Using DVD-RAM discs

This manual contains the minimum information necessary to use DVD-RAM discs with the DVD MULTI
Drive under Windows XP.

• “Windows”, “Windows NT” and “MS-DOS” are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation (U.S.) in the
U.S. and other countries. (The full title of “Windows” is “Microsoft® Windows® Operating System”.)
• All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

© 2002 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved

MSC0011AD_USE_ZA
Using DVD-RAM Discs
You must logically format a DVD-RAM disc before writing files on the disc.
Once you have logically formatted a DVD-RAM disc, it can be used to write files just as you would do with a
floppy disk or hard disk.

Formatting
A DVD-RAM disc can be formatted using either UDF (Universal Disk Format) or FAT32 format.
Use the format appropriate to your needs.
Format 2.8 GB (8 cm) / 5.2 GB / 9.4 GB double-sided DVD-RAM discs one side at a time.

UDF (Universal Disk Format)

UDF is newly specified for DVD family products. This new format is optimized for big capacity files, such as
Video and Audio capture and playback, to keep constant, high transfer rates.

FAT32 Format
FAT32 is the Windows OS embedded file system and used for hard disk drives.

Note:
• DVD-RAM discs cannot be formatted with the NTFS type supported by Windows XP.
• You cannot format 2.6 GB (single sided) or 5.2 GB (double sided) non-cartridge type DVD-RAM discs
whose Disc Type Identification of the control data is not set to the “Enable to write” mode.

Executing Format software on Windows XP

• When using the format software, you must login with the user name that belongs to the account of the
administrator of the computer.
• You must close all applications used on a DVD-RAM disc prior to formatting.

Starting the formatting software (DVDForm)

1 Insert the DVD-RAM disc you want

to format.

2 Open [My Computer]

Right click on the icon for the

DVD-RAM disc.

3 Click [Format].

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Using DVD-RAM Discs

4 The following window is shown.

Follow the instructions below.

Click to start formatting.

Click to close DVDForm.

Enter a volume name.

You must input a volume name when you select
UDF format. When you do not input one, the
volume name is set as “UDF” and the date auto-
matically.
Select this when you want to perform physi-
cal formatting.
(There is no need to do this every time.)
Select the format type. This mode forces a check of all sectors for
(See the tables on page 5) defects and allocates detected defective sectors
to the spare area.
(Normally it takes about one hour for 4.7 GB/9.4
GB DVD-RAM discs, and 2.6 GB/5.2 GB DVD-
RAM discs and takes about 20 minutes for 8
cm DVD-RAM discs.)

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Using DVD-RAM Discs

Recommended formats
Select “Universal Disk Format (UDF 1.5)” when you are going to use the DVD-
RAM disc to write PC data.
This format allows the transfer of the data between different operation systems, such as between Windows
and Mac OS 1.

1 Select “Universal Disk Format

(UDF 1.5)”.

2 Enter a volume name.

3 Click [Start].

1: Only MAC OS9 can read and write UDF 1.5 formatted DVD-RAM discs (as of May 31, 2002).

Select “Universal Disk Format (UDF 2.0)” when you are going to use the DVD-
RAM disc to write audio-visual data.
Select this format only if the disc is to be played in a DVD Recorder that uses the DVD Forum's video
recording standard or with the recording software designed for personal computers that is based on the
above standard, or if an 8-cm DVD-RAM is to be used in a DVD video camera.

1 Select “Universal Disk Format

(UDF 2.0)”.

2 Enter a volume name.

3 Click [Start].

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Using DVD-RAM Discs

Format types
• 4.7 GB / 9.4 GB DVD-RAM discs
• This is the standard format type for DVD-RAM. Data can be transferred
between different operating systems, for example Windows and Mac OS 1.
Universal Disk Format • DVD-RAM formatted with UDF1.5 cannot be used with DVD Video recorders
(UDF 1.5) that use the DVD Forum's video recording standard or with the recording soft-
ware designed for personal computers that is based on the above standard.

• This format is designed to be used with DVD Video recorders that use the
Universal Disk Format DVD Forum's video recording standard and with the recording software
(UDF 2.0) designed for personal computers that is based on the above standard.

• This is the additional format type on Windows 95 (OSR2 2) / Windows 98 /

FAT32 Windows Me / Windows 2000 / Windows XP.
• FAT32 formatted discs cannot be used with Windows 95 (other than
OSR2 2) / Windows NT.

• 2.6GB / 5.2GB DVD-RAM discs

Universal Disk Format • This is the standard format type for DVD-RAM. Data can be transferred
(UDF 1.5) between different operating systems, for example Windows and Mac OS 1.
• This is the additional format type in Windows 95 (OSR2 2) / Windows 98 /
FAT32 Windows Me / Windows 2000 / Windows XP.
• FAT32 formatted discs cannot be used with Windows 95 (other than
OSR2 2) / Windows NT.

• 8-cm DVD-RAM discs

• This is the standard format type for DVD-RAM. Data can be transferred
between different operating systems, for example Windows and Mac OS 1.
Universal Disk Format • DVD-RAM formatted with UDF1.5 cannot be used with DVD Video recorders
(UDF 1.5) and DVD video cameras that use the DVD Forum's video recording standard
or with the recording software designed for personal computers that is based
on the above standard.
• This format is designed to be used with DVD Video recorders and DVD
video cameras that use the DVD Forum's video recording standard and with
Universal Disk Format the recording software designed for personal computers that is based on the
(UDF 2.0)
above standard. Perform this format for a disc used for a DVD video
recorder or a DVD video camera.
• This is the additional format type on Windows 95 (OSR2 2) / Windows 98 /
Windows Me / Windows 2000 / Windows XP.
FAT32
• FAT32 formatted discs cannot be used with Windows 95 (other than
OSR2 2) / Windows NT.

1: DVD-RAM formatted with UDF 1.5 can only be read by Mac OS 9.0 (as of May 31, 2002).
2: Windows 95 whose system property is “4.00.950 B” or “4.00.950 C”.
Confirm the system properties in [Start] [Setting] [Control Panel] [System].

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Using DVD-RAM Discs
The formats you can use with the Windows XP operating system and free space and used
space after formatting.
There are 4.7 GB of capacity on a side on 4.7 GB and 9.4 GB DVD-RAM discs. There are 2.6 GB of capacity
on a side on 2.6 GB and 5.2 GB DVD-RAM discs. There are 1.4 GB of capacity on a side on 8-cm DVD-RAM
discs.
The following chart shows the free space and used space on one side after formatting.

DISC Format Type Free space Used space

UDF1.5 4.26 GB 3 282 KB

4.7 GB
UDF2.0 4.26 GB 3 282 KB
9.4 GB (one side)
FAT32 4.25 GB 3 4 KB
2.6 GB UDF1.5 2.32 GB 158 KB
5.2 GB (one side) FAT32 2.31 GB 4 KB
UDF1.5 1.3 GB 3 92 KB
1.4 GB
UDF2.0 1.3 GB 3 92 KB
2.8 GB (one side) 4 KB
FAT32 1.3 GB 3

3: This is the capacity if 4.7 GB / 9.4 GB DVD-RAM discs or 8-cm DVD-RAM discs manufactured by
Panasonic are formatted using the formatting software included with the DVD MULTI Drive.

Accessing DVD-RAM discs recorded on a DVD VIDEO Recorder

When you record onto a DVD-RAM disc with a DVD video recorder, a DVD video camera, or
computer software that follows the “Video Recording Standards” developed by the DVD
Forum, a folder labeled “DVD_RTAV”, in which all the relative video recording standard
files are stored, is created. Do not access this folder and the files it contains with a comput-
er.
If any of the files are erased or changed, you may not be able to play the video on a DVD video recorder or
with the video software for computers.
To access these files with a computer, you will need special software.

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Using Write-Protect Tool
Starting WPTool
From the Start menu, select [Programs] [DVD-RAM] [DVD-RAM driver] [WPTool].

The following window is shown.

Select the drive.

See below.

To exit software.

Write-protect setting/release
Insert a 4.7 GB DVD-RAM disc or 8-cm DVD-RAM disc and click [Write-Protect Setting] in
the window shown above.
The following window is shown.

Displays the write-protect condition of the

DVD-RAM disc currently loaded.

To return to the property window.

To set the selected mode. (Saves the setting to the DVD-RAM disc)

Write-enables the disc.

The disc can be used for reading and writing.

Write-protects the disc.

The disc can only be used for reading.