CD does not open on PC

[avril2108]

Hi!
I recorded some documents on a CD with the Disk Utility app (I used my MacBook 10.4), now the person who has received it cannot open them because they use a PC (Windows XP) and they live half way across the world. Anyone know how to solve the problem? Thanks for any help you could offer.

AvrilB

[Kees Buijs]

Originally Posted by avril2108

Hi!
I recorded some documents on a CD with the Disk Utility app (I used my MacBook 10.4), now the person who has received it cannot open them because they use a PC (Windows XP) and they live half way across the world. Anyone know how to solve the problem? Thanks for any help you could offer.

AvrilB

Can they open the CD ? Can they open the files ?

In both cases, find someone with a mac and have it converted to a format the PC understand.

The cd may be in a format the PC can not understand (or be damaged).

The files may be made by a program which is not installed on the computer. So which kind of documents did you write (word, excel, appleworks, works etc.). Sometimes even if you write it with a newer version of the application, the older version can not open / read it.


Good luck, Kees

[avril2108]

Thanks, Kees! I was afraid that that was the only solution and hoped there was another one. The person I sent it to cannot open the CD at all. Most annoying!

Cheers!

Avril

[MisterMe]

Originally Posted by avril2108

Hi!
I recorded some documents on a CD with the Disk Utility app ...

I'm guessing that you recorded nothing at all. The easiest way to record a data CD should as the type you want is to use the Finder:

1. Insert the blank CD. An icon will appear on your Desktop.
2. Drag and drop the files and folders that you want to record to the CD icon.
3. Rename the CD if you want.
4. When you have everything that you want, drag the CD's icon toward the Trash. The Trash can will change to a burn icon.
5. When the burn is done, remove the CD.

The CD will be usable on virtually every other computer in the World.

[avril2108]

Hi, MisterMe -

I checked the CD on my Mac after burning it (with the Disk Utility, by the way) and the files are there all right. The message they get says Windows cannot read it (thank you, Mr. Gates!). So I'm wondering why a PC does not read a CD burnt on a Mac. Does the problem stem from the Mac or that particular PC ...? Mystère...

Thanks anyway.

Cheers!

Avril

[MisterMe]

Originally Posted by avril2108

...

I checked the CD on my Mac after burning it (with the Disk Utility, by the way) and the files are there all right. ...

It is not at all clear what you checked. I know that CDs burned with the Finder work on PCs without special precautions. They "just work." If you believe that you burned the CD properly, then eject it from your Mac and then reinsert the CD before you check it.

[avril2108]

Hi, MisterMe!

Like I said, the CD was sent to someone half way across the world. I'm going to repeat the operation and try it on my PC (which I should have done before sending it) and see whether the problem repeats itself. Will let you know.

Thanks for taking the time to reply. 'Bye.

Avril

[nixgeek]

For the record, I've burned CDs on my iMac G5 and used them on my PC workstations at work just fine. Finder burns the discs using either Joliet or ISO9660 formats, something that's recognized by all computer systems to my knowledge. The problem might be either in how you burned this particular CD, or whether the receiver is having other issues that are preventing him/her from mounting the disc properly. It could also be something that happened to it in transit.