CDs burned in Windows 98 won't play on XP
 

I have several MP3 CDs I burned some years ago using Windows 98. They were burned at 2x/4x at most. If I recall correctly they were burned using Nero.

The files are Ok, as I've already checked them in a Win 98 PC.

Do you guys know why they won't play in XP? (or my CD drive for that matter)

Thanks.

bump...

OMG is this request forum?

What kind of error do you get if there is one?

It's probably the drive not getting along with that certain brand of media. I can't really think of anything else.

It's not a Win98/XP Compatibility issue.There's your problem. Name-Brand CD-Rs have an expected lifetime of no more than maybe two years. They CAN last longer in ideal circumstances but should not be relied upon to do so. Generics decay even faster. We've demanded CD-Rs that cost pennies, and we've gotten exactly what we asked for. Quality does not stay constant as prices plummet.

How would you explain that the discs works fine in a different drive, then?

All carbon-based materials have a limited lifespan, but you can very well expect a properly burned CD to work for at least a decade.

I'm not getting an error, the drive just don't recognize it. It's kinda funny because some discs I burned years before the ones I'm having trouble with just work fine.

And they're not generic brands, they're Verbatim and Sony. I guess I'll just extract the files in the Win 98 PC and use a pen drive to get them on my XP.

By the way, I just bought a DVD burner, what's the best brand out there for blank DVDs?

Depends on the burner. Check the manufacturer's website, they should give you the best advice here.

And never listen to people recommending a certain brand just because it works fine with their burner.

Who made the blank discs is more important than the brand, companies such as Verbatim simply outsource factories to make discs, then brand them with the Sony logo. You can identify where the media is made from its mediaID. When buying media, try to look for reputable sites (such as SVP.co.uk) which give you the mediaIDs of the discs; and if you're buying in a shop, Made in Japan is always better. Taiyo Yuden, Mitsubishi Chemical Corp., TDK, and Maxell are all considered to be the best media, though your drive might not like them. This site has a good list of mediaIDs, their quality, and what brands you'll find them under.

It's best to experiment with various media to see how well they burn on your burner; each burner has it's own preferred media and differs drastically even if it is manufactured by the same company. Use DVDIdentifier to ID who manufactured the discs, and KProbe (for Lite-On DVD burners) or Nero CD-DVD Speed to do a surface scan of the disc.

Verbatim is good. http://club.cdfreaks.com/images/smilies/5/agreed.gif