New Dell computer, two drives (ssd & hdd) dual boot Linux Mint & Windows 10
I can't see the internal CD/DVD drive in the file manger anywhere - it isn't listed under devices etc. To open the drive to put the disk in I needed to do it manually.
The disk contains several folders containing Word & Excel files -it is rewritable but should be set up not be able to rewrite the folders -just view them and add to them. These are the accounts of a very small charity and the reason I specifically got a new computer with a CD drive. (I volunteer as the treasurer of 3 similar charities so I do similar cds for all of them - the last one I did I booted into Windows to add this years accounts but I would like to be able to do it in Linux )
Have installed K3B, I can hear the cd spin, use it to open the drive (eject) can view the disk info
But I can't view the contents and am not sure if it is safe to add a new folder....I don't want to overwrite/reformat it by accident (it isn't the only copies I have but they are the only ones that definitetly haven't been altered) - when I try and click on 'Load' in K3b it ejects.
Any advice/help?
Using Cd/DVD drive
Forum rules
There are no such things as "stupid" questions. However if you think your question is a bit stupid, then this is the right place for you to post it. Stick to easy to-the-point questions that you feel people can answer fast. For long and complicated questions use the other forums in the support section.
Before you post read how to get help. Topics in this forum are automatically closed 6 months after creation.
There are no such things as "stupid" questions. However if you think your question is a bit stupid, then this is the right place for you to post it. Stick to easy to-the-point questions that you feel people can answer fast. For long and complicated questions use the other forums in the support section.
Before you post read how to get help. Topics in this forum are automatically closed 6 months after creation.
Using Cd/DVD drive
- Attachments
-
Last edited by LockBot on Wed Dec 28, 2022 7:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Topic automatically closed 6 months after creation. New replies are no longer allowed.
Reason: Topic automatically closed 6 months after creation. New replies are no longer allowed.
Re: Using Cd/DVD drive
It's (at least In Nemo, the Cinnamon file manager) normal that you don't see an empty CD-ROM drive in the sidebar, and I expect that you don't see it with a disc due to the multi-session thing; it's been ages since I ever saw one and I wouldn't know how e.g. Nemo deals with them.
Does it work to mount manually using e.g.
If that's all fine it's going to be a matter of finding out how to coach e.g. Nemo into mounting a session from a multi-session CD...
[EDIT] In fact,
Does it work to mount manually using e.g.
sudo mount -t iso9660 -o ro,session=1 /dev/cdrom /mnt from a terminal? If that doesn't complain the first session should be available from /mnt in the filesystem. You can unmount again with sudo umount /mnt, and would of course use e.g. session=2 instead for the second session (of which you have 5 on the disc).If that's all fine it's going to be a matter of finding out how to coach e.g. Nemo into mounting a session from a multi-session CD...
[EDIT] In fact,
session=0 for first, session=1 for second and so on.
Last edited by rene on Sat Oct 16, 2021 4:38 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Using Cd/DVD drive
Hi I tried that and got
Do you think it might be some driver issue or do I need some other software?
thanks
mount: /mnt: wrong fs type, bad option, bad superblock on /dev/sr0, missing codepage or helper program, or other error. Do you think it might be some driver issue or do I need some other software?
thanks
Re: Using Cd/DVD drive
No, it wouldn't be a driver or software issue. I unfortunately just turned in for the night while I would have to burn a multisession CD to see what's up specifically so can't for now comment in detail --- but if things work fine with a normal, preferably factory-pressed CD-ROM then it'll at least specifically be multisession indeed. Other than that test suggestion signing off for the day though.
Re: Using Cd/DVD drive
Ok - thanks for your help so far -I'll try and find a factory pressed cdrom - or a new blank one....haven't got many CD roms - I could try a DVD I guess - a movie or something...see what happens.
I'm not in a big hurry -if I needed it urgently I'd log into Windows (which is what I did for the last one -I had the exact same problem) but my aim is to get rid of Windows altogether.
After reading around I tried this -
$ sudo mount /dev/sr0
mount: /dev/sr0: can't find in /etc/fstab.
and mount /dev/cdrom and got the same error - I don't know if that helps or not!
Thanks again
I'm not in a big hurry -if I needed it urgently I'd log into Windows (which is what I did for the last one -I had the exact same problem) but my aim is to get rid of Windows altogether.
After reading around I tried this -
$ sudo mount /dev/sr0
mount: /dev/sr0: can't find in /etc/fstab.
and mount /dev/cdrom and got the same error - I don't know if that helps or not!
Thanks again
Re: Using Cd/DVD drive
Just burned a multi-session CD-RW with k3b and it all Just Works. That is...
First session I created in k3b with "start multi-session" selected on the Misc tab in the eventual burn dialogue. Four additional session were all burnt with "continue multi-session" selected there (and at no point did I use "finish multi-session"). Session n+1 in k3b automatically imports session n, seemingly without possibility even to not do so. Nemo automounts the last session which, then, consists of the merged content of all sessions.
Note; "imports" in the directory sense; session n+1 does not duplicate file data from session n but just a files' directory entry; the new session refers to the previous session's files at their existing on-disk location. In the case of a naming-conflict a previous session's file named <filename> is hidden from view in lieu of the current session's file <filename> but still exists in the previous session; above manual mount command with
Anyways. The above in the sense of me playing around with stuff trying to get something unexpected, but I haven't managed to. The desktop automounter automounts the last session of a k3b-burned multi-session CD-RW and I could see no issue anywhere. If the "new Dell computer" is post "the last one you did" in Windows I would expect a simple incompatibility between the old and possibly deteriorated CD-R and the new drive. If not --- no idea. Just Works here so no inroads to debugging anything.
First session I created in k3b with "start multi-session" selected on the Misc tab in the eventual burn dialogue. Four additional session were all burnt with "continue multi-session" selected there (and at no point did I use "finish multi-session"). Session n+1 in k3b automatically imports session n, seemingly without possibility even to not do so. Nemo automounts the last session which, then, consists of the merged content of all sessions.
Note; "imports" in the directory sense; session n+1 does not duplicate file data from session n but just a files' directory entry; the new session refers to the previous session's files at their existing on-disk location. In the case of a naming-conflict a previous session's file named <filename> is hidden from view in lieu of the current session's file <filename> but still exists in the previous session; above manual mount command with
session=0 to session=<n-1> for the first up to the n-th session works to look at the individual sessions --- but a note for anyone feeling inspired to play with / check stuff: make sure to between mounts of different sessions fully unmount any sessions and including a possibly auto-mounted last session lest you'd see caching issues; that momentarily confused me...Anyways. The above in the sense of me playing around with stuff trying to get something unexpected, but I haven't managed to. The desktop automounter automounts the last session of a k3b-burned multi-session CD-RW and I could see no issue anywhere. If the "new Dell computer" is post "the last one you did" in Windows I would expect a simple incompatibility between the old and possibly deteriorated CD-R and the new drive. If not --- no idea. Just Works here so no inroads to debugging anything.
Re: Using Cd/DVD drive
Should we go into why it is a bad idea to use an open CD-RW for storage? I haven't done it for a decade at least - maybe 2 decades, and I have only done it in windows. It was a bad idea back then. Maybe something has changed?
Re: Using Cd/DVD drive
Now that you mention it, we probably should.
Although I was/am under the impression that these days even "open" versus "closed" is more or less standardised at least in practice, certainly originally the entire idea of needing to close a CD-R was that the next burner and certainly most commercial CD-ROM reading apparatus would not be able to otherwise read them. If I'm mistaken about that supposed current de-facto standard state then, yes, it could certainly be a simple matter of his new drive not being able to read an open CD burned by an old one ...
... although his message more or less reads as that just using Windows, i.e., supposedly not a different drive but Windows on the same system, works. But "more or less" indeed; I was as mentioned above also not certain of that interpretation on reread.
I assume this drive-compatibility sense is the sense in which you also wanted to comment? It's otherwise and as far as I know not a physical matter but "closed" just meaning a standards-compliant TOC having been written; the open/closed issue as such seemingly having no component specific to "storage".
Although I was/am under the impression that these days even "open" versus "closed" is more or less standardised at least in practice, certainly originally the entire idea of needing to close a CD-R was that the next burner and certainly most commercial CD-ROM reading apparatus would not be able to otherwise read them. If I'm mistaken about that supposed current de-facto standard state then, yes, it could certainly be a simple matter of his new drive not being able to read an open CD burned by an old one ...
... although his message more or less reads as that just using Windows, i.e., supposedly not a different drive but Windows on the same system, works. But "more or less" indeed; I was as mentioned above also not certain of that interpretation on reread.
I assume this drive-compatibility sense is the sense in which you also wanted to comment? It's otherwise and as far as I know not a physical matter but "closed" just meaning a standards-compliant TOC having been written; the open/closed issue as such seemingly having no component specific to "storage".
Re: Using Cd/DVD drive
Correct. An open CD-RW can often not be read by another CD-Rom device. Something happens to your CD-Rom (which has happened to me at least 3 times), you get another device to replace it, and then you may not be able to read it either. Even a USB thumb drive is much more reliable than that, and it isn't very reliable either.I assume this drive-compatibility sense is the sense in which you also wanted to comment?
Re: Using Cd/DVD drive
Well, yes, agreed in that sense --- and even if we were to assume the mentioned de facto standard a USB-stick is a lot more convenient these days at least. Sort of curious what the issue is/was technically though.
Re: Using Cd/DVD drive
Sorry only just got round to looking at this again.
After reading the replies I booted into Windows and managed to copy the folder to the CD - no problem. So the CD itself is still going strong.
Only problem I did have is although my data drive (in Windows) is visible and can be mounted in Linux Mint it wouldn't let me copy the files to it - it said it was read only. (I transferred the files using a usb) Last time I am pretty sure I managed to copy the files to the data drive before booting into Windows to copy to the CD drive. Since then I installed Wine - wondering if that had anything to do with the data drive now being read only...
As to why a CD I have been doing these charity accounts for years - with the same CD. (From 2008 for one of them) First time I used them was on my old Dell (from 2002) running Windows XP, then a Samsung Windows 7, updated to Windows 10.
So when I first started doing this Flash drives were expensive - I have one that has things like the letter paper/minutes on for one charity - it is 256mb and I remember it being 'expensive' ! And I do have many copies of all the files - on an external hard drive, flash drives etc - the CD is good that it sits neatly in a ring binder with the paper copies of things like bank statements and receipts.
Anyway what I will do - probably tomorrow now - is get my samsung computer out - which is also set up to dual boot mint/windows 10 and see if I can use the cd drive in mint on there. (The reason I got a new computer was using Windows on that computer - Linux made it like a new computer)
At least that should narrow it down to it being my current set up or another issue.
Thanks again for the help.
After reading the replies I booted into Windows and managed to copy the folder to the CD - no problem. So the CD itself is still going strong.
Only problem I did have is although my data drive (in Windows) is visible and can be mounted in Linux Mint it wouldn't let me copy the files to it - it said it was read only. (I transferred the files using a usb) Last time I am pretty sure I managed to copy the files to the data drive before booting into Windows to copy to the CD drive. Since then I installed Wine - wondering if that had anything to do with the data drive now being read only...
As to why a CD I have been doing these charity accounts for years - with the same CD. (From 2008 for one of them) First time I used them was on my old Dell (from 2002) running Windows XP, then a Samsung Windows 7, updated to Windows 10.
So when I first started doing this Flash drives were expensive - I have one that has things like the letter paper/minutes on for one charity - it is 256mb and I remember it being 'expensive' ! And I do have many copies of all the files - on an external hard drive, flash drives etc - the CD is good that it sits neatly in a ring binder with the paper copies of things like bank statements and receipts.
Anyway what I will do - probably tomorrow now - is get my samsung computer out - which is also set up to dual boot mint/windows 10 and see if I can use the cd drive in mint on there. (The reason I got a new computer was using Windows on that computer - Linux made it like a new computer)
At least that should narrow it down to it being my current set up or another issue.
Thanks again for the help.
Re: Using Cd/DVD drive
Hope I'm parsing that right, but if you are saying that you could not copy to "the data drive" while in Linux then it was a likely result of said drive being formatted NTFS and you not having configured Windows to not "Fast Startup".
Windows' Fast Startup, not to be confused with BIOS-sides Fast Boot or alike settings, is a form of hibernation where rather than shut down normally Windows in fact only logs you out and stops some non-essential things before it hibernates, i.e., saves the state of the system to disk and powers off. When starting up again this means it doesn't have to re-initialize all from the start; can just load the previous state from the hibernation file in one fell swoop. One thing it does not do before it powers off is "unmount" file systems which is to say they are kept in potentially inconsistent state on-disk, with some information as to their state only in the hibernation file. The in Linux used NTFS-3G driver notices this when it starts and, it not having access to that Windows' hibernation file's details, refuses to mount the NTFS filesystem read/write so as to not even potentially damage your data on said filesystem.
Refuses to without you without you explicitly telling it to go ahead that is, and as far as I'm aware that would in fact be perfectly safe to do in practice, but the correct method is to if you have a with another OS shared NTFS partitions tell Windows to not use Fast Startup but to really shut down. The easiest way to do so is to disable its support for any and all form of hibernation by from an admin-level CMD-prompt in Windows executing
If you want/need to be more selective as to specifically Fast Startup you'd go through its "Power Options", "Choose what the power buttons do" and under "Shutdown settings" deselect Fast Startup; https://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch001762.htm (but note that former method also gains you extra RAM-size of space on your Windows C: drive due to it then entirely deleting the hibernation file).
Oh well. Assuming this was the issue you were talking about it's in any case nothing to do with the CD one. I did not as said manage to reproduce an issue there with a k3b-created multisession CD-RW.
Windows' Fast Startup, not to be confused with BIOS-sides Fast Boot or alike settings, is a form of hibernation where rather than shut down normally Windows in fact only logs you out and stops some non-essential things before it hibernates, i.e., saves the state of the system to disk and powers off. When starting up again this means it doesn't have to re-initialize all from the start; can just load the previous state from the hibernation file in one fell swoop. One thing it does not do before it powers off is "unmount" file systems which is to say they are kept in potentially inconsistent state on-disk, with some information as to their state only in the hibernation file. The in Linux used NTFS-3G driver notices this when it starts and, it not having access to that Windows' hibernation file's details, refuses to mount the NTFS filesystem read/write so as to not even potentially damage your data on said filesystem.
Refuses to without you without you explicitly telling it to go ahead that is, and as far as I'm aware that would in fact be perfectly safe to do in practice, but the correct method is to if you have a with another OS shared NTFS partitions tell Windows to not use Fast Startup but to really shut down. The easiest way to do so is to disable its support for any and all form of hibernation by from an admin-level CMD-prompt in Windows executing
Code: Select all
powercfg -h off
Oh well. Assuming this was the issue you were talking about it's in any case nothing to do with the CD one. I did not as said manage to reproduce an issue there with a k3b-created multisession CD-RW.
Re: Using Cd/DVD drive
I can now copy to the data drive again - I did log in and out of Windows (to check the cd drive) -so might be something to do with that...although I should have been logged out of windows properly before....
Actually It might also be something to with Dell - I'm not overly impressed with them - part of the reason I want to get rid of windows is a lack of control over my computer but have discovered Dell is now just as bad...
Every time I logged into Windows I got a Dell pop up saying it was trying to repair/restore the boot ....which I had changed to allow dual booting. As soon as it appeared I told it to stop, I tried various ways of making it stop altogether - which it ignored - seems I have eventually managed it. Before every time I tried to boot back to Linux I had to reload my custom boot settings...
And there are a couple of default settings in the boot menu I have discovered and changed but don't think they should have 'on' in the first place...
First my computer can connect to WiFi from the boot menu...to allow cloud repair if unable to boot. I have a boot backup -that should be enough surely! I want to be able to control when/if my computer is connected to WiFi not have a 'hidden' connection.
Also there is a tracker - something called Absolute - from a different company. The computer connecst periodically to this company to tell them where it is located - in case it gets lost or stolen. There is a data protection message saying by having this activated you agree to share your location data with this company...as I said it is 'hidden' in the boot menu and activated by default... I'd rather take my chances and have to replace my computer than be tracked without my consent...
Sorry rant over...going to try and power up my samsung to look at the Cd driver...
Actually It might also be something to with Dell - I'm not overly impressed with them - part of the reason I want to get rid of windows is a lack of control over my computer but have discovered Dell is now just as bad...
Every time I logged into Windows I got a Dell pop up saying it was trying to repair/restore the boot ....which I had changed to allow dual booting. As soon as it appeared I told it to stop, I tried various ways of making it stop altogether - which it ignored - seems I have eventually managed it. Before every time I tried to boot back to Linux I had to reload my custom boot settings...
And there are a couple of default settings in the boot menu I have discovered and changed but don't think they should have 'on' in the first place...
First my computer can connect to WiFi from the boot menu...to allow cloud repair if unable to boot. I have a boot backup -that should be enough surely! I want to be able to control when/if my computer is connected to WiFi not have a 'hidden' connection.
Also there is a tracker - something called Absolute - from a different company. The computer connecst periodically to this company to tell them where it is located - in case it gets lost or stolen. There is a data protection message saying by having this activated you agree to share your location data with this company...as I said it is 'hidden' in the boot menu and activated by default... I'd rather take my chances and have to replace my computer than be tracked without my consent...
Sorry rant over...going to try and power up my samsung to look at the Cd driver...
Re: Using Cd/DVD drive
An update -
Couldn't get that cd to work in Mint - even on my other computer.
Could make a new cd in Mint, copied some files over -but....in Windows it read it as a blank cd and tried to format it then gave up/said it couldn't.
(I looked at the formatting options - it gives two options - one were it can't be modified and one were it works like a flash drive - which can be modified by windows xp and later... I suspect that was part of the issue with my original cd I used the second formatting )
Tried to open new cd in Mint again - it is now (apparently) a blank cd. I can copy to it in Mint.
So although I could make new cds in Mint it seems like it wouldn't be recognised in Windows (I guess I could make it if I played with settings/used K3b) - I am pretty sure the people who need to look at it use windows so for now I'll have to keep logging into windows to do this. I only need to do this 4 times a year so not the end of the world...just means I can't quite give up Windows just yet
Couldn't get that cd to work in Mint - even on my other computer.
Could make a new cd in Mint, copied some files over -but....in Windows it read it as a blank cd and tried to format it then gave up/said it couldn't.
(I looked at the formatting options - it gives two options - one were it can't be modified and one were it works like a flash drive - which can be modified by windows xp and later... I suspect that was part of the issue with my original cd I used the second formatting )
Tried to open new cd in Mint again - it is now (apparently) a blank cd. I can copy to it in Mint.
So although I could make new cds in Mint it seems like it wouldn't be recognised in Windows (I guess I could make it if I played with settings/used K3b) - I am pretty sure the people who need to look at it use windows so for now I'll have to keep logging into windows to do this. I only need to do this 4 times a year so not the end of the world...just means I can't quite give up Windows just yet
Re: Using Cd/DVD drive
That "like a flash drive" probably says you're talking about Windows' packet writing which is as far as I know indeed an issue as to compatibility with Linux. Conversely, a "standard" multi-session CD/DVD as created by k3b in my above detailed manner should as far as I'm aware be compatible with either system (but I'll refrain from testing; Windows may hold up its own pants...)