# Can't write to a DVD



## Guest (Aug 24, 2008)

I put a blank DVD in to write files to it and my pc says there is no disc in the drive. How can I troubleshoot? The device manager says it's working properly.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

ladycat said:


> I put a blank DVD in to write files to it and my pc says there is no disc in the drive. How can I troubleshoot? The device manager says it's working properly.


Bad media? Incompatible media? A confused bruner that needs to be restarted?

Your software may not be able to communicate with your particular burner properly. Try different software.


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## Baba (Aug 7, 2008)

First, DVD's are for movies, you need data disks CD's for copying files. Check this first. Also DVD come in several types, make sure you have the right type for your drive compatabilty.


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## Guest (Aug 24, 2008)

Baba said:


> First, DVD's are for movies, you need data disks CD's for copying files. Check this first. Also DVD come in several types, make sure you have the right type for your drive compatabilty.


This is for .flv's

Would it help if I converted them to another format first?


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## Guest (Aug 24, 2008)

This is the blank DVD's I have and it says they can store data. So they should be able to store just about anything, right?

http://www.memorex.com/html/products_detail.php?section=1&SID=8&PID=1159&FID=211&opento=3


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

ladycat said:


> This is the blank DVD's I have and it says they can store data. So they should be able to store just about anything, right?


Sure. DVDs aren't just for movies, I burn data DVDs all the time.


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## Guest (Aug 24, 2008)

Nevada said:


> Try different software.


What would you recommend?


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## Guest (Sep 28, 2008)

ARGH!!

I downloaded and installed this:
http://www.download.com/BurnAware-Free/3000-2646_4-10878661.html?cdlPid=10883288

It tries to burn DVD's, but before it can get started, my tray keeps opening all by itself. So the software says there is no disk. I close the tray. The software tries again and the tray opens again.

Ad infinitum. 

What might the problem be? I REALLY need to get some files burned so I can delete them off my hard drive before I use up all my HD space.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

ladycat said:


> It tries to burn DVD's, but before it can get started, my tray keeps opening all by itself. So the software says there is no disk. I close the tray. The software tries again and the tray opens again.


It's possible that the type of DVD blank you're using isn't supported by your burner. For example, it might burn DVD-R blanks but not DVD+R blanks.

Are you trying to burn DVDs for playing on a TV DVD player, or just trying to store the clips as data files?


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## Guest (Sep 28, 2008)

Nevada said:


> It's possible that the type of DVD blank you're using isn't supported by your burner. For example, it might burn DVD-R blanks but not DVD+R blanks.
> 
> Are you trying to burn DVDs for playing on a TV DVD player, or just trying to store the clips as data files?


These are DVD+RW

How do I find out if they're the right ones?

I'm just trying to burn flash videos to store them. Not to play on a TV.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

ladycat said:


> These are DVD+RW
> 
> How do I find out if they're the right ones?
> 
> I'm just trying to burn flash videos to store them. Not to play on a TV.


I'm not sure about DVD+RWs, but the CD-RWs I've used needed to be initialized (formatted). It's also possible that your player doesn't work with DVD+RW.


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

You know I've never had a dvd(+or-)rw blank disk but I imagine it would have to be formatted. As to plain ole dvd-r, my burner will act same as you describe if I happen to get one that has anything written on it or sometimes just get dud one out of the package. Annoying if writing process craps out even if its just barely started as it wastes the blank disk. Now an rw disk you should be able to erase/reformatt and try again.

I mostly burn using K3B on linux (far as I'm concerned its best burner software out there and free), but there was a nice and very small burner program called SilentNight for windows. http://www.portablefreeware.com/?id=106 There is a free version with couple things disabled, it still worked ok for what I did. It doesnt even install and create registry entries, but is just a plain exe file. You just click it and it runs. It was simplest and most effective burner program I found for windows and only windows burner software that worked with my previous dvd burner (that was the dvd burner from hell that wasted I dont know how many blanks until I finally replaced it).


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## Gary in ohio (May 11, 2002)

Baba said:


> First, DVD's are for movies, you need data disks CD's for copying files. Check this first. Also DVD come in several types, make sure you have the right type for your drive compatabilty.[/QUOTE
> 
> First Movies are nothing but data on a dvd, second you can write any data to a DVD just like you do CD's.


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## Gary in ohio (May 11, 2002)

ladycat said:


> I put a blank DVD in to write files to it and my pc says there is no disc in the drive. How can I troubleshoot? The device manager says it's working properly.


Will it play a CD audio disk? will it read a data disk? If no to these then the drive is bad. If yes then are you sure the writer is a DVD writer or just CD? Have used used the writer before or is there first time? Do you have the correct medial -R +R -+R.


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## pcdreams (Sep 13, 2003)

you say the drive shows up in device manager.. does it show a ? or !... 

does it show up in computer (or my computer if your running xp)?

do you have Itunes on your computer?

are you running xp or vista?


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## pcdreams (Sep 13, 2003)

was your issue ever resolved?


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## redgreenbluegil (Feb 27, 2006)

I just joined the DVD burning world. I bought an external DVD burner, but when I went to burn the DVD it would open the old CD burner on the tower. Turns out when you have several drives you need to specify within the DVD burner software which drive you want to use. Make sure you've chosen the new DVD burner as the drive. At least that was my problem, hope this works for you!


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## MELOC (Sep 26, 2005)

i vote for the formatting.


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## Guest (Oct 11, 2008)

Oops, I forgot about this topic. I got busy with other things.

The issue was not resolved. I'll try to get back to working on it in a day or three.


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

Have you tried just cleaning the drive? This sort of thing happens a lot when the lens gets dirty.


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