You can format a CD-R and re-use!!!!

[lffoar]

Hi all,
I'm completely stumped by this one........
I was at a mate's place yesterday imbibing a bit of lunatic soup, playing music on his stereo in the man cave and the subject of downloading music cropped up. He puts a CD-R disc in his lappy which has a few songs on it and says he's gonna format it and load some more songs. Now me being a smart arse, I tell him it can't be done and explain the vagaries of CD-R vs CD-RW etc.
Bugger me, he formats this disc, loads a couple of songs on it and away it goes. Nahhhh I say, it can't be done so I check the discs he's using....yep CD-R's. Do that again I roar through clenched teeth, wondering how much money I've wasted on CD-RW's over the years. Long story shortened........did it with five or six different discs, used different modes of loading the music (via DVD, onboard computer etc) and worked every time. He used the normal format technique and Windows Media to burn. WTF?????
I thought you could add to a CD-R if it has not been finalised but to format it completely and burn again!!
I know, I know...in answer to your first thought...NO, we did not have enough lubrication to affect our senses. Later on yes, but not while doing this little experiment. Does anybody have a clue??

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
I gave up on windows burning anything
I used linux but never to reuse a cd-r again or add to one

Which brand was used ? could of had a very small w on it

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
There's always the chance your mate has a stereo that can read and play data cd's.

 

[lffoar]

Hi,
There's always the chance your mate has a stereo that can read and play data cd's.

He did them through windows media, he ripped a couple of songs from a CD to the library and burned as cda. I dunno, it's got me whacked.....I've tried a dozen which ways here on my comp and I can't do it

Which brand was used ? could of had a very small w on it

Nup, definitely CD-R...Im gonna bring one of his discs home and try it, just maybe they are CD-RW's incorrectly labelled

 

[jumanji]

.........., just maybe they are CD-RW's incorrectly labelled

Quite possible - may be a printing error in that batch.

 

[strollin]

Just a guess but maybe he somehow has auto finalization turned off. Most software nowadays auto finalizes a burned CD which makes it so nothing more can be added to it. A non-finalized CD can have things added to it until it's finalized. If my guess is correct, the songs being added are being added to remaining space on the disk and the CD-R he is using will eventually fill up (since the media really can't be erased and re-written).