What Is Roxio UDF Reader for Windows?

Data on an old CD might not be lost; it may be in a different format.

The Roxio UDF Reader for Windows is a piece of software produced by Roxio that enables certain MultiRead CD-ROM drives to read UDF formatted CD-RW and DVD discs. The Roxio UDF Reader is one of the most popular UDF readers available, usually bundled with the company's DirectCD software. Versions of the Roxio's Reader are available for download free of charge.

Definition

UDF stands for "Universal Disk Format," a format typically used for write-once and rewritable media. Sometimes, UDF is called "packet writing," a term which refers to the way UDF format incrementally adds data to a disk. Packet writing allows multiple writes within a single track.

History

In the early days of recordable CDs for personal computers, data could only be recorded to a disk by copying an exact image of the data in a single, unalterable burn. This was unacceptable for many users who wished to add data to a disk incrementally over time. Thus, the data format standard UDF gained preference. However, Windows machines up to Windows XP did not support UDF packet writing, requiring users to download one of a variety of drivers created by third parties (Roxio's, for example). This, ironically, is one of the principal difficulties of the Universal Disk Format: it lacks universality.

Size and Compatability

The Roxio UDF reader download is about 540KB. Roxio claims the software is compatible with Windows 98 and 98 SE, Windows ME and Windows 2000/XP.

Format Issue

Because data is saved on the CD or DVD in the UDF format, attempts to access that data on another machine that does not have UDF support software will most likely prove unsuccessful.

ISO Standard

UDF is based on the ISO/IEC 13346 standard, now ECMA-167.

References

• Roxio Statement about UDF
• ECMA-167 Standard