CD-RW or CD-R help

I have access to using CD-RW or a CD-R burner only. I know that the CD-RW can read my CD's created on my desktop computer cuz I have tried it. But will the CD created on the laptop CD-RW be read on any other computer or does it have to be read on a computer with a CD-RW? Do I have to buy different CD's depending on which burner I am using?
I am questioning this as I have plenty of blank CD-R disks and am not interested in whether I can erase info. All I am interested in is whether I can burn to a disk and be able to read it whatever computer I am using.
Thanks.

 

CD-R's can be read on any computer, CD-RW's can be read on other computers that use the same burning software, at least most of the time. Sometimes it depends on the brand of CD-RW you use, all you can do is try...

 

So are you saying I need to buy CD-RW to use on the laptop that uses the CD-RW means to burn? What I use to burn a CD is two different software, one on the desktop and the other on the laptop.

 

All I'm saying is that you have a better chance of reading the CD-RW if you use the same software on both but there is no guarantee. I use the same software at work as at home (Roxio EZ CD Creator) and some CD-RW's can be read on both machines and some can't.

I never bothered to research why it works that way, CD-R's are so inexpensive that's all I use anymore. One thing I did come across is that different brands of disks behave differently in different drives. I uses 2 different computers with 2 different brands of CD-R/RW drives and I can use Maxell CD's in either but I can only use the Office Depot brand in one of the machines but not the other.

So there is no yes or no answer to your questions. The only way to know for sure is to try....

 

Thanks much for your help. I will give it a try and see how things work.
Claire

 

Hello,

KevinSaul, I guess you make a confusion; CD-RW are rewritable CD , so you can
erase them and burn them a great deal of times. When comes to read a CD-R or
a CD-RW, the CD-ROM/CD-R/CD-RW drive ...all they have to do it's to read and this is not related in any way with the software used to burn a CD-R/CD-RW.
I'm using CD-RW to try different things and mainly to transfer data from my PC to any other PC, which can have/not a CD-R/CD-RW .

regards,

Stefan

 

I understand the difference. However in my experience the software used to burn a CD-RW makes a great deal of difference when it comes to reading the disk.

As I stated earlier a CD-R can be read on any computer, CD-RW's are a whole different ballgame. The OS also makes a difference. I admit I haven't tried to read a CD-RW in any OS but WIN98SE and it may very well be possible to read them in WINXP.

 

Hi Kevin,

You may laugh, but I've installed Win98SE on my "big" PC (P4/2.4GHz - where
I have also XP Pro, which sometimes makes me very nervous when it must recognize a CD-R/RW) just to make sure I can read easily any CD-R/CD-RW; on my old mule (P2/500MHz) I have no problems...the same with other machines using Win98/98SE.
In fact theese things are sometimes "moving in very misterious ways"

regards,

Stefan

 

I have to agree with best5's comments. It is not necessary to have the same Burning software on both machines for the disks to be read. Indeed your second machine may not have the same or any burning software at all and the CD should be read.

The only time you have problems is when the other machines CD-Rom drives are old and their firmware has not or cannot be update.

 

That may well have been the problem, also the brand of the CD-RW comes into play as well. It's been son long since I have tried it and have upgraded my home compter since then. Maybe I'll try it again....

 

I make RW discs and download to other systems all the time - most of which have no burners. The issue is the format that is used to create the RW discs and unless an off the wall format/obscure burner software is used or as Mahmud pointed out: The only time you have problems is when the other machines CD-Rom drives are old and their firmware has not or cannot be update, there should be no problems.

Regards - Charles