Can CD drives read minidiscs? If so, how?

Question

I have a minidisc, and wish to extract the files stored on it. However, the only drive I have to work with is a CD drive.

Can it read the minidisc, or do I need another kind of drive?

And if it can read it, is there any particular method of reading the information I need to know about?

Answer 1

Hello,
In answer to your question. Your standard CD-R should handle it and it will automatically sellect the size. Try it You won't ruin anything. To find the files, try this:

Put the Mini-CD iin your CD-R as you would any standard CD, your CD-R should start reading the contents. Right click on "START', then Left click on "EXPLORE" You will see a split window, which is called the "Explore Screen which has two fields in it.".The tall narrow field to the left has a column of folders and Icons in it. I call this a tree, which provides access to all the drives, folders, files and programs in your computer. Your CD Rom Icon will be shown towards the bottom of the tree (generally shown as "D" drive). Left click on it to see what's on the disk. You'll see all the Icons, folders and, or individual files that are on the CD-ROM in the large window to the right. At this point you can do anything you want with the contents of this disk. I hope this provides the answer to your question to your satisfaction.

Now, I don't mean to be presumptious, or to insult your intelligence. You may be the smartest computer Guru there is, maybe smarter than me. If this is the case, disregard anything I say from here on out. But just in case you could use a cheap lesson. Please let me share some very handy things with you and you may print this out for future reference because it's very important key to organizing the contents of your computer. So, here goes.

IT'S ALL ABOUT FILING: Still in your explore screen. Notice that many of the folders in the tree have little plus signs in boxes to the left of them. This means that there are other folders within these folders. The folders that do not have these signs only contain individual files. Click on the "plus" sign of any of these folders and all the sub-folders that are within this main folder will appear and line up underneith and slightly to the right, and the plus becomes a minus. In this case, I call the main folder the file drawer and the sub-folders underneith become the subject folders. Push the "Minus" sign, the file closes and all the sub-folders disappear. Pushing the plus behind any folder affectively opens the drawer for to access all the files inside. At which time you may click on any folder which displays the contents of the folder in the large window to the right. If the sub-folder has a plus sign beside it, this means that there are one, or more folders within this folder, left click on the "plus" and it displays all the folders within this sub-folder just as it does with the main folder (drawer). You see, a computer is nothing more than a virtual "filing room" that contains filing cabinets with drawers which contain folders. These folders may contain other folders and/or files, plus other items such as pictures, documents, video clips and programs. Creating and organizing a virtual filing system within your computer can be as complex as any conventional filing system in an office complex. But, is much easier, because you don't have to worry about getting everything in alphabetical order. This is done automatically. If you can visioualize and organize a file system within your computer based upon this train of thought, everything becomes so much simpler to find and work with.

PROCESSING AND WORKING WITH DISK CONTENT. DISK, OR FOLDER, IT'S ALL HANDLED THE SAME WAY. Contents of a disk and, or a folder could be anything from video clips, pictures, documenrts, even programs, all filed in individual folders, or quite possibly all thrown together on the disk. So, where do we go from here?

Please allow me to pass some tips to you concerning using explore to work with anything that might be on a disk, or in a folder. Explore happens to be a very powerful tool for creating and managing folders and files, which includes moving files around within the computer (Using "Drag and Drop", or "Copy/Cut and Paste" methods). It's also very handy for loading software into the computer.

INSTALL A PROGEAM: By chance there may be a program on a disk you want to install, just open the disk and "double" left click on the Icon of the program. This starts the install process, from there just follow the instructions as the installation progresses.

TO CREATE A NEW FOLDER and transfer saved, or copied content into it. It's possible that you are working with new data about a certain subject and must create a new folder to put the new data into. To do this open up the explore window. Then go to the directory area or folder (left window where the tree is located) that you wish to put the new folder into, left click on it to open it. Then point on "File" button (upper right corner of the screen)and Left click on it. Hold mouse pointer on "New". An extended menu appears, then cilck on "Folder". A new folder Icon appears in the right window with a blank box below it having a blinking curser within it. You should give an appropriate name to this new folder at this point, otherwise it will be called "New Folder". Just type type in the name and hit "Enter" the new name appears within the box. To change or edit a folder, or file name, simply right click on the item. A dropdown menu appears, click on remame and a blue highlight appears over the old name. Hit the right "arrow" key to edit, the "Enter" Key to erase, the blue highlight will then disappear, but the blinking curser remains. Type the new name, or desired changes and hit return.. At which point, if you have a saved, or copied item in que and you are ready to put it in this file, just left click on this folder, or possibly any appropriate folder which will open it. Next, with the mouse pointer located inside the blank large window to the right, right click, then left click on paste. Whatever you copied, or saved into que from the CD, or folder will then appear in the new folder you just named. You will notice in the copy and paste window, that you'll also see cut. When you cut the item from the source, you affectively cut the item out of the source folder into Que, which when Pasteing to the new folder, has been deleted from source folder. To copy, means that while placing the item into the new folder, it still remains in the source folder.

TO VIEW AND MOVE FILES FROM ONE FOLDER TO ANOTHER: To view contents in a particular folder just left click on the folders. The files, and other types of content within the designated source will then appear in the larger window to the right and is designated as the particular folder you just opened. From there it's just a matter of doing "copy/cut" and paste." The nice thing about having content and other data such as saved documents, pictures and/or other content within a certain catagory filed in appropriate folders, is that if you want to move, copy, or back them up in batches, it's handy to be able to move, copy and back up one file with all it's contents in one operation.

Gee, I did not intend to go on like this, but I tend to do this if I'm passionate about what I'm into. If you have other questions, please do not hesitate to email me, My experience with computers goes back over thirty years. And please do not be offended in the event I supplied "too much info", insulted your intelligence with things you already knew.

Best to you,
I am [e-mail]

Answer 2

A mini disk works the same way a normal CD works. Normal CD drives will read a mini disk. If you open your CD drive you will notice that there is a lowered section in the middle. This indent is designed for mini disks. All you do is put the mini disk in the indent and close the drive. If there is an auto play file on the disk or depending on you Operating System setting, the disk will open a window automatically to show you what is on the disk. If no window opens, you will have to open "My Computer" and double click the CD drive yourself.

Answer 3

Yes, your CD drive is enough . Just place the minidisc at the inner ring of the CD drive tray , close the drive , access the minidisc just like any other cdrom.

Answer 4

Yes normal Cd/Dvd roms can read Mini disks. These drives are designed in way that capable of reading Mini disc and ordinary discs.
What you need to do is place the mini disc in the lower circle of the cd-rom tray . That's it u r job is finished. Every thing will take care of by drive.

Answer 5

Well not all CD/DVD drive can read mini disks. But normally u dont need any special drive for this purpose. U hav to look your CD/DVD roms mannual wether it supports mini disks or not. If not then u gonna hav to use some other CD/DVD rom which supports mini disks.


Neo

Answer 6

you is purely no longer waiting to make it study the disc. It sounds as notwithstanding you've a cd pressure and DVD-R is a DVD format and could require a DVD pressure. you'll both favor to purchase a sparkling pressure or ask someone who has a pressure to reveal you the images (and likely burn them on to a CD in the experience that they have a CD burner, notwithstanding it would want to genuinely take more desirable than one CD as DVDs carry way extra documents)

Answer 7

yes you can read the mini cd in the regelar cd-rom but there is a special cd-rom for mini cd and there avalibel for the labtop

Answer 8

yeah... mine does.... just put it in the center and it should do..

i dont think there is a "special" drive designed to read "only" mini disks...

so try it in your regular CD drive

Answer 9

yes, you just need to put it inside....