At initialization time, the CD-ROM Device Manager will issue the READ DISC INFORMATION command with TYPE code = 00h to determine if the drive supports the reading of multi-session photo CD discs. If the drive indicates it supports the reading of multi-session photo CD discs (by returning with the PhotoCD bit set in the returned READ DISC INFORMATION data block) the CD-ROM Device Manager will issue the READ DISC INFORMATION command with TYPE code = 01h whenever media is first mounted in the drive.

If the adapter device driver indicates that a multi-session disc is mounted, the CD-ROM Device Manager will use the returned last session address to map subsequent read requests for Volume Descriptor sectors to the Volume Descriptor sectors in the last session on the disc. With this implementation, the responsibility of mapping sectors is done by the CD-ROM Device Manager and not by each adapter device driver.