How in the Tech

Using CDs/DVDs like Flash Drives in Vista

By Adam Myers ⋅ August 6, 2008 ⋅ Tags: cd burning, live file system, thumb drives, vista tips

Another of the less talked about features provide by Windows Vista is the Live File System. Live File System is a great new way to utilize your blank optical media. Simply, it allows one to use blank CDs or DVDs in the same way a USB flash drive would be used. Files can be copied and deleted - with a minor side effect - without the necessity to burn the disc, exactly like the drag and drop method you use to populate your thumb drive.

If you’ve burnt a disc in Vista already, you have probably seen this new option available to you when the blank disc is first inserted. Preparing your disc for use of the Live File System is initiated through the AutoPlay popup.

Select Burn files to disc

Click Show formatting options

You’ll see the Live File System Option is available with a link to Change version of the written file system. Each version has it’s place and they are described in good detail so pick whichever you feel is appropriate for your usage. If you find this confusing,  I recommend 2.01 which also happens to be the default version.

Name your disc and click Next to begin the formatting process. Once complete you will have a CD that can be treated like a USB flash drive, in that you can freely copy and delete files from the media - with the following disadvantages:

1. A Live File System disc is not 100% compatible with other Operating Systems as it was designed for Vista. It does work in XP but OS X and Linux users are currently out of luck.
2. Once the disc has been formatted to the Live File System it is not possible to switch to Mastered CD/DVD - which is highly compatible across platforms.
3. While files can be deleted from the disc, you do not actually recover the space used by the now deleted file. It is simply hidden and inaccessible.
4. When you finally eject the disc from your PC, Vista will take 10-15 seconds to close the session. Hardly a deal breaker considering all the time you saved up front, but still worth mentioning.

Live File System has it’s place for every PC user and it’s a handy thing to remember in your arsenal of knowledge.

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