# Solved: Burning data files to DVD larger than 2GB



## Moby (Mar 19, 2002)

I want to back up captured camcorder DV avi files as data onto DVD's but Nero tells me it can't burn files larger than 2GB because of limitations to the iso 9660 joilet standard. Am I missing something? Can I burn data files with any programme larger than 2GB? I'm not interested in INCD or DirectCD packet writing.
Thanks.


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## daz1 (Nov 4, 2006)

have just this very minute backed up video files to dvd but compressed them first,not sure if this helps you


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## Moby (Mar 19, 2002)

Yeah I know I can compress them or convert them but I wanted to keep them in their untouched format for any future editing/converting/movie making and for this I pay in file size.
How did you 'compress' by the way?


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Not that I'm aware of. That's a basic limitation of DVD media formats. That's why video files are broken up into 2gig VOB files.


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## allenkc (Feb 6, 2003)

No, it can be done. I have done this myself. Since you are just writing data, it won't matter. When you open the DVD wizard, there is an option called UDF. Select this and burn as ususal. You can burn any size file (as long as it isn't bigger than the DVD itself). Hope that helps.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

UDF is packet format, which is the most unreliable way on the planet to store files on DVD's. In case you missed in the first message.


> I'm not interested in INCD or DirectCD packet writing.
> Thanks.


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## allenkc (Feb 6, 2003)

Sorry I wasn't aware that UDF and packet writing was the same. I was just trying to give a suggestion.


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## Moby (Mar 19, 2002)

Thanks allenkc. Yes they are the same. Don't rely on those files to always be there if they are important to you.


> That's why video files are broken up into 2gig VOB files.


Ah that's why. I never put 2 and 2 together. I can split the files no worries but it's a pain. I'll mark solved unless MysticEyes or Slipe knows of a miracle?


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

allenkc said:


> Sorry I wasn't aware that UDF and packet writing was the same. I was just trying to give a suggestion.


And I was just trying to point out that suggestion was already covered.


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## MysticEyes (Mar 30, 2002)

I think there is a bit of confusion here on UDF. Any playable DVD video is burned as UDF, in this case it is not the same as CD packet writing, and is actually part of the DVD spec. Anyone who has burned DVD's has used UDF with version 1.02 being preferred.

If you were to use ImgBurn's 'Build' function to create an ISO from VIDEO_TS folders you would see that it defaults to ISO9660 + UDF under Options-> File System.

_ISO 9660 have been used as the main CD format for many years now. Most of the CD nowadays still use this format, the benefit of this format is that it is readable by all CD drive or CD player, and can be shared between PC and MAC.

Universal Disk Format (UDF) is a newer file system for CD and DVD developed and managed by the Optical Storage Technology Association as the successor to the ISO 9660 standard. UDF overcomes limitations of ISO 9660 and redirectors such as CDFS. UDF is used to ensure compatibility across platforms, as well as among various CD and DVD applications. *UDF is required for DVDs, and is used by DVD to contain MPEG audio/video streams,* UDF is also used by CD-R and CD-RW in a process called packet writing that makes CD writing more efficient in terms of the time and disk space required. _

You _may_ be able to simply rename the large AVI to something else, like XXXXX.dat, to overcome the original 2GB AVI size limit.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Hmm... I was unaware that UDF had a dual meaning, I stand (or rather sit) corrected.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

allenkc said:


> No, it can be done. I have done this myself. Since you are just writing data, it won't matter. When you open the DVD wizard, there is an option called UDF. Select this and burn as ususal. You can burn any size file (as long as it isn't bigger than the DVD itself). Hope that helps.


I owe you an apology, you were correct and I was indeed wrong on this point.  I'm cooking a 2.4gig file on a DVD-RW in UDF format to test if there are any issues, but I suspect not.

Learn something every day.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

The UDF test was successful, seems to work fine. I'll remember this for the next time I need to put a big file on a DVD.


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## MysticEyes (Mar 30, 2002)

To further muddle the waters I just created a 2.67GB AVI by appending the AVI on itself in Vdub.

Using NeroExpress (ver. 6) I chose DVD -> Data -> Data disc. I added the AVI and it took it with no complaints and burned it. 

I just now took a 3.98GB mpeg and renamed to .avi, again Nero Express took it with no complaints.


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## Moby (Mar 19, 2002)

I tried the Nero Express (6) route and although it took a 3.7GB. file and burned it, I couldn't read the disc after.
The UDF option works fine though so I'm happy and solved. Thanks MysticEyes.
allenkc, looks like you were the genius all along too.


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