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Thread ID: 20726	2002-06-10 18:57:00	Why Read Only - data CD burning?	Guest (0)	Press F1

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
53696	2002-06-10 18:57:00	Before I had a CD burner, I backed up data using Zip disks and Iomega tapes. No problem - files, folders and programs were restored OK. But now with the CD burner it restores the data only as 'read only'. Clicking on Properties (once restored to the HD) I simply unticked the boxes for Archive and Read Only. Must admit here that it took me awhile to figure this out - especially to realize this was the problem of a few restored programs not working properly. My questions are: Is there any way to stop the read only thing when burning or restoring data, other than the way I found? What is the difference between Archive and Read Only (just curious). Once a program is restored, what files should be left as Read Only, or is it OK to get rid of the Read Only for all? Thanks guys. - Steve	Guest (0)
53697	2002-06-10 21:17:00	How are you doing the backups to CD? If you are writing to a CD-R then this is normal for the file attributes to be changed to read-only. And so when you restore the files they are set to read-only. You have to then change this in the properties as you are doing. I don't think it matters about the archive setting. I think this is more for DOS programs but I may be wrong. If you get a CD-RW disc and format it to be like a giant floppy disc and use this for you backups it shouldn't do this anymore but again I may be wrong. Also by formating the CD-RW disc you only get about 520MB of space on the CD. It should be OK to remove the read-only setting on all files once restored. You should be able to do this by changing the properties of the folder where the files are restored to and it should change for all the files as well. Hope this helps!	Guest (0)
53698	2002-06-10 23:21:00	Hello Cyabro, I use both CD-R and RW but the read only thing has only been noticed on the CDR's (not sure about the CDRW and would check now but in a rush). The software I use is Roxio - that came with the LG CD burner. Thanks for the comments. - Steve	Guest (0)
53699	2002-06-11 00:33:00	Hi Steve A file with the read-only attribute set can only be read - it cannot be written to until that attribute is changed. Normally this is done to protect important files from being inadvertantly altered. I don't know why CD writers set it by default but it may have something to do with their being used a lot to copy music files and therefore they are automatically set to Read-only(R) to protect the integrity of these files. With regard to changing all the attributes from Read-only after restoring, ideally you should change the individual files to what they were originally - some programme files may well have been Read-only and others may have been System (S) or Hidden (H) (or both). The best way of doing this would be if you could find a setting in your burner programme that preserves the original attributes. Otherwise to do this you would need to keep a record of which files were Read-only, System or Hidden (the great majority would normally be Archive [A]) and set them all manually after restoring. That would be a real pain! If they were all to be set as Archive they should run without problems regardless of their original attribute settings. Some files (eg log files) have to be written to during the course of running a programme and that is blocked if the file is set to Read-only.	Guest (0)
53700	2002-06-11 02:42:00	The issue you find with the read-only attribute is due to the fact that a CDR is a write once media. Meaning that once you have written the file to the cd it can not be changed anylonger. There are various ways of overcoming this problem. Create a zip file with the structure of files you want to back up and cut the zip file to cd. This will retain the attributes. Or use a proper backup application that will support backing up to CD. These sort of backup apps generally creates one file containing all files you are backing up - in essense like zipping it up. The archive attribute is used by backup software. You will notice that the attribute has been set by default. Backup software will then backup all files with this attribute set and clear the attribute after the backup. If the file has been changed since last backup the attribute is then set again. This means that if used properly the following backups will only backup files that has changed !!!	Guest (0)
53701	2002-06-11 02:42:00	The issue you find with the read-only attribute is due to the fact that a CDR is a write once media. Meaning that once you have written the file to the cd it can not be changed anylonger. There are various ways of overcoming this problem. Create a zip file with the structure of files you want to back up and cut the zip file to cd. This will retain the attributes. Or use a proper backup application that will support backing up to CD. These sort of backup apps generally creates one file containing all files you are backing up - in essense like zipping it up. The archive attribute is used by backup software. You will notice that the attribute has been set by default. Backup software will then backup all files with this attribute set and clear the attribute after the backup. If the file has been changed since last backup the attribute is then set again. This means that if used properly the following backups will only backup files that has changed !!!	Guest (0)
53702	2002-06-11 05:37:00	At least you are not getting the unofficial 'implied file attribute' which has been common with CD writers: 'Write only'. (That's when you can't read the bloody thing -- the coasetr syndrome). Cound your blessings ;-)	Guest (0)
53703	2002-06-11 05:52:00	Have a look at www.birdcagesoft.com for a program ArcSet that will change file attributes to 'archive	Guest (0)
53704	2002-06-11 05:55:00	You can clear the read-only attribute quickly by right-clicking on the highest folder and changing its properties as opposed to doing individual files.	Guest (0)
53705	2002-06-11 07:05:00	grab a little freeby called 'readonly.exe' from http://www.sente.co.uk/ . It will change the Read only attribute on all files in a folder and all sub folders in one hit (on your restored files, not the cd). It works a treat.	Guest (0)
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