Hello,

I'm trying to do some research (for learning purposes only) on what is involved in the copying/ripping of copy-protected media. To avoid wasting lots and lots of CDRs (I believe they are called coasters), I would prefer to use a CDRW instead.

Thus, I have a very basic question.

Ignoring the physics and manufacturing details of the media, purely bit structure- and bit layout-wise (that is, purely from a software standpoint):

1. Is a CD-R disk identical to CD-RW disk?
2. Is a DVD-R disk identical to DVD-RW disk?

Additionally, is it true a DVD is 'just' a bigger (capacity-wise) version of a CD? Meaning...
3. Is a DVDR disk just a bigger version of a CDR disk?
4. Is a DVDRW disk just a bigger version of a CDRW disk?

Further variations of the above questions:
5. Can a bootable CDR image (of an OS) be burned on to a CDRW?
6. Can a bootable CDR image (of an OS) be burned on to a DVDR?
7. Can a bootable CDR image (of an OS) be burned on to a DVDRW?

Similarly,
8. Is a multi-session disk (that has not been closed yet) any different?

I suspect the answers to all of the above are 'No' but I'm not sure. Would greatly appreciate your kind response.

Also, where would basic concepts such as these be covered? Any good Links/Books?

Many thanks in advance from a total newbie!
/SD

Ignoring all PHYSICAL differences, and just content wise, and for the specific situations you define, and assuming you're using a drive that can read from and write to all the CD-R/RW/DVD-R/RW:

1) yes
2) yes

3) yes, as far as I know. Some software wasn't built to handle DVD creation in their earlier versions, and you can't make an audio DVD like you can make an audio CD [and expect it to work quite as well]...but as far as reading data, it should do OK.
4) see number 3

5) Should be fine.
6) I've done so before. Occasionally a few issues [which I don't remember], but it's worked most of the time.*
7) See number 6.

There might be a few differences and certain situations, but I think your testing should go OK.


As for the links, I haven't seen any directly...Most of the above came from my own trial and error, where most of the differences are physical differences/limitations.

Just keep in mind the physical differences [like a DVD can't be read in a drive that is strictly a CD reader/writer, etc], and you should be good.

*Putting CD content on a DVD almost always worked for me, except for 1 time where I couldn't quite make a backup copy of a bootable operating system disc on a CD. It copied fine, but the DVD wouldn't boot [probably due to a poor file system setup on my part]. But all other bootable CD images--such as the Ultimate Boot CD--worked when written to DVDs as long as they weren't altered and were done as 1:1 copies.