Member Avatar for garthmiller

I have a bunch of CD-R's that were created on a MAC. All my Windows XP computers can read them with no problem. They just ahve data files, pictures, and programms. No music or movies.

When I put them into my new Vista laptop, they just show up as blank CD's. I called Toshiba to ask them about this and they say I need to install a program on my laptop. It should be the same program on my XP computer. (I told them the name of that program was called Windows XP, but they thought it must be something else.)

Does anyone know how to get my Vista PC to read these disks?

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by vein27

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Because 's discs read fine on several XP boxes but appear "blank" on a Vista laptop, the most useful angle is to test how the discs were formatted and whether that particular laptop/drive is simply not exposing a partition/session that the XP machines do. That lines up with the hardware/driver hints from , and , but there are a few practical diagnostics and workarounds that haven't been suggested yet.

If the Mac burned the CDs using HFS/HFS+ (or left a primarily HFS tree), Windows Explorer won’t show those files. Use an HFS reader on the Vista machine (HFSExplorer is a free, Java tool; TransMac or MacDrive are commercial) to open the disc and extract files. A quick workflow: install HFSExplorer, choose "Load file system from device", pick the optical drive, then extract the visible folder tree to a local folder — that will confirm an HFS-only layout without altering the discs.

If sessions look odd or the disc wasn’t finalized, inspect the disc with a session-aware tool like IsoBuster on a machine that can read it; IsoBuster shows every session/partition and can extract data or build an ISO. From an XP machine that reads the disc, make an ISO image (ImgBurn or another imager), copy the ISO to the Vista laptop and extract with 7‑Zip or mount with a small virtual-drive tool (Vista does not mount ISOs natively). On the Vista side, try removing the optical device in Device Manager and rebooting so Windows redetects it, and check Event Viewer for related errors.

For irreplaceable data, rely on the working XP machine to image or extract files first. If all of the above fails, the problem is likely drive/read-head compatibility and an inexpensive external USB optical drive will quickly prove that without hardware surgery.

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Member Avatar for Ancient Dragon

This program works for me, but I don't know if it will read those MAC files or not.

Member Avatar for TheNNS

I had a similar problem once, I think it might be the CD-rom drive, and not vista. It could be defective.

Member Avatar for bobbyraw

some newer cd drive with not read all type of cd/dvd. if the cd drive state cdr+- it will read all type but if it state cdr- it will not read the + types. check on the fron of the drive or on the top

Member Avatar for Infarction

some newer cd drive with not read all type of cd/dvd. if the cd drive state cdr+- it will read all type but if it state cdr- it will not read the + types. check on the fron of the drive or on the top

Unless some company went really stupid in the last couple weeks, there's never been a + for CDs.

Member Avatar for chris5126

try updating the drivers and firmware is always the best place to start!

Member Avatar for garthmiller

My CD drive works with other CD's and DVD's on the front it says, "DVD multi-recorder", "compact disc ReWritable", and "RW DVD+ReWritable".

I updated everything before I started this thread.

Member Avatar for goldeagle2005

I have to agree with TheNNS. Considering the fact that the discs work in the other XP machines, the CD is OK. Try running the CD on a different Vista machine. Also, try reading the CD in Safe Mode. If that doesn't work, you're probably looking at a bad drive. You could try cleaning the CD lens using a lens cleaning CD.

Member Avatar for Comodore

As a stopgap measure, for the data, copy it all over from the CDs onto one of your working machines, then place it all on a thumb drive or external hard drive- one that you know works with the vista machine in question- and you should be able to move the data without a problem.

As for the incompatibility problem, thats a known issue for bargain CDs with some drives. Its sort of a random issue. See if you can find the model number of your CD drive and look it up on a search engine for similar cases. First try updating the firmware. Then, if you have the time, money, and expertise, you may want to swap out the drive for a known good one.

Edit:// Oh! And see if you have any blanks of that same type (from the same container) of disk around. Try using them with the vista machine- see if it recognizes them, if it burns to them, if it reads what it burnt. That could help.

Hope this helps you,

Keep us posted!

--The Comodore

Member Avatar for vein27

Click Start, and then click All Programs.
Click Accessories, and then click Run.
Type regedit, and then click OK. you are prompted for an administrator password or for a confirmation, type the password, or click Allow.
In the navigation pane, locate and then click the following registry subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}
In the right pane, click UpperFilters.

Note You may also see an UpperFilters.bak registry entry. You do not have to remove that entry. Click UpperFilters only. If you do not see the UpperFilters registry entry, you still might have to remove the LowerFilters registry entry. To do this, go to step 8.
On the Edit menu, click Delete.
When you are prompted to confirm the deletion, click Yes.
In the right pane, click LowerFilters.

Note If you do not see the LowerFilters registry entry, unfortunately this content cannot help you any further. Go to the "Next Steps" section for information about how you can find more solutions or more help on the Microsoft Web site.
On the Edit menu, click Delete.
When you are prompted to confirm the deletion, click Yes.
Exit Registry Editor.
Restart the computer.

or foolow this link: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314060

Hope this will work 4 u guys ...

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