closed/open sessions with nero?

[bhome83]

after having my computer crash almost twice this past week ive finally decided its time to backup my stuff. Before, I used to wait until i had 700mb so i could fill up a blank cd w/o leaving empty space on it. but now i would like to know how i can burn a few files every now and then, until my cdr is full (700mb). for instance i have about 300mb i want to burn on a blank cdr but i want to burn all of this now (before my computer crashes and then burn another 400mb data later. how do i do this with nero burning software? I heard it has something to do with open and closed sessions and something about multisessions, but i would like someone to explain how. thanks alot for any help.

[glc]

If you use Nero 5.5.9.9 or later, use the "Express" interface, burn a data CD, and it will ask you in plain English whether you want to be able to add files later (multisession disk), it has a checkbox for that. When you are done with all your sessions, then you just uncheck that when you are burning the last session and the CD will be fully closed. You can upgrade free to 5.5.9.17 if you have any 5.5.x.x version. The multisession CD can be read in any multiread capable CD drive or in your burner.

[bhome83]

ok i have version 5.5.9.17 of nero. I chose "CD-ROM (ISO) from the left menu bar. this is the one for data cd right? after that I went to the tab "multisession" and it gives me the option of "start multisession disc" and "no multisession." So I choose "multisession" right? After that in the "burn" tab it gives me option of "finalize cd" so i assume i don't check this right? Do i have to check this though once my cd is filled up? what happens if i don't check it? also, I noticed that by default nero has my multisession set at "start multisession disc" so all along when i have been burning cds i have been burning with multisession. so when would i ever use the option " no multisession."? Thanks alot for the help.

[glc]

Why aren't you using Nero Express? It's even easier than that.

If you are using the standard interface, you are doing it right. You *should* finalize the disk when you are adding the last session. You would use no multisession when you are doing a straight one-time burn of a CD that you need to be able to read in ANY cd drive, not just a multiread drive.

[bhome83]

what is nero express? I just use the wizard that shows up when you open the program. I used multisession everytime though because i didn't know this before. i have burned a lot of one time data cds with multisession and they work fine. so does it really make a difference that i choose no multisession or multisession when im doing a one time burn? also, what is the difference between closing a cd and multisession? they both seem like they give you the ability to add more.

[bhome83]

alright i like the express version of nero. have a question though. i went to burn a data cd after the first one worked fine. but when i went to burn it i got this message (see attachment). i have tried to search for these files but can't find them. anyone know what this means and how to correct it? thanks.

[glc]

Closing (finalizing) a CD makes it so no further info may be burned on it. If a multisession CD is closed, it's done. If it's not closed, more sessions may be added if there's space. Older CD drives cannot read multisession disks, that's why I said this:

You would use no multisession when you are doing a straight one-time burn of a CD that you need to be able to read in ANY cd drive, not just a multiread drive.

On that error message - the "Joliet" file system (which is what you are burning with) is limited to 64 characters in the path, unlike Windows which allows up to 255. Therefore, when it's setting up the files to burn, it truncates after 64 characters - and if your file names are that long with the only difference being at the very end of the file names, it *thinks* you have duplicate file names which is not permitted. The "__" in the error message indicates a bunch of characters. Possible solutions are to shorten your file names or change a character near the beginning of files that will have a duplication (where the first 64 characters are the same).