I just installed InCD and started formatting a CD-RW. Well it took about 40 mins for the bar to completely go across and now it is into it's second time across stating it's doing the 'Logically formating' and it's only about 1/3 of the way and 16 mins. Is is suppost to take 1 1/2 hrs to format?
How long should it take to format a CD-RW?
- Thread starter Debbie25
- Start date
In DirectCD (the partner to Easy Cd Creator / WinOnCD), I always found that it basically took a time equal to a write plus a read (which is often a bit slower than max on CD-RW).
With bad media (or a media/drive mismatch), the verify cycle would take ages or hang.
This was for ordinary UDF.
If this is "Mount Rainier", the more complex (but better) format may take longer - don't know, as I haven't got a drive that can do it!
PS. If the initial write cycle took 40 minutes, that would suggest a 2x CD-RW media .... and that is not just a certified speed rating as for CD-R, it is enforced by the drive.
Older drives can ONLY use low speed (2x / unmarked / 1-4x) media.
Drives which are highspeed (HS) capable can use 4x-10x / 4x-12x high speed media - and may also handle low speed media, sometimes better, sometimes worse than high speed.
ULTRA capable drives can use 16x-24x ULTRA CD-RW media, and are normally ok with high speed as well, but may be sub-optimum or even incapable of handling low speed media.
With bad media (or a media/drive mismatch), the verify cycle would take ages or hang.
This was for ordinary UDF.
If this is "Mount Rainier", the more complex (but better) format may take longer - don't know, as I haven't got a drive that can do it!
PS. If the initial write cycle took 40 minutes, that would suggest a 2x CD-RW media .... and that is not just a certified speed rating as for CD-R, it is enforced by the drive.
Older drives can ONLY use low speed (2x / unmarked / 1-4x) media.
Drives which are highspeed (HS) capable can use 4x-10x / 4x-12x high speed media - and may also handle low speed media, sometimes better, sometimes worse than high speed.
ULTRA capable drives can use 16x-24x ULTRA CD-RW media, and are normally ok with high speed as well, but may be sub-optimum or even incapable of handling low speed media.
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For updateable storage, it's actually getting hard to beat the USB Pendrive format these days - sure, expensive compared to media for most drives, but tolerable in 128Mb and getting towards 256Mb sizes - Plug&Play in WinXP, drivers requred for Win98/SE (not sure if also required for WinME or 2000).
Optical (magneto-optical) is FAR more stable than CD-RW under repeat use.
The JAZ is also a nice solution, though the price of the media would favour archiving it to CD-R (NOT RW!) when it gets to a reasonable capacity
Optical (magneto-optical) is FAR more stable than CD-RW under repeat use.
The JAZ is also a nice solution, though the price of the media would favour archiving it to CD-R (NOT RW!) when it gets to a reasonable capacity