Try the following, with a cdrom in the drive;
 
mount -r -t iso9660 /dev/sr0 /mnt/cdwriter
 
assuming that you have a directory in /mnt called cdwriter.
 
If you get no errors, see if it can read the inserted cd;
 
ls -l /mnt/cdwriter
 

Originally posted by danleff:

Quote:Try the following, with a cdrom in the drive; 
mount -r -t iso9660 /dev/sr0 /mnt/cdwriter
 
assuming that you have a directory in /mnt called cdwriter.
 
Here is the reply I got:
 
[root@localhost bd]# mount -r -t iso9660 /dev/sr0 /mnt/cdwriter
mount: special device /dev/sr0 does not exist
 
 
If you get no errors, see if it can read the inserted cd;
 
ls -l /mnt/cdwriter

 

So much for a simple solution.
 
Where did you see an article or directions that the driver would work on hotplug?
 
 
Look at the following page for a troubleshooting list;
 
 
 
http://www.dragoninc.on.ca/mail-archives/linux-usb/2001-04/0198.html
 
Now we will dig further. At a console prompt, type in, as per the article
 
cdrecord -scanbus
 
To see if the scsi device is recognized. If it is, note the location as 0,0,0 or whatever it is.
 
Then (if it is);
 
tail /var/log/messages and see if you see the expected messages in the run (example - yours may be slightly different);
 
 
Apr 23 22:25:56 localhost kernel: Product: HP USB CD-Writer Plus
Apr 23 22:25:59 localhost kernel: scsi0 : SCSI emulation for USB Mass Storage devices
Apr 23 22:25:59 localhost kernel: Vendor: HP Model: CD-Writer+ 8200f Rev: 1.0A
Apr 23 22:25:59 localhost kernel: Type: CD-ROM ANSI SCSI revision: 02
Apr 23 22:25:59 localhost kernel: Detected scsi CD-ROM sr0 at scsi0, channel 0, id 0, lun 0
Apr 23 22:25:59 localhost kernel: usb-storage: Command will be truncated to fit in SENSE6 buffer.
Apr 23 22:25:59 localhost kernel: usb-storage: Command will be truncated to fit in SENSE6 buffer.
Apr 23 22:25:59 localhost kernel: sr0: scsi3-mmc drive: 168x/0x writer dvd-ram cdda caddy
 
Note the scsi device sr0 in this case.
 
If not try the more /proc/bus/usb/drivers command and see what drivers are loading.
 
Let us know what you find.
 
Then we will go from there.
 
 
 
 
 

Originally posted by danleff:

Quote:So much for a simple solution. 
Where did you see an article or directions that the driver would work on hotplug?
 
 
It was on the 'linuxcompatible' data, for the HP cdwriter 8200 usb. Besides, upon plugging the usb cable, new lines get written in /var/log/messages as stated in my first post
 
 
Look at the following page for a troubleshooting list;
 
 
 
http://www.dragoninc.on.ca/mail-archives/linux-usb/2001-04/0198.html
 
Now we will dig further. At a console prompt, type in, as per the article
 
cdrecord -scanbus
 
To see if the scsi device is recognized. If it is, note the location as 0,0,0 or whatever it is.
 
It is NOT ! a call on cdrecord -scanbus gives the following reply: "Cannot open SCSI drivers"
 
below, are the relevant lines that are in my /var/log/dmesg file:
 
usb.c: registered new driver usbdevfs
usb.c: registered new driver hub
usb-uhci.c: $Revision: 1.259 $ time 17:36:49 Sep 6 2001
usb-uhci.c: High bandwidth mode enabled
PCI: Found IRQ 11 for device 00:07.2
usb-uhci.c: USB UHCI at I/O 0x8400, IRQ 11
usb-uhci.c: Detected 2 ports
usb.c: new USB bus registered, assigned bus number 1
hub.c: USB hub found
hub.c: 2 ports detected
usb-uhci.c: v1.251:USB Universal Host Controller Interface driver
 
and now, the relevant lines in the tail of /var/log/messages:
 
 
May 22 18:39:37 localhost kernel: hub.c: USB new device connect on bus1/1, assigned device number 2
May 22 18:39:37 localhost kernel: usb.c: USB device 2 (vend/prod 0x3f0/0x107) is not claimed by any active driver.
May 22 18:39:41 localhost kernel: Initializing USB Mass Storage driver...
May 22 18:39:41 localhost kernel: usb.c: registered new driver usb-storage
May 22 18:39:41 localhost kernel: scsi0 : SCSI emulation for USB Mass Storage devices
May 22 18:39:41 localhost kernel: USB Mass Storage support registered.
 
 
 
Then (if it is);
 
tail /var/log/messages and see if you see the expected messages in the run (example - yours may be slightly different);
 
 
Apr 23 22:25:56 localhost kernel: Product: HP USB CD-Writer Plus
Apr 23 22:25:59 localhost kernel: scsi0 : SCSI emulation for USB Mass Storage devices
Apr 23 22:25:59 localhost kernel: Vendor: HP Model: CD-Writer+ 8200f Rev: 1.0A
Apr 23 22:25:59 localhost kernel: Type: CD-ROM ANSI SCSI revision: 02
Apr 23 22:25:59 localhost kernel: Detected scsi CD-ROM sr0 at scsi0, channel 0, id 0, lun 0
Apr 23 22:25:59 localhost kernel: usb-storage: Command will be truncated to fit in SENSE6 buffer.
Apr 23 22:25:59 localhost kernel: usb-storage: Command will be truncated to fit in SENSE6 buffer.
Apr 23 22:25:59 localhost kernel: sr0: scsi3-mmc drive: 168x/0x writer dvd-ram cdda caddy
 
Note the scsi device sr0 in this case.
 
 
In my case, scsi0 : "SCSI emulation for USB Mass Storage devices" without any mention of the device sr0 or anything else.
 
If not try the more /proc/bus/usb/drivers command and see what drivers are loading.
 
Let us know what you find.
 
Then we will go from there.
 
 
 
 

 

Originally posted by bernard:

Quote:Originally posted by danleff:
Quote:So much for a simple solution. 
Where did you see an article or directions that the driver would work on hotplug?
 
 
It was on the 'linuxcompatible' data, for the HP cdwriter 8200 usb. Besides, upon plugging the usb cable, new lines get written in /var/log/messages as stated in my first post
 
 
Look at the following page for a troubleshooting list;
 
 
 
http://www.dragoninc.on.ca/mail-archives/linux-usb/2001-04/0198.html
 
Now we will dig further. At a console prompt, type in, as per the article
 
cdrecord -scanbus
 
To see if the scsi device is recognized. If it is, note the location as 0,0,0 or whatever it is.
 
It is NOT ! a call on cdrecord -scanbus gives the following reply: "Cannot open SCSI drivers"
 
below, are the relevant lines that are in my /var/log/dmesg file:
 
usb.c: registered new driver usbdevfs
usb.c: registered new driver hub
usb-uhci.c: $Revision: 1.259 $ time 17:36:49 Sep 6 2001
usb-uhci.c: High bandwidth mode enabled
PCI: Found IRQ 11 for device 00:07.2
usb-uhci.c: USB UHCI at I/O 0x8400, IRQ 11
usb-uhci.c: Detected 2 ports
usb.c: new USB bus registered, assigned bus number 1
hub.c: USB hub found
hub.c: 2 ports detected
usb-uhci.c: v1.251:USB Universal Host Controller Interface driver
 
and now, the relevant lines in the tail of /var/log/messages:
 
 
May 22 18:39:37 localhost kernel: hub.c: USB new device connect on bus1/1, assigned device number 2
May 22 18:39:37 localhost kernel: usb.c: USB device 2 (vend/prod 0x3f0/0x107) is not claimed by any active driver.
May 22 18:39:41 localhost kernel: Initializing USB Mass Storage driver...
May 22 18:39:41 localhost kernel: usb.c: registered new driver usb-storage
May 22 18:39:41 localhost kernel: scsi0 : SCSI emulation for USB Mass Storage devices
May 22 18:39:41 localhost kernel: USB Mass Storage support registered.
 
 
 
Then (if it is);
 
tail /var/log/messages and see if you see the expected messages in the run (example - yours may be slightly different);
 
 
Apr 23 22:25:56 localhost kernel: Product: HP USB CD-Writer Plus
Apr 23 22:25:59 localhost kernel: scsi0 : SCSI emulation for USB Mass Storage devices
Apr 23 22:25:59 localhost kernel: Vendor: HP Model: CD-Writer+ 8200f Rev: 1.0A
Apr 23 22:25:59 localhost kernel: Type: CD-ROM ANSI SCSI revision: 02
Apr 23 22:25:59 localhost kernel: Detected scsi CD-ROM sr0 at scsi0, channel 0, id 0, lun 0
Apr 23 22:25:59 localhost kernel: usb-storage: Command will be truncated to fit in SENSE6 buffer.
Apr 23 22:25:59 localhost kernel: usb-storage: Command will be truncated to fit in SENSE6 buffer.
Apr 23 22:25:59 localhost kernel: sr0: scsi3-mmc drive: 168x/0x writer dvd-ram cdda caddy
 
Note the scsi device sr0 in this case.
 
 
In my case, scsi0 : "SCSI emulation for USB Mass Storage devices" without any mention of the device sr0 or anything else.
 
If not try the more /proc/bus/usb/drivers command and see what drivers are loading.
 
Let us know what you find.
 
Then we will go from there.
 
 
I will just add this to my late posting (posted only a few minutes ago:
 
more /proc/usb/drivers give this:
 
usbdevfs
hub
 
and, if I do the same check when the cdwriter is plugged to the usb port :
 
usbdevfs
hub
usb-storage
 
the test: more /proc/scsi/scsi gives, in both cases: Attached Devices: NONE
 
and : cdrecord -scanbus also gives same replies whether the crwriter is plugged or not: cannot open SCSI drivers.
 
I tried these on both hotplugs and coldplugs, that is that I restarted my computer while the cdwriter was plugged.
 
 


 

Oh ohh! No scsi drivers. Let's try one thing. I was not sure if this was needed.
 
At a command prompt, as root, type in modprobe ide-scsi.
 
Then try the cdrecord -scanbus command. See if you get no errors from the ide-scsi command (the screen just returns back to the command prompt with no errors) and if so, if the cdrecord -scanbus shows the drive.
 
I actually have one of these HP drives and can try it and see. The issue is that my dstro's will have ide-scsi already loaded, so it may not mimic your problems.

Originally posted by danleff:

Quote:Oh ohh! No scsi drivers. Let's try one thing. I was not sure if this was needed. 
At a command prompt, as root, type in modprobe ide-scsi.
 
Then try the cdrecord -scanbus command. See if you get no errors from the ide-scsi command (the screen just returns back to the command prompt with no errors) and if so, if the cdrecord -scanbus shows the drive.
 
 
Well, I did type modprobe ide-scsi. Once this was done, I made a new test with cdrecord -scanbus, and, indeed, I got a positive reply... but not the one that I expected: see the copy/paste below: the SANYO CRD device that has been reckognized on scsibus 1 is not my HP USB cdwriter, it is my R/O internal ide cdrom drive ! And, as you can see, nothing else is being reckognized, despites the fact that I did not forget to connect the cdwriter. There may be another module that I should launch in order to have my cdwriter reckognized, and that could possibly be a module that has not been compiled in my system.
 
However, there is another possibility, since I just discovered that my HP 8200 cdwriter may not work properly. I have just purchased it as a bargain through e-bay, since it is no longer available as new, at least, not to my knowledge. So, the used cdwriter I received has a funny behaviour, which may be due to a hardware problem, or else, it may be due to a power problem. This cdwriter is being powered by an external power source (12v DC), but, upon plugging, nothing seems to work: no lights on, and the drawer does not open. In order to get it working, I have to connect it to my PC, via the usb cable... and then, the light goes on and it becomes possible to open the drawer in pressing the button. Does this mean that part of the feeding power comes from my PC ? I need to know that for sure, since, if this is so, my PC being a laptop (Thinkpad 600), the power may then not be sufficient as a matter of amps. I used to think that only internal devices were powered through the PC, but I may be wrong...
 
Besides, I have tested the cdwriter in MSWIN environment (Win 98), and it DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY ! Upon installing the driver that I downloaded on the web for W98, the cdwriter is being reckognized in the Windows Explorer, and you can read a cd in the slot, but any trial for writing a cd, have failed. Upon introducing a blank disk in the drawer, a new window should open on the screen according to the manual... and nothing opens... instead, I can hear the cd turning and getting speed, then slowing down and getting speed again, and so on and so forth forever ; in the meantime, I can see, on the PC screen, the "wait" icon getting on and off back and forth all the time.
 
To morrow, I am going to bring this cdwriter at work and test it with a desk computer, to see if it makes any difference. I really want to know whether the usb port is supposed to provide DC power to feed such a device on top of the power module that is to be plugged to mains. Should this be the case, I would probably have to give up any hope of using this cdwriter on my laptop, unless the power that must provide the laptop is really no more than a few milliamps. The dowloaded manual says nothing about this. In the back of the cdwriter, I can read this:
 
INPUT +5v DC 1.2 amp
......+12v DC 1 amp
 
Why are there two figures for input ? Does this mean that the cdwriter may be fed either with 5v or 12v, a system being supposed to detect and adapt afterwards ? Or else, could this mean that there are two power feeding that are both necessary, one coming from a DC converter plugged on mains, the other coming from the PC through usb port ?
 
Thanks in advance for more info
 
 
[root@localhost bin]# /sbin/modprobe ide-scsi
[root@localhost bin]# cdrecord -scanbus
Cdrecord 1.9 (i686-pc-linux-gnu) Copyright 1995-2000 Jörg Schilling
Linux sg driver version: 3.1.19
Using libscg version 'schily-0.1'
scsibus1:
1,0,0 100) 'SANYO ' 'CRD-S372B ' '1.24' Removable CD-ROM
1,1,0 101) *
1,2,0 102) *
1,3,0 103) *
1,4,0 104) *
1,5,0 105) *
1,6,0 106) *
1,7,0 107) *
[root@localhost bin]#
 
 
 
I actually have one of these HP drives and can try it and see. The issue is that my dstro's will have ide-scsi already loaded, so it may not mimic your problems.
 

I think that you are correct, you need the power from both sources, USB and the AC input.
 
Also, these are older drives and only work with specific cdrw and cdr media. If I remember correctly, they have to be 2X cdrw and cdr media. This may be the issue. I bet that it will not write to anything else!
 
From the HP support page for the 8200 writer;
 
"High speed media is a special type of CD-RW media designed to allow recording from 4X to 10X speeds in a CD-writer that supports higher writing speeds. The term, high speed, is confusing. For CD-RW media, high speed is not a subjective marketing or advertising term, but an official term representing a different low-level format on the media.
 
The high speed media format prevents 1X – 4X CD-writers from being able to record to it. Trying to write to high speed media in one of these drives can produce a variety of errors depending on the recording application used. The errors produced may be strange or seemingly unrelated to the media.
 
Because the media’s format is sufficiently different from existing CD-RW media, new CD-writer hardware with the ability to write to CD-RW media faster than 4X speed is required to be able to use this media. A firmware upgrade is not sufficient to make early 1X - 4X CD-writer drives able to write to the high speed media.
 
The new high speed format only prevents 1X - 4X CD-writers from writing to the media but does not prevent them from reading information from the new media. Once recorded in a certified high speed drive, high speed media is fully readback compatible with 1X – 4X CD-writers and other MultiRead drives."

Originally posted by danleff:

Quote:I think that you are correct, you need the power from both sources, USB and the AC input. 
Also, these are older drives and only work with specific cdrw and cdr media. If I remember correctly, they have to be 2X cdrw and cdr media. This may be the issue. I bet that it will not write to anything else!
 
From the HP support page for the 8200 writer;
 
"High speed media is a special type of CD-RW media designed to allow recording from 4X to 10X speeds in a CD-writer that supports higher writing speeds. The term, high speed, is confusing. For CD-RW media, high speed is not a subjective marketing or advertising term, but an official term representing a different low-level format on the media.
 
The high speed media format prevents 1X – 4X CD-writers from being able to record to it. Trying to write to high speed media in one of these drives can produce a variety of errors depending on the recording application used. The errors produced may be strange or seemingly unrelated to the media.
 
Because the media’s format is sufficiently different from existing CD-RW media, new CD-writer hardware with the ability to write to CD-RW media faster than 4X speed is required to be able to use this media. A firmware upgrade is not sufficient to make early 1X - 4X CD-writer drives able to write to the high speed media.
 
The new high speed format only prevents 1X - 4X CD-writers from writing to the media but does not prevent them from reading information from the new media. Once recorded in a certified high speed drive, high speed media is fully readback compatible with 1X – 4X CD-writers and other MultiRead drives."
 
*************************************
 
My later post doesn't seem to have reached here... I can't remember what exactly was in it... I wrote it from another address, my business address, nevertheless it should be there...
 
In any case, I discovered something else. My newly purchased used cdwriter had been modified by its former owner. Most likely, the mains power module had given up, as it is often the case (it happens to me with the power module of a HP scanner). Here in France, these parts are sold at unbelievable prices: while a scanner or a cdwriter are being sold at a no more than 20% higher price than in the US, spare parts, in the other hand, run about ten times higher. So, the former owner of my cdwriter has modified the external power supply. The cdwriter should be fed with both 5v DC and 12vDC ; the power slot had three pins, one for the 5 DC, the other one for 12 DV, and the midlle one for common (minus, ground). This original slot was made useless, and a two wires cable did replace it, with only 12V DC.
 
I have tried to feed the system as it should have been fed, using two regulated power modules, and clamps for the connexion. And then, I had a surprise ! Under Linux, the system is now being reckognised as scd0 device. That means that the command
 
# mount /dev/scd0 /mnt/cdwriter
 
said OK (I mean, it returned the shell script), except that it says that scd0 was being mounted as read only. In /var/log/messages, the cdwriter is being reckognized for what it is, that is, HP 8200 plus usb cdwriter. I have been able to read the cdrom content, which was not the case before. However, upon trying to mount a recordable disc, the system said that it had still been mounted as R/O, but this need to be investigated a bit further, using stable power supply instead of clamps that are not very stable.
 
In any case, I am going to try finding an appropriate power
module and test it in better conditions. Then I will tell you more.
 
Thanks a lot for all the already provided help.
 
 
 
 

Originally posted by bernard:

Quote:Originally posted by danleff:

I think that you are correct, you need the power from both sources, USB and the AC input. 
Also, these are older drives and only work with specific cdrw and cdr media. If I remember correctly, they have to be 2X cdrw and cdr media. This may be the issue. I bet that it will not write to anything else!
 
[stuff deleted]
 
*************************************
 
In any case, I discovered something else. My newly purchased used cdwriter had been modified by its former owner. Most likely, the mains power module had given up, as it is often the case (it happens to me with the power module of a HP scanner). Here in France, these parts are sold at unbelievable prices: while a scanner or a cdwriter are being sold at a no more than 20% higher price than in the US, spare parts, in the other hand, run about ten times higher. So, the former owner of my cdwriter has modified the external power supply. The cdwriter should be fed with both 5v DC and 12vDC ; the power slot had three pins, one for the 5 DC, the other one for 12 DV, and the midlle one for common (minus, ground). This original slot was made useless, and a two wires cable did replace it, with only 12V DC.
 
I have tried to feed the system as it should have been fed, using two regulated power modules, and clamps for the connexion. And then, I had a surprise ! Under Linux, the system is now being reckognised as scd0 device. That means that the command
 
# mount /dev/scd0 /mnt/cdwriter
 
said OK (I mean, it returned the shell script), except that it says that scd0 was being mounted as read only. In /var/log/messages, the cdwriter is being reckognized for what it is, that is, HP 8200 plus usb cdwriter. I have been able to read the cdrom content, which was not the case before. However, upon trying to mount a recordable disc, the system said that it had still been mounted as R/O, but this need to be investigated a bit further, using stable power supply instead of clamps that are not very stable.
 
In any case, I am going to try finding an appropriate power
module and test it in better conditions. Then I will tell you more.
 
Thanks a lot for all the already provided help.
 
 
 

 
***********************************
 
There we are: I have stuffed my HP 8200 cdwriter with a second power module. It now gets fed with both 12v and 5v as it should.
 
So, as said before, the apparatus is now being reckognized by Linux. After a few trials, I found that it mounted on scd0, not on sr0 or anything else like sda1 or else. In /proc/scsi/scsi, I get:
 
[root@localhost bd]# more /proc/scsi/scsi
Attached devices:
Host: scsi0 Channel: 00 Id: 00 Lun: 00
Vendor: HP Model: CD-Writer+ 8200 Rev: 1.0f
Type: CD-ROM ANSI SCSI revision: 02
[root@localhost bd]#
 
cdrecord -scanbus gives:
 
[root@localhost bin]# cdrecord -scanbus
Cdrecord 1.9 (i686-pc-linux-gnu) Copyright 1995-2000 Jörg Schilling
Linux sg driver version: 3.1.19
Using libscg version 'schily-0.1'
scsibus0:
0,0,0 0) 'HP ' 'CD-Writer+ 8200 ' '1.0f' Removable CD-ROM
0,1,0 1) *
0,2,0 2) *
0,3,0 3) *
0,4,0 4) *
0,5,0 5) *
0,6,0 6) *
0,7,0 7) *
[root@localhost bin]#
 
Mounting tests gives this:
 
[root@localhost bd]# mount -r -t iso9660 /dev/scd0 /mnt/cdwriter
[root@localhost bd]#
 
which means that it succeeded in mounting.
 
a dir on the mounted directory gives:
 
[root@localhost bd]# ls -l /mnt/cdwriter
total 11947
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 5653836 Sep 13 1999 ar40fra.exe
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 4310227 Nov 15 1999 data1.cab
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 8327 Nov 15 1999 data1.hdr
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 96 Nov 15 1999 DATA.TAG
dr-xr-xr-x 1 root root 2048 Nov 30 1999 enc
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 1299494 Oct 22 1999 ency.bmp
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 296674 Feb 23 1999 _inst32i.ex_
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 27648 Oct 27 1998 _ISDel.exe
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 23541 Jan 12 1999 lang.dat
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 628 Nov 15 1999 layout.bin
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 450 Jul 27 1998 os.dat
dr-xr-xr-x 1 root root 165888 Nov 30 1999 PlanchesJpg
dr-xr-xr-x 1 root root 24576 Nov 30 1999 plancheszip0
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 1127 Nov 15 1999 Readme.txt
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 34816 Oct 8 1998 _Setup.dll
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 73728 Jan 12 1999 Setup.exe
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 100 Nov 15 1999 SETUP.INI
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 59860 Nov 15 1999 setup.ins
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 49 Nov 15 1999 setup.lid
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 177755 Nov 15 1999 _sys1.cab
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 4106 Nov 15 1999 _sys1.hdr
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 14655 Nov 15 1999 _user1.cab
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 4684 Nov 15 1999 _user1.hdr
[root@localhost bd]#
 
which is OK. However, if I try to go into the directory called
PlanchesJpg, which directory contains hundreds of large images files, and then if I try to list those files, it takes an awful lot of time, maybe one minute or more, before anything appears on display. In the meantime, while I wait, I can hear the cdrom spinning at increasing and decreasing speeds... I therefore wonder if there is still a power problem... or else, maybe something needs a cleansing job inside the cdrom driver... I will bother with that later on.
 
Now, let us try with a virgin recordable disc in the drawer:
 
[root@localhost bd]# mount -r -t iso9660 /dev/scd0 /mnt/cdwriter
mount: wrong fs type, bad option, bad superblock on /dev/scd0,
or too many mounted file systems
[root@localhost bd]#
 
This is what I get. Nothing to be surprised about, since, indeed, a virgin disc is not supposed to be read. A write instruction instead of -r, does not work either:
 
[root@localhost bd]# mount -w -t iso9660 /dev/scd0 /mnt/cdwriter
mount: block device /dev/scd0 is write-protected but explicit `-w' flag given
[root@localhost bd]#
 
So, where do I go from there ? How am I to record anything on this disc ? Must I make use of cdrecord ? The person who wrote something on "Linuxcompatible" about HP usb cdwriter 8200, seems to mean that no software is required ; I therefore imagine that it must be possible to do direct file copying, something like:
 
cp -R mydirectory /mnt/cdwriter/.
 
By the way, I remember what you mentioned about disc media that would be suitable for record with such an old cdwriter. The cdrom media that I am making use of for writing, are those which I use on my other desk computer which operates a yet older cdwriter (this is a Traxdata C550 or something like that, working with a SCSI module, driven with Xcdroast on Linux 2.2.5-15 (RedHat 6.0). So, if these discs work fine on this very old system, I suppose that they are fit for the newer one. On these recordable discs, not much is written, and no more in the box : "SONY CD-R 700 MB recordable supremas". Nothing is being mentioned as far as recording speed or anything else. As a matter of fact, when purchasing recordable discs, it never happened that I found any that were unsuitable for writing on the very old system I just spoke of. However, I almost always buy something different, since the stores do not carry the same models for long.
 
Thanks in advance for any more hints,
 
Bernard