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{{Multiple issues|{{Notability|Products|date=April 2012}}
{{primary sources|date=April 2012}}
}}
{{Infobox Software
|name= Drive Letter Access
|screenshot=
|caption=
|developer= [[Sonic Solutions]]
|latest release version= 5.21 build 01C 
|latest release date= April 30, 2008
|operating system= [[Microsoft Windows]]
|genre= [[Optical disc authoring software]]
|license= [[Commercial software|commercial]] [[proprietary software]]
|website= {{URL|http://www.roxio.com/enu/products/dla/}}
}}

'''Drive Letter Access''' ('''DLA''') is a discontinued commercial [[packet writing]] application for the [[Microsoft Windows]] operating system that allows [[optical disc]] [[data storage device]]s to be used in a manner similar to [[floppy disk]]s. DLA is a packet writing technology for [[compact disk|CD]] and [[DVD]] media that uses the [[Universal Disk Format|UDF]] [[file system]].

DLA is not compatible with Windows Vista and newer, although a patch exists to fix this issue under Windows Vista.<ref name="vista-patch">{{Citation | url = http://kb.roxio.com/search.aspx?URL=/content/kb/Creator/000131CR&PARAMS= | title = Drive Letter Access driver blocked on Vista launch | id = Knowledgebase Article 000131CR | work = Roxio Knowledgebase | publisher = [[Roxio]] | accessdate = April 29, 2012 | quote = Through a clerical error, a driver is incorrectly being blocked as incompatible with Windows Vista}}</ref>

Roxio Burn was introduced on April 30, 2009.<ref>{{Citation | url = http://www.roxio.com/enu/company/press/releases/2009/09-04-30-2-pr.html | title = Roxio Delivers Essential Burning Solution for Windows 7 Users | work = Press release | accessdate = April 29, 2012 | publisher = [[Roxio]] | date = April 30, 2009 | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20090613043837/http://www.roxio.com/enu/company/press/releases/2009/09-04-30-2-pr.html | archivedate = June 13, 2009}}</ref> As a replacement for DLA, it remedies compatibility issues [[Internet Explorer 8]].<ref>{{Citation | url = http://www.roxio.com/enu/products/dla/overview.html | title = Roxio Burn | work = Product page | publisher = [[Roxio]] | accessdate = April 29, 2012 | quote = DLA is now called Roxio Burn | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120505220012/http://www.roxio.com/enu/products/dla/overview.html | archive-date = May 5, 2012 | url-status = dead }}</ref><ref>{{Citation | url = http://support.microsoft.com/kb/969228/en-us | title = The Drive Letter Access add-on does not work with Internet Explorer 8 or Internet Explorer 9 | work = [[Microsoft Knowledge Base]] | publisher = [[Microsoft]] | accessdate = April 29, 2012 | quote = Drive Letter Access is now named Roxio Burn}}</ref>

== History ==
DLA was originally developed by [[VERITAS Software]] and later sold to [[Sonic Solutions]] in 2002. It was common as it was shipped with a majority of CD and DVD recording drives, where DLA came as a custom [[OEM]] version for the branded drive. Also, most [[Personal computer|PC]] systems from [[Dell]], [[Hewlett-Packard|HP]], [[IBM]], [[Sony]] and [[Toshiba]] came with DLA pre-installed. An OEM version was often available for download for the specific computer system.

With Windows Vista support for DLA was either dropped<ref>{{Citation | url = http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/kcs/document?docid=118939 | title = Optical Drive May Not Eject With Sonic Solutions Roxio Record Now 7.0 DLA Installed | work = Dell Knowledge Base | publisher = [[Dell]] | accessdate = April 29, 2012 | quote = Sonic Solutions DLA is no longer supported.}}</ref> or it was replaced by a similar product, like [[Drag-to-Disc]].<ref>{{Citation | url = http://support.lenovo.com/en_US/detail.page?LegacyDocID=MIGR-60165 | title = Drag2Disc software | work = Lenovo Support | publisher = [[Lenovo]] | accessdate = April 29, 2012 | quote = Drive Letter Access is replaced by Drag2Disc.}}</ref>

== Technology ==
To use an optical medium such as a CD-R, CD-RW, DVD±R or DVD±RW just like a floppy drive it is necessary to utilize a technique called packet writing. After formatting the optical media it is then possible to write data in small packets, hence the name “packet writing.” The optical drive unit has to support the ability to write in small units, which all modern CD and DVD recording drives do. This way it is possible to save files onto optical media, as well as change, rename or delete them, or copy files separately onto the media.

Without packet writing, optical media like the above-mentioned would have to be written on in one big block, like Disc At Once ([[optical disc recording modes|DAO]]), Session At Once ([[optical disc recording modes|SAO]]) and Track At Once ([[optical disc recording modes|TAO]]), because these media types normally do not support sectors. After formatting with packet writing the medium is sectored in blocks that can be written to individually. The preferred file system is the [[Universal Disk Format]] (UDF) in versions from 1.50 onward, which is also used by DLA.

Packet writing is not required for writing [[DVD-RAM]]. DVD-RAM media are already sectored (which can be seen when looking at the surface of an empty DVD-RAM disc) and the [[hardware logic]] of DVD-RAM capable drives supports sectored read/write operations as required by the DVD-RAM standard. However, for Windows up to 2000, DLA will also add support for DVD-RAM together with the UDF file system, for Windows XP DLA will only add the UDF support.
<br />DLA also supports the [[Mount Rainier (packet writing)|Mount Rainier]] standard with MRW capable drives. For Windows up to XP DLA will provide this functionality as well as the UDF support.

Windows XP is the first Windows operating system to support DVD-RAM. Windows Vista is the first Windows operating system to support full UDF functionality (UDF up to version 2.50, full support meaning read and write operations) and Mount Rainier.

== Versions ==
DLA is available only for [[Microsoft Windows]] [[operating system]]s and only in the [[English language]].

* Version 4.95 runs on Windows 98SE, Me, NT 4.0, 2000 and XP.
* Version 5.21 is the most recent version for Windows 98SE, Me, 2000 and XP.
''Note:'' Most OEM versions officially support only Windows 2000 and XP; however, DLA itself also runs on older versions of Windows, like  Windows 98 Second Edition and Windows Me, as well as  Windows NT 4.0.

A patch is required for Windows Vista compatibility, but it only works on the retail or trial version. The one exception is the Dell OEM version, but instead of patching DLA it will simply install Drag-to-Disc as a replacement.<ref name="vista-patch" />

== Known problems ==
* DLA is not compatible with Internet Explorer 8.
* DLA can cause stop errors ([[Blue Screen of Death|BSoD]]) on the Windows Server 2003 operating system.
* DLA can lock up a Windows XP system when a rewritable (RW) disc is inserted.
* DLA may prevent ejection of media from an optical drive. When this occurs, a solution is to restart the operating system. 
* DLA may prevent installation of a program distributed on a rewritable CD or DVD. A solution is to deactivate DLA as follows:
#Launch [[Windows Explorer]] or open its My Computer component.
#Select the RW drive.
#Right click on the drive.
#Click "Properties"
#Click the "Hardware" tab
#Deselect (uncheck) <code>Use with DLA</code>
* DLA can block upgrade to Windows 7 on Vista systems where this is installed, and can be very difficult to uninstall.

== See also ==
* [[Live File System]]

Techniques used by DLA:
* [[Mount Rainier (packet writing)]]
* [[Universal Disk Format]]

Competing applications:
* Nero [[InCD]]
* Roxio [[Drag-to-Disc]] (formerly Adaptec [[DirectCD]])

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120505220012/http://www.roxio.com/enu/products/dla/overview.html Official home page]
* [http://www.argentuma.com/backup/software/dla.html About DLA] – An article about DLA from Argentum.
* Free DLA Software v [https://web.archive.org/web/20121025205722/http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareDescription.jsp?swItem=ob-37203-1 5.2] from HP
* Free DLA Software v [http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?sitestyle=lenovo&lndocid=MIGR-40970 5.21 build 01C] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070103234026/http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?sitestyle=lenovo&lndocid=MIGR-40970 |date=2007-01-03 }} from Lenovo

{{Optical disc image software}}

[[Category:Disk file systems]]
[[Category:Optical disc authoring]]

Drive Letter Access - Revision history

imported>InternetArchiveBot: Rescuing 1 sources and tagging 0 as dead.) #IABot (v2.0.9.5