Printable Version

Writing CDs is a two stage process:

• Stage 1: Creating the ISO file is to be done on the computer with the data files
  
  1. Arrange no more than 650MB of files into one directory on your disk. The structure of the directories and subdirectories will eventually be transferred to the CD.
  2. Use the mkisofs program to create the large ISO file and store it on the disk with temporary disk space.
     For example, on tycho's temporary disk space:

     	% cd /scr/$your_username 
     	% mkisofs -r -o /home/tycho/cdr/iso.raw -V 12AUG98-scr .
     		

     (note: The -V flag gives the volume ID)
  
  

• Stage 2: Burning the ISO file onto a disk
  
  1. Log into the computer with the CD/RW drive.
  2. Put a blank CD-R or CD-RW disk into the drive.
  3. Use the cdrecord program to burn the ISO file onto the disk
     For example:

     	cdrecord -v iso.raw
     	

     Linux Note: There is a bug in the cdrecord program when running the magicdev program and this might cause your Linux computer to crash during the fixating stage. Until this bug is fixed, please kill the magicdev program before you run cdrecord.

Mount the CD and verify the data

• TYCHO is unique because the automatic volume mounting daemon has been disabled. The automatic volume mounting daemon, vold, cannot properly handle a CD writer. This means that CDs do not automatically mount after being inserted.
  • To mount an hsfs CD on tycho:

    	% cdmount 
    		

  • To unmount an hsfs CD on tycho:

    	% cdunmount
    		

  • To eject a CD on tycho:

    	cdrecord -eject
    		

    Or, just press the eject button on the writer.
  
  
• Other Solaris and Linux computers are running an automatic volume mounting daemon. Simply insert the CD into the drive and it will automatically mount onto the directory /mnt/cdrom. If the disk was just written, you may have to run the mount command or eject then re-insert the CD.

          % mount /mnt/cdrom
                  

  To unmount a CD:

  	% eject cdrom
  		

Delete the ISO file

• Now that you have verified that your data has been written successfully, please delete your ISO file.