Zip Files Help

[chris]

My photo hosting site has been taken over by Smile (used to be Webshots) I have to move all my fotos back to me. I had to request a download of my files and recieved the copies. There are 3 zip files plus 12 video files (I don't think I had 12 vides on there but only interested in my photos) I just downloaded the first of the Zip folders.

What I want to do is copy that file (3) to a disc.. can I do that or must I exract the files first and then copy over.

I have Roxio CD and DVD burning program. If I go into my documents I see the file I just downloaded but if I oepn Roxio and try to copy to CD I cannot find the file in my documents. Is it because I haven't unzipped them. Do I have to extract or can I just move like I want to. Can someone tell me step by step how to. I have WinXP. Also I have CD R and DVD-RW and was trying to burn to the DVD RW does it matter which one? Thanks

[dave]

You won't see your original files until they are unzipped. Did you unzip them? If you did and you can't see them, they may have unzipped to another directory. Unzip the zipped file again (which usually stays intact) and carefully read each screen to see if the files are being unzipped to another folder. Or maybe why you can't see the files after unzipping is because you just need to refresh your view. If you're in the explorer/file manager, just do a View/Refresh.
Hope that helps.

And yes, you can copy a zipped file anywhere. To the computer, it looks just like a file.

[chris]

Thanks Dave. That is also what I read and everyone tells me I do not need to unzip to burn to a CD/DVD....I tried a few times and it got spit out saying it wasn't able to read file or something to that effect or spits it out saying error. I have saved the unzipped folder to a flash drive and the I explored the file on the drive and each file in there with out unzipping it with out a hitch. I'll have to try again when I have more time to play and also get some fresh new CD's. This morning in Ask Nick someone asked about burning and was told that some drives don't like certain disks. Although that is true I think the company should tell you which brand to use in their CD burners. I went through a stack of 100 once and then each one was not usable after it got spit out. They aren't expensive but then who needs to waste money these days. There should be a universal standard for those.

[clarencebunsen]

Chris,

I think the problem referenced in the column my be not the brand of the disk but the format.

Here is a link which tries to explain the variety CD & DVD formats. One thing bothered me when I read it. When the writer referred to the "size" of the disk he means the data capacity. They are all the same physical dimensions.

www.computeractive.co.uk/ca/pc-help/1915308/setting-standards-dvd-cd-formats-explained