Saturday, October 28, 2006

Why can't I write with my CD-R drive?

Computer Coaching for Seniors Ottawa Canada


Ever since Charlie lost all his data when his hard-drive failed you decided to backup your pictures. You are not worried about your E-Mail since you are using Hotmail. All your mail is stored on the Hotmail's computer. So you pop in a blank CD into the drive and drag in all the pictures to the CD icon but... there is nothing in Windows to let you write (or burn) the CD.

You look at the phone and there is Charlie's big head beckoning you to call him. With a big sigh of regret you push the speed dial button.

"Hey Charlie um..."
"Say it Karl! SAY IT!!!"

"Oh, for crying out loud Charlie...."

"SAY IT!!"

"Ok, Charlie, you are the greatest computer expert in the world, you arrogant @#@$#@@@!!"

"I will accept that but watch the language."

"Charlie, I am trying to burn some CDs but..."

"You can't!"

"Why can't I? I have a CD. I made sure it wasn't a DVD since they are different. So why can't my stupid computer not have just a little bit of intelligence and write to a CD?!!!???"

"Because you have a CD-R drive. The R stands for Read. You need a CD-RW drive that Reads and Writes."


"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME THAT YESTERDAY?!?"


"You didn't ask."


Here are all the different drive types you may find in the computer store.
DriveNameReadCDsReadDVDsWriteCDsWriteDVDs
CD-RYesNoNoNo
CD-RWYesNoYesNo
DVD-RYesYes(DVD-R)YesNo
DVD-RWYesYes(DVD-R)YesYes(DVD-R)
DVD+RYesYes(DVD+R)YesNo
DVD+RWYesYes(DVD+R)YesYes(DVD+R)
DVD+/-RWYesYes(DVD+R,DVD-R)YesYes(DVD+R,DVD-R)

Sunday, October 15, 2006

Why Can't I watch my DVD Movies on the CD Drive?

Computer Coaching For Seniors


You finally got your new computer. At last, you can watch all the Jet Li movies you want on your flat screen monitor.

But something is wrong .. very wrong. The DVD is in the CD drive but the movie does not play. You randomly click at any icon that points you to salvation but nothing seems to work. All you get are incomprehensible pop up messages. So you kick the computer and then curse and then kick it again, but no movie.

Exhausted and defeated you pick up the phone and speed dial Charlie.

"Hey Charlie, I need help on my computer."

"Sooo Karl, you need my expertise eh? HA HA HA HA HA HA!"

"Charlie, stop the melodrama. Why can't I watch DVD movies on my computer?"

"Karl, I thought your computer had a CD drive."

"Yeah so?"

"You can't play DVDs on a CD drive!"

"Why? DVDs and CDs look the same."

"Sorry Karl, that's the way it is. DVDs don't work on CD drives."

"BUT..."

"No buts, Karl. It is what it is."
Although CDs and DVDs look the same, they are actually different. DVDs are able to store more information in a more compact way than a CD. So in order to read a DVD, a DVD drive uses a more precise, different laser than what a CD drive uses.

DVD drive - plays DVDs and CDs.
CD drive - plays only CDs.


For more details click on the following link:
How DVDS work.


Next week we will discuss CD burning.

Sunday, October 08, 2006

How Much Is It To Send Snail Mail?

Computer Coaching for Seniors

You would like to send something through mail (snail mail that is) but you don't remember if a 49 cents stamp will be enough to cover the cost. You could ask your friends but then you know they will lead you down the wrong path (given the evidence from the last few weeks).

Well do not despair. Hop on down to the Canada Post website. There you will find all the information you are looking for and more.