Very Computer

after having recorded several times on a CD-R , with Windows XP,
the CD is differently read on my CD-ROM drive and my CD-RW drive ...
the CD-ROM doesn't show all the ancient "records" i've done ... only the
CD-RW does show them all ..

can anyone explain & help me please ?

There are two aspects to this issue:
Software:
The "ancient" records may have been done in UDF (packet) mode with some
thrid-party software e.g. Roxio (former Adaptec), Nero, etc; this software
is capable of anything: UDF, CDFS (standard ISO or whatever they call it, I
don't remember) used by retail disks and all regular CD drives, or wide
compatibility format for WIndows AND UNIX, anyway, you choose format when
starting writing or when closing CD (unless you chose to always close CD in
a specific mode by default).

However, WinXP natively usually reads but not writes in UDF, it both
reads/writes only in CDFS, oldest and most compatible mode but not as
flexible, e.g. you need to erase entire CD-RW to replace just one little
file, you can't use CD-R as target for continuous data flow e.g. for
automatic backups as it requires UDF (random packet writing) i.e. you can't
add data in random order without first organizing in special staging area.
Operating System like WIndows is not required to incoude EVERYTHING, so if
you don;t like the fact WInXP does only one mode of writign, use real
software like Roxio or Nero.  Each mode has its advantages but you better
have software to do all.  I use packet UDF for frequent non-critical stuff I
know could read in CD-RW and most modern CD-ROM drives, use ISO/CDFS
(drag/drop files in WinXP natively) for critical one-time CD-R's to be
created once and forever (personal documents, Resumes, etc) to store for
decades; this ensures compatibility with ALL CD-Rom's

2. Some older CD-ROM drrives can't read multisession disks.  Both
third-party Roxio, Nero AND WinXP ware will create multisession disk if you
write on more than one occasion, obviously henece the name "multisession."
If you added to your "ancient" records more data, that second session (or
first?) may become invisible in older CD drive, as it reads only one session
TCO (Table of Content).

Solution: put your disk into CDRW or any other drive that does read
everything OK (incl. ancient records).  Copy to harddisk, from harddisk
create a new CD.  If you do that with WIndowsXP native abilities, just make
new disk and it will be CDFS/ISO regular disk.  If you use Roxio, Nero, etc.
close that disk in ISO/regular mode compatible with all standard CD drives,
or something to that effect, you should have option sin "close CD as..."
dialog boxes.  Then test in regular CD drive.