Can not read windows CD

S

sisibeans

Registered
I have a Canon scanner (CD-4050). This machine scans and automatically saves the scans as tiff or pdf to a built-in cd burner.
I believe the built-in operating system in the scanner is windows 95 or 98.
The cds can be read when I put them on a computer with windows xp, however, the cds are un-recognized when I try to view them on an emac with OS 10.3
I would be most grateful for any suggestions as to how I can view the contents of the CD in a Mac.

Kind regards,
sisibeans
 
One solution is to get a copy of VPC and view them under Windows...unfortunately Cannon choose to make this product a Wincentric one. If you look in their spec sheets for that model (http://www.canon.com.my/office/dms/cd4050.htm), you'll see all kinds of hints towards that...including this: "The only software required for viewing documents is Imaging for Windows." It does show that they use MMR compression (Modified Modified Read) on the images created by the scans, which is usually used for faxes.

I would venture to guess that it's not creating properly formatted CDs since they claim to use Direct CD to create them. Chances are they're in UDF format. Roxio still has a page with their UDF reader on their site (http://www.roxio.com/en/support/dcdmac/dcdmacupdates.html) but it looks to be a pre-OS X program and the link is dead. BTW, Roxio has their own proprietary version of UDF which isn't currently readable by OS X. OS X can read pre-1.5 version which aren't created by Direct CD. Maybe you might be able to use Toast to open it, then reburn in a correct format (like ISO 9660)?

Otherwise, take them back to the XP computer and re-burn them on new CDs in ISO-9660 or Joliet format.

http://www.macintouch.com/panreader28.html (search for 'UDF', 1st result)
http://biology.fullerton.edu/techtips/reading_problematic_cd-rom.html
 
Just had a thought. Will a disc utility program like Norton or Tech Tools let me view the files on the CD?
If so, I could just drag them to the desktop.

Thanks.
 
From Canon

CD-Recordable, simply remarkable.
Documents scanned with the CD-4050 are converted into multipage TIFF image files for recording to CD-Rs - a standard, low-cost, reliable archiving medium. A windows 95/98- and Windows NT-based filing structure means CD images may be retrieved and viewed on the CD-ROM drive of virtually any PC, using Imaging for Windows software. A powerful, intuitive storage facility, the CD-4050 organizes documents into Cabinets and Folders, allowing each document to three user-defined data field.

OPERATING SYSTEM COMPATIBILITY Images scanned to CD-R disk can be retrieved under Windows®95(OSR2)/ Windows®98/Windows® NT

Doesn't work on a Mac.
 
sisibeans said:
Got the scanner thinking it would make my life simpler!!!
Click to expand...

Heard that quote many times about Computers, cell phones, cameras, etc.. You think they would, but in the long run they don't.

Try searching for that UDF 'reader' for OS X. I'm sure there's bound to be something out there. Might also try some *nix places...might be able to grab something made for Linux/Unix which could be ported to work.
 
Tried ReadDVD. No dice. The disc is not mounted whether sessions are closed or not closed.
I think the only solution will be to take the cd, put it on a windows XP machine and burn a new CD.
Kind of sucks but I don't see any other alternative.
Thanks for all the input
 
A UDF reader won't help, the UDF format only works on CDRWs I'm pretty sure. But hey, if I'm wrong I'm wrong.

My shot in the dark:
Microsoft does have their own extension to the JOLIET ISO9660 whatever it is, format for CD-ROMs (CD recordables inclusive). If you've ever compiled a Linux kernel manually and took a peek at the available file system support, they have an option to support said Microsoft CD-ROM format. Perhaps MacOSX doesn't have support for that extraneous CD-ROM filesystem.
 
UDF works on CD-Rs, CD-RWs, DVDs, etc. It's possibly the replacement for ISO9660 format in the future.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Disk_Format

Apple needs to get off their behinds and figure out a solution to this issue. Roxio hasn't updated their reader for OS X probably due to the disc burning support in the finder, which renders a DirectCD for OS X a useless app to design/build, which also makes it less than desirable to create a reader for OS X.

But...that might not be the #1 issue here because after looking around a bit more, I've found a few docs that say this device uses "Direct CD, ISO 9660, level 3 format" for it's CDs.
 
Sorry for the delay, but I was struck by a car while on one of my nightly walks with my dog. I am still a bit messed up.
Yes, tried it (on an eMac) and it shut down the mac!!
The only solution that seems to work is to take the CD and burn an new CD on an XP machine. The resulting CD -and files- can be viewed on the Mac.
Thanks
sisibeans
 
Sorry for the delay, but I was struck by a car while on one of my nightly walks with my dog. I am still a bit messed up.
Click to expand...

Holy crap man, that's terrible. Don't sweat the delay.

Sorry to hear about the CDs too...
 
Thanks. We were mowed down like weeds while in the middle of a pedestrian cross walk. I was hit, thrown up in the air, bounced off the windshield and then landed about 25 feet away. Miraculously nothing broke but I feel like a bunch of goons attacked me with baseball bats. My doggie was not that fortunate. She was caught and dragged under the car. Her rear leg was crushed. She has been in the hospital for 10 days and is now doing well. It looks like she will eventually fully recover. Apparently the driver was on his cell phone and did not see us.
I am just glad to be alive. Things like CDs not being compatible across platforms dont seem to be that important at the moment.
 
Things like CDs not being compatible across platforms dont seem to be that important at the moment.
Click to expand...

I would imagine!

My sincere condolences to you and your pet. I hope you will both be back on your feet soon.

And I hope the fool that hit you loses his license at the very least.
 
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