6.3. Searching the lost UDF files on CD-R/DVD-R/DVD+R disks

A correct reading of UDF files and folders on write-once media (CD-R/DVD-R/DVD+R/DVD+R DL) is provided by Virtual Allocation Table (VAT). Each time, when you add, change or delete files on the disc, UDF mastering program creates a new VAT that reflects a new state of your disk. A new VAT is being placed on the disk physically, when you eject the disk from your computer drive. VAT's location is crucial for the disks created with the help of drag & drop software, such as well-known Roxio (Adaptec) DirectCD and Drag-To-Disc. If the VAT can not be found or is corrupted, files will be missing.

If your CD-R/DVD-R/DVD+R/DVD+R DL is recognized as UDF one, but when you try to open the disk, you get the error message about unreadable root folder - this means the last VAT is not found. Also, if you have accidently deleted some files, a new VAT does not point to them. To recover the deleted files, you should use the previous VATs.

There are two main ways to find the lost files:

1. Using Scan UDF Disc from the Tools menu.

2. Searching an old VATs in order to recover the files from the previous backups.

The first method is described in the section 6.4. To search all VATs, please do the following:

·	Click the Preferences button in the Tool Bar or select the same option from the View menu. Check the 'Search of all VATs' box on the UDF Reader tab in the Preferences dialog. Click the OK button to close the Preferences.

·	Click the Refresh button in the Tool Bar. After a while the program will display a progress dialog similar to the one shown here:

SearchDialog

·	when the process is completed, you should see the confirmation message:

VATs_found

·	Click the OK button. Now, an each backup is shown as a separate "session" in the program window. When you will see a new disk image (icon) in the program window, please use built-in Session Selector (see the section 6.2) for access to all backups.

Note. Please do not search all VATs on the following disks:

- CD-RW/DVD-RW/DVD+RW (CD/DVD re-writable media),

- DVD-R and DVD+R created by DVD personal recorder (standalone device) and DVD camcorder.

These disks do not contain VAT at all.