Write protected..

[Sophtware]

Hi


I have a AOL startup disk...and when i try to delete the contents.. i get a message saying that it is either "full or write protected" how do i go about taking that write protected stuff out so i can use the blank disc?

Thanks.

[parksie]

Push the little tab in

[HarryW]

Heh, yeah there should be two holes in each of the bottom corners of the disk (assuming it's a high density disk which it almost certainly is) and one of them, when you look on the back, should have a little square of plastic or rubber which can slide so that the hole is either open or closed. You need to make it closed to make the disk writeable. If the little tab is missing (they fall out sometimes) then you can use some tape or a sticker or something to cover both sides of the hole and close it up.

[Sophtware]

I should have mentioned that it is a Compact Disc
not a floppy disk.

[parksie]

Then of course you can't delete anything!

Harry...do you think Sopht's trying to wind people up? He must be bored

[HarryW]

Hmm could be

Good uses for AOL CDs:

• makeshift frisbee
• coaster for putting your tea/coffee on
• target practice (for any marksmanship excercise)
• wrecking your friends' computers
• wrecking anybody's computer
• signalling for help when marooned by reflecting the sun off them (I swear those AOL CDs get everywhere)
• sticking loads onto a pole and rolling your lawn with them
• ... running out of ideas here....
• ... nope, that's all I can think of

If anyone can think of anything I missed, please say. My apologies if I forgot something.

[Sophtware]

You even get aol in europe... what the ****...

[Benjamin]

I throw them at my brothers friend...

sometimes I feel evil and sharpen the edges

j/k

[Knut]

ever tried to break them? Of course, they may be too flexible. Put a CD in the fridge (even better - deep-freezer) for an hour or so. That will serve two purposes:
1. you really have a cool CD!
2. they will crack more easily.

Then, once you applied the crack, you will be busy for hours, specially if you do it inside...

[parksie]

Or put one in the microwave, Jeremy Clarkson-style.

[Knut]

well I don't think a cd contains enough water to show any effect in the microwave, unless of course there are lots of files on it like water.jpg, ocean.bmp, waves.gif(animated of course)...

OK, enough chiding. There IS of course a way to use the CD.
Go to the kitchen (forgot, you are there already, or where do you have the microwave?), get yourself some aluminium foil and cut it so it EXACTLY fits the CD. The tricky thing is, dont get it crumpled. You then glue it to the CD (Honey or any sugar-based softdrink works well as adhesive, as long as it's no "LIGHT".

The beauty is, you can even have double-sided media this way!

[parksie]

It's not the water - it's the aluminium data layer inside the CD...

Full power = a rather nice light show

[Benjamin]

yeah, I've put them in the MW before, but I pulled them out and made sculptures before anything serious could happen

microwaving Cds

Don't do it at work! I did, the arcing and smoke was quite a pleasing effect , unfortunately I forgot to take into account the VESDA (very early smoke detection apparatus) in the computer room down the hall. The machine will pick up a bush fire 20km away from our site. Let's just say the fire brigade attended very promptly.

[tumblingdown]

I've seen this.

Why do you do that?



td.

[Knut]

even it's an AOL-CD???????????????????????????????

[parksie]

Er...maybe because it looks nice?

[HarryW]

You would certainly think so, and that would seem logical, but we get inundated with AOL CDs in the UK too. There is no escape, it seems.

AOL is a virus, we've got them here in Australia, can't pick up a computing magazine without one of their CDs falling out.

Honeybee, years ago I went out with a girl who used two mini Cds as ear rings. It looked good in the discos and clubs.