CD-ROM FAQ

How should I supply a CD-ROM master ?

The short answer first - in either ISO 9660, Mac HFS or Hybrid format, on a closed, finished, finalised, single-session CDR disc. Make sure incremental writing / packet-writing is switched off.

In more detail : this is a difficult question to answer unambiguously, because there are many different programs for producing CD-ROM masters, and they all use slightly different terminology and methods. To further complicate matters, there are even more varieties of CD-writer drives avilable, and yet more brands of blank disc. All of these work better in some combinations than others... it's complicated !

If you can't find out whether your disc is correct, for example if someone else supplied the master to you, we can always check it make a new master with the problems corrected, but there will be a charge.

Here is a guide to some of the common terms we are aware of, what they mean, and what you need for a press-able master. If

• CD-ROM masters should be single-session. Multi-session discs allow you to add more data later on, but can't be pressed. Using Adaptec EZCD or Toast, choose to "write disc".
• They should be "closed", or "finished".
• They should not be written "incrementally", or using "packet-writing". Incremetal, or packet-writing, is another way of allowing data to be added to a CD later, but these disc types cannot be pressed.
• When looking at the disc in the "disc information" window or similar, there should be only one track visible. The exception to this is Enhanced CDs - we recommend you allow us to create the master disc in this case, unless you are very confident.

We'll always check any master you send to us, but please feel free to contact us if you'd like more help - it's always better to solve problems sooner rather than later.