Summary: We'll look at why you might not be able to add files to a CD-R.
I have just burned music files to a CD-R for the first time, then at a later date tried to add a music file to the same CD-R. I get the message my disk is closed when I try to add a music file at a later time. Is it not possible to add files to a CD-R disk after you have already burned files?
Burning CD-ROMs has gotten easier over time, but it still suffers from some obscure terminology and odd situations. Add to that CD-RW (which is quite different from CD-R), and I can easily understand some confusion resulting.
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It depends a lot on the tool you're using to burn your CD-R. I happen to use Roxio's Easy CD Creator, but I've heard good things about Nero as well.
You stumbled on to one of the key terms: closed, sometimes also referred to as "finalized". When you burn a CD-R you can elect to leave it "open" - meaning that more files can be added to it. Often case the default is to "close" the disk, meaning as you've seen, that no more files can be added.
When you leave the CD-R open for more files, the disk space is used slightly less efficiently, and there can be occasional glitches. In researching this article I burned a CD-R in two sessions; I burned a set of files and left the disc "open", and then added another set of files and closed it. In a command prompt it correctly shows that the disk now has around 650 megabytes on it, however Windows Explorer shows it as having only 298, the size of one of the two sessions. All the files are visible in both cases.
My approach to burning CDs has always been to collect up "around" 650-700 megabytes of stuff, and then burn the entire disk in one sitting - closing, or finalizing it. I believe that's the safest, most compatible approach. Multi-session CD-R support was added after CD-R's had started to become popular, and while it works and is convenient, there's still a slight risk that the CD-R might not be readable on all PCs.
And to be clear, CD-R is what's called a "write-once" technology. Once you write to it, you cannot erase what's been written. CD-RW is a Read/Write technology, meaning that you can write, and erase from the media. CD-RW uses a different type of media.
Related:
Article C2517 - January 10, 2006
Wrote data to cd. Put it back into computer and it tells me read only. I typed new data and it would not let me save to the cd. Why?
Posted by: Gay Devoe at December 14, 2006 11:11 AMWhy can't I add files to my CD-R?
Posted by: Anamie Garcia at December 21, 2006 1:42 AMwhy can't I add files to my CD-R???
Posted by: anamie_garcia@yahoo.com at December 21, 2006 1:48 AMI still don't understand how to add files to a
Posted by: ken rasheed at March 11, 2007 4:33 PMcd-r.
Hey is there anyway i can clear a CD-R??
Posted by: Pinnaliah at July 29, 2007 2:36 PMIf you want to re-write, ie. Add more files onto it, I'm pretty sure you need a CD-RW (CD Re-Writable) disk. Most CD/DVD burning programs will allow you to change the settings in order to be able to add further files.
Posted by: Ben at November 12, 2007 1:02 AMOne of the easiest Programms to write CD's; DVD's and add further data etc I have found is Ashampoo 7. All the styles and setting are a simple to read and select .
Posted by: JohnSS at December 1, 2007 12:37 AMI liked the answer. its good as you said U tested by writing the discs in two different ways is good.
And from Ur answer I came to know why some of my discs show less size while having more data.
Thanks for Ur answer.
Posted by: Sriharsha at December 10, 2007 8:14 AMI have choosen mutisession option even then the CD-R is showing the status as closed.
Posted by: Sandhya at March 11, 2009 2:27 AMSo, now in 2009, is there a CD that you can "add" files to without LOSING anything that's on the CD/DVD??
Posted by: Candace at April 13, 2009 6:46 PM