard drive or like others have said a memory stick as a backup.

 

[Rugrat]

It s something I have done for years rather than have files of paper and letters etc in filing cabinets . It stems from from my pub days when I often needed to refer back to letters/statements or invoices. Thanks for the advice I will start to use a memory stick for each year rather than CDs and DVDS. One last question without wishing to sound stupid can I scan a document and save it to a memory stick just by copying it rather than to a disc.

You don't need to have one stick per year ... one will do you for life! Just set up folder that says 2013 and then a load of folders then next year just do the same.

Yes you save it straight to the memory stick

 

[BensGrandad]

More to the point why do you even need to put them on removable media.

Just file them on your hard drive and then a copy on another hard drive or like others have said a memory stick as a backup.

I was putting them on floppy discs originally and then moved up to CDs and I haven't moved on since then as technology has passed me by but I am going out tomorrow to buy a couple of data sticks. Many thanks to all that have posted advice it is very much appreciated.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

I was putting them on floppy discs originally and then moved up to CDs and I haven't moved on since then as technology has passed me by but I am going out tomorrow to buy a couple of data sticks. Many thanks to all that have posted advice it is very much appreciated.

I've got a tonne of blank memory sticks (most with a lot of space - 1Gb to 4Gb) if you're interested, or you want some, BG...

 

[Windows]

It sounds like whatever software you were using to burn to these CD-Rs has got a bit corrupt, causing your issues.

USB memory sticks are so cheap, it makes sense for you to use them, plus, unlike CD-Rs, they should last forever.

Simply copy the files to the memory stick into a folder of your choice and remove the memory stick (don't make the mistake of always leaving it plugged in!)

 

[phoenix]

if you use a Memory stick, make sure you Eject it not pull it straight out!
Bottom right corner in windows --safely remove hardware-- eject--.

 

[BensGrandad]

Many thanks to all that have offered advice it is pleasing to know that some people are prepared to offer help to those who for whatever reason dont know. I shall now follow the memory stick route. I may be able to save some of the rumours site notes

 

[DanielT]

I haven't moved on since then as technology has passed me by but I am going out tomorrow to buy a couple of data sticks.

As you're trying to catch up with tech, here's some more advice.. No one "goes out to buy" anymore! Look on Amazon, they're much cheaper.

Also, try Dropbox. But one step at a time ;-)

 

[Westdene Wonder]

Quite happy with CD`s which can be lableded and filed,the thought of using a memory stick which some suggest can be used for years seems okay until you want to find a particular item.

 

[SeagullSongs]

if you use a Memory stick, make sure you Eject it not pull it straight out!
Bottom right corner in windows --safely remove hardware-- eject--.

Does absolutely nothing.

As long as you don't pull it out while files are still transferring (I always give it an extra 5 seconds just to be safe) then you won't have any trouble with files corrupting.

 

[Acker79]

http://forums.v3.co.uk/showthread.php?t=92838
Why does my blank CD shows free space 0 bytes ? - Yahoo! Answers India
cdrw and dvd rom show recorded disks as blank cd's

 

[Husty]

Why bother saving them to CDs or USB drives at all? Save them to your hard drive and back them all up using something like Dropbox or google drive. And for ****s sake stop using Windows XP...

 

[BensGrandad]

Why bother saving them to CDs or USB drives at all? Save them to your hard drive and back them all up using something like Dropbox or google drive. And for ****s sake stop using Windows XP...

I will when I buy a new PC. Sons brother in law is in the game and has said he can make me a pc for about £80 -£100 complete but I am not sure what will happen first: him do it, England win the World Cup or BHA win the Champions League

 

[happypig]

I would definitely use dropbox for it. It's available anywhere, syncs across different computers and smartphones (meaning you've got the info everywhere) and is simply a folder on your PC.
It's also free.
Use a referral to sign up, because you get more space that way (and so do I if you use this link) :
Dropbox - You're invited to join Dropbox!

 

[BensGrandad]

What exactly is dropbox and what does it do I could no make head nor tail or find answers to those 2 questions from their website. It sounds very technical for somebody like me and I wonder what I would use it for, unless of course I know what it does.

 

[DanielT]

What exactly is dropbox and what does it do I could no make head nor tail or find answers to those 2 questions from their website. It sounds very technical for somebody like me and I wonder what I would use it for, unless of course I know what it does.

Once you install it, it's just a folder on your desktop.

Put all your photos/files/things-you-dare-not-lose in there. The folder saves to dropbox servers (just think of it as a copy of your hard drive in someone else's house) meaning your files are safe.

It's totally automatic, so there's nothing technical you need to know.

You can get previous versions of docs, recover things if you delete them accidentally, access them from other computers or your smartphone

You get 2.5 GB for free. I pay $10 per month for 100gb. All my kids photos are safely backed up. New photos i take on my phone automatically get sent to dropbox and then they sync onto my desktop PC.

 

[BensGrandad]

I think I will take one step at a time and am just waiting to hear where to pick up some sticks from an NSC member. Once that is mastered perhaps dropbox is for the future

 

[4-p]

The reason why CDR can often not work is cos they are gell.
Subsequently gravity will eventually ruin them even more so if u do not store them flat.
I lost the last 3 tracks from 5 CDs when I put 100 CD albums to mp3 in 2001. Mostly lost tracks by bluetones, jimi Hendrix and oasis.


Flash memory is the way forward, solid state, no moving parts and no power neccesary.
Get a stick or SD card or external solid state HD.

U can have a folder per month in a folder per year.

Then every quarter/6months/year back them up to a proper hard drive

An external solid state hard drive: 1 Terra byte (just over 1,000gb (GB = just over 1000mb)) is about £60.
U can put everything on it.

Also consider online storage from Box.com & dropbox.com as well as note and doc storage Google-drive and evernote.