Problem in burning 4.5GB backup DVD in Windows ME

[suikui]

Subject:

Problem found in burning 4.5GB Data backup DVD in Windows ME (Millennium Edition)

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Hi, Friends:

I used my Windows ME/Millennium Edition (FAT32) to burn the backup data DVD's with the NERO Burning ROM v6.6 at the speed of 8X. - The contents of backups include my old documents, softwares or mp3's etc. whose individual file sizes may range from 1 k-byte to no more than 500 MB each and yet the total file size in a backup DVD sums up approximately 4.2~ 4.4 GB as a whole. Here I found one thing dodgy/incorrect after making the backup DVD's and I am asking for your kind help or suggestions:

I have burnt four data DVD's so far (actually they are in two sets/twosomes, - please see the list below). Each of the DVD burning processes of the backups were all successfully completed. And I used the handy feature of NERO which varifies all the data immediately after the burning process in order for double checking between the burned data on DVD and the original data in the hard disc to see if both data meet identically. I do love this feature of NERO's though! - The file varifications were successfully done respectively without a single error found! That's good! And that literally means all the 4.2~ 4.4 GB files on the hard disc are exactly located on the data backup DVDs.

I also used the other of my DVD burner to double check contents between the completed data backups on DVD's and the original data files in my hard disc manually, folder by folder and file by file. Everything is OK and not a single error or missing file is found at all.

However, when it comes to the completed backup data DVD's 'property' tag displayed in the Windows File Mamager or the Windows Commander (another handy file admin app), I found one thing wrong, -- The size of the DVD disc actually displays 2,147,450,880 bytes and 1.99GB in the Windows File Mamager and 2,097,120 K-bytes in the Windows Commander respectively.

I wonder, since 'ALL' of the files (which sum up totally approx. 4.2 ~4.4 GB) are successfully burnt into the DVD discs and was double checked by NERO app or manually by myself without an error or missing file found in the end, the 'property' tag of the completed backup DVD discs are supposed to be 4.2 ~4.4 GB rather than approx. 2.0 GB, aren't they?

Meanwhile, I burnt each set/twosome of the data backups using my PIONEER DVR 109 and NEC 4550 DVD burner respectively. I also used the PIONEER DVR 109 to double check the disc burnt by NEC 4550A, and vice versa I checked the disc burnt by PIONEER using NEC 4550 in order to secure the best compatibility of DVD reading. All of the checking results were error-free without a missing file found at all, however, when we look into the 'property' tags of the drive/disc size (of the backup DVD's) shown in the Windows File Manager or the Windows Commander, they still 'display' the incorrect and identical values (see the list below) despite the fact that each has got actually 4.2 ~4.4 GB contents inside!

Here I make a list of the four data backup DVD's that I've made so far, as follows:

1.

Item ID: 01P

- data backup DVD burnt on 8X media, by PIONEER DVR 109 at the speed 8X

- contents: my software backup and old docs,

which sums up approx. 4.4 GB as a whole in my hard disc (FAT32) D:\

- NO error found, NO missing file during/after burning.

except the wrong DVD-disc file property tag, which displays

2,147,450,880 bytes and 1.99GB in the Windows File Mamager

and 2,097,120 K-bytes in the Windows Commander.

2.

Item ID: 01N

- data backup DVD burnt on 8X media, by NEC 4550A at the speed 8X

- contents: my software backup and old docs,

which sums up approx. 4.4 GB as a whole in my hard disc (FAT32) D:\

- NO error found, NO missing file during/after burning.

except the wrong DVD-disc file property tag, which displays

2,147,450,880 bytes and 1.99GB in the Windows File Mamager

and 2,097,120 K-bytes in the Windows Commander.

3.

Item ID: 02P

- data backup DVD burnt on 8X media, by PIONEER DVR 109 at the speed 8X

- contents: my mp3 backup and photo/drawings,

which sums up approx. 4.2 GB as a whole in my hard disc (FAT32) E:\

- NO error found, NO missing file during/after burning.

except the wrong DVD-disc file property tag, which displays

2,147,450,880 bytes and 1.99GB in the Windows File Mamager

and 2,097,120 K-bytes in the Windows Commander.

4.

Item ID: 02N

- data backup DVD burnt on 8X media, by NEC 4550A at the speed 8X

- contents: my mp3 backup and photo/drawings,

which sums up approx. 4.2 GB as a whole in my hard disc (FAT32) E:\

- NO error found, NO missing file during/after burning.

except the wrong DVD-disc file property tag, which displays

2,147,450,880 bytes and 1.99GB in the Windows File Mamager

and 2,097,120 K-bytes in the Windows Commander.

Now that both sets/twosomes of the data backups (one 4.4 GB and the other 4.2 GB) have got actually more than Four Giga Bytes in the contents, and NO error or missing file were found at all through the application NERO's file varification function or through my manually double checking file by file or folder by folder, and on top of that, the burning sessions of the mentioned 2 sets (4 DVD's in total) were approximately 10~13 minutes, which definitely meets the criteria or common experiences of burning a 4.4 ~ 4.2 GB data backup DVD's using 8X speed, HOW COME the disc/drive property tags end up displaying approximately 2 GB instead of 4.2~ 4.4 GB then?? (Please see the above list for precise file sizes.)

I searched online for answers, but so far I can only be certain that it's most likely something to do with the FAT32 or FAT issues. Isn't it?

Another interesting task that I may try later on is placing the above two sets/twosomes of my data backup DVD's (namely, all my four DATA backup DVD's: 01P, 01N, 02P and 02N mentioned above) into a computer which has got Windows XP/2000 installed, and see: (1) what the disc size 'property' tag is shown in Windows XP/2000 - 2 GB or 4 GB? (2) If all the 4.4~4.2 GB files inside the DVD's can be retrieved without fail? (I think, theoretically, all the files in the DATA DVD should be OK and usable/workable no matter what the Operation System is installed, isn't it?)

I am writing to seek any computer expert's comment to see if I can keep on backing up the 4.2 ~ 4.4 GB data DVD's like the way I mentioned above and did with the current Operation System Windows ME (Millennium Edition) and simply neglect the abnormal disc/file size property tag shown in the file admin Windows applications mentioned above? Another important thing is, I wonder if such data backup DVD's can still be used/read when I upgrade my OS to Windows XP or 2000 later on? Are they still workable or readable in Windows 2000/XP?

Thanks!

SUIKUI

[Elliot B.]

Sorry for being as ass, I really am, but 99% of the people who view this topic won't read it. Text overload :/

[theyarecomingforyou]

I found one thing wrong, -- The size of the DVD disc actually displays 2,147,450,880 bytes and 1.99GB in the Windows File Mamager and 2,097,120 K-bytes in the Windows Commander respectively.

I haven't got the time to read all of your post but that sounds like WinME and FAT32 only being able to address up to 2GB. I might have got the wrong end of the stick, though... perhaps you could condense it down a bit?

[James123]

08. Under "My Computer", DVD disc capacity is reading as 1.99 GB using Windows ME or Windows 98, but if you "Select All" to calculate the total capacity within the DVD disc itself, then everything is fine.

Answer: It is due to the Windows ME and Windows 98 limitations, whereas Windows 2000 or Windows XP do not have such problem.