DVD-RAM 5x available in Europe? / Best media for data backup

[KG]

Hi all , first time posting here at CdrLabs.

I have read in other threads about the situation with DVD-RAM 12x media but I haven't found any DVD-RAM 5x either here in Spain, only 2-3x. Do you know if DVD-RAM 5x media is available in Europe?.

I want to use my DVD burners for data backup mainly and, since even if I can get some RAM 5x media actual writting times would be as at 2.5x, which is extremely slow, I am considering using -RW 6x (or +RW 8x, but I haven't found any here). Do you think the claimed reliability of RAM makes it really a better option than RW despite the huge sacrifice it involves in terms of speed?. Does the RAM format have any other advantages that would justify this sacrifice?.

Although I will usually backup all my data "at once", sometimes I would like the drag-and-drop feature. Do packet-writting programs work with DVD+RW/-RW or only with CD-RW?. I have read in some posts that these programs are not reliable. Again, is DVD-RAM really a better option than packet-writting software?.

Thank you for your answers and comments.

[dodecahedron]

apparently www.svp.co.uk has some.
http://svp.co.uk/products-list.php?bid=0&cid=80

packet-writing software works with DVD+/-RW too.
they are generally considered unreliable. DVD-RAM is more reliable.

[frank1]

Hi KG and welcome to CDRLabs !

I get my 5x DVD-RAM's from MediaMarkt in Germany [near the french border]
so I suppose they may sell some 5x certified in their "brick & wall" shops in Spain.
I suggest that you have a look here at their spanish website:
http://www.mediamarkt.es/
At the top left of this page there is a "Donde Estamos" where you will probably find a shop near from where you live.




Here at OS-Mediatrade (webshop in Germany) you can see seneral types of DVD-RAM listed:
http://www.os-mediatrade.com/index.php? ... f0555a2679

The following are 2 brands of 5x certified DVD-RAM
they are single sided & without cartridge:
these are the most easy to use these days because it is very difficult in Europe to find a DVD-RAM burner supporting the cartridge.

DVD-RAM 4,7GB Panasonic 5x Audio Jewelcase (1)
Media Code: MXL16
http://www.os-mediatrade.com/product_in ... f0555a2679

DVD-RAM 4.7GB Verbatim 5x Jewelcase (5)
MediaCode: M01 J5006
http://www.os-mediatrade.com/product_in ... f0555a2679




Notice:
I you use the "drag an drop" method under the Windows XP Explorer
there is no noticable difference in time between 3x and 5x DVD-RAM"s
while doing the every day saving of data files of usual size,
lets's say: 10 Mo to 100 Mo.
I suggest that you use a DVD-RAM formated in Fat32 (like a HDD).
This function is native under XP without any of the so called "DVD-RAM driver" or even a burning software.
Fat32 is a lot more reliable than packet writing software (because it is Fat32 I suppose that you can even look for lost files under DOS ?)
Formating a DVD-RAM in Fat 32 is native in XP: stay away from InCD !

[Pilgrim]

I suggest that you use a DVD-RAM formated in Fat32 (like a HDD).
This function is native under XP without any of the so called "DVD-RAM driver" or even a burning software.
Fat32 is a lot more reliable than packet writing software (because it is Fat32 I suppose that you can even look for lost files under DOS ?)
Formating a DVD-RAM in Fat 32 is native in XP: stay away from InCD !

I'll admit right up front that I have no knowledge of DVD-RAM media nor what format can be created on it. What I do what to do however, is correct this statement that "FAT32 is native to XP". The FAT32 file system is NOT native to XP but rather to 9.x versions of Windows. Windows XP uses the NTFS (4 KB cluster size) which is far more reliable, stable and allows far more data to be stored than FAT32 (512 KB cluster size).

So again, whether one can format a DVD-RAM disc as NTFS someone else will have to answer.

[frank1]

What I do what to do however, is correct this statement that "FAT32 is native to XP".

Excuse me if the way I tried to explain this was confusing: english is also not my native language …
Of course the "normal" file system used by Windows XP on a HDD is NTFS.

I just wanted to say that under XP the use of FAT32 with DVD-RAM’s is « native »,
but native in the sense that it needs no added software like the dangerous InCD or a so called "DVD-RAM driver".
And this is « natively » possible under XP for both operations:
- formating the DVD-RAM
- writing files on the DVD-RAM by "drag an drop" from the Windows Explorer.

As far as I know t is impossible to format a DVD-RAM in NTFS.

Apart from FAT32 it is also possible to format DVD-RAM in various UDF formats,
but this is not possible « natively » under XP and will be possible under Vista (it has been at least announced ...)