I can't burn on dvd-rw disc anymore

dvd are read only.
dvd-r; dvd+r and dvd-rw are the re-writeable discs. mostly once only.

DVD Media Formats Explained
There are many different types of writable and rewritable DVD media on the market today. These formats include:

• DVD-RAM
• DVD-R
• DVD-RW
• DVD+R
• DVD+RW

There are also "General Purpose" and "Authoring" discs. DO NOT confuse the "Authoring" media with the term for content development (making / editing what eventually goes on the DVD). The most common type of DVDR is the General Purpose type - if you do not know that you have an actual authoring recorder drive then you most likely have the general purpose type.

DVD-R is a write-once recordable format which allows excellent compatibility with both standalone DVD-video players and DVD-ROM drives. There are two main types of 4.7GB DVD-R discs: DVD-R for General Use and DVD-R for Authoring. Most consumer drives use the former cheaper General Use discs, while many higher end professional drives use Authoring discs. The correct media type appropriate for the drive must be used when burning. However, once burned, the discs should be able to be read in either drive type. (General Use DVD-Rs are designed to prevent backup of encrypted commercial DVDs).

DVD-RW uses rewritable discs which are rated at more than 1000 rewrites in ideal situations. Unfortunately, DVD-RW does not enjoy the same excellent compatibility with DVD-ROM drives and standalone DVD-Video players that DVD-R enjoys. Another drawback is that unlike DVD-RAM, one must generally erase a DVD-RW disc before reuse.

Most DVD-RW drives should also be able to record to DVD-R. However, the reverse is not true. Many older and some current DVD-R drives are not capable of writing to DVD-RW discs (but may be able to read burned DVD-RW discs). Some drives can also record to CD-R and CD-RW.

Currently DVD-RW and DVD-R are most popular in the multimedia market as well as the general consumer market. For instance the Apple SuperDrive, found in higher end Mac computers used in multimedia creation, is simply a DVD-R/DVD-RW (and CD-R/CD-RW) capable drive.

DVD+RW, like DVD-RW, is a rewritable 4.7GB DVD format. DVD+RW, however, in some ways offers some technical advantages, which for example include: lossless linking (which in turn more readily allows editing of a disc's contents after an initial write while maintaining integrity of the remaining data), currently slightly faster recording speeds, and optional future Mount Rainier drag-and-drop file access support (also known as DVD+MRW). However, DVD+RW does not have the very high compatibility with standalone DVD-video players and DVD-ROM drives that the DVD-R format enjoys. The level of compatibility of DVD+RW is said to be similar to that of DVD-RW. Also, DVD+RW does not currently have the same level of market acceptance as DVD-R.

DVD+R is a format that only was introduced to the public very recently (early 2002). DVD+R is a write-once 4.7GB format which promises to dramatically increase the compatibility with standalone DVD-Video players and DVD-ROM drives. Whether that claim is fulfilled remains to be seen, but initial reports have been very positive. It must be noted, however, that 1st generation DVD+RW drives do not support DVD+R burning, and it is likely that most cannot be upgraded to do so either. If one wishes to have DVD+R burning functionality, one must purchase a newer drive specifically designed to do so. DVD+R discs currently are somewhat more expensive than DVD-R discs, but prices will likely drop with time. Burners that write to these discs is the HPDVD100i and the DVD-Writer DVD200i drive

Thanks to www.AnandTech.com for this helpful information AnandTech Home

On a CD-R, if you don't finalize or write protect the disk, can you overwrite a file?

Or in overwriting are you simply creating a second file of the same name in the TOC/directory and deleting the name, only, of the first file

You can add more data if there is space on the DVD+R, but you can't overwrite it.

You see, when a disc is burned, little microscopic ridges are put onto the disc. This is your data.

You cannot overwrite this data.

It's kind of like trying to use a permanent marker on the same spot of paper twice.

CD-ROM

Known as a read-only disc, usually used to store commercial programs and data. You can't add or delete information on a CD-ROM.

650 megabytes (MB)

Highly compatible with most computers and devices.

CD-R

You can burn files to a CD-R more than once (each time is referred to as a session), but you can't delete files from the disc. Each burn is permanent.

650 MB and 700 MB

You must close the session to read this disc in a different computer. Highly compatible with most computers and devices.

CD-RW

You can burn files to a CD-RW more than once. You can also delete unwanted files from the disc to reclaim space and add additional files. A CD-RW can be burned and erased many times.

650 MB

Compatible with many computers and devices.

DVD-ROM

Known as a read-only disc, usually used to store commercial programs and data. You can't add or delete information on a DVD-ROM.

4.7 gigabytes (GB)

Highly compatible with most computers and devices.

DVD-R

You can burn files to a DVD-R more than once (each time is referred to as a session), but you can't delete files from the disc. Each burn is permanent.

4.7 GB

You must close the session to read this disc in a different computer. Highly compatible with most computers and devices.

DVD+R

You can burn files to a DVD+R more than once (each time is referred to as a session), but you can't delete files from the disc. Each burn is permanent.

4.7 GB

You must close the session to read this disc in a different computer. Compatible with many computers and devices.

DVD-RW

You can burn files to a DVD-RW more than once (each time is referred to as a session). You can also delete unwanted files from the disc to reclaim space and add additional files. A DVD-RW can be burned and erased many times.

4.7 GB

You don't need to close the session to read this disc in another computer. Compatible with many computers and devices.

DVD+RW

You can burn files to a DVD+RW more than once (each time is referred to as a session). You can also delete unwanted files from the disc to reclaim space and add additional files. A DVD+RW can be burned and erased many times.

4.7 GB

You don't need to close the session to read this disc in another computer. Compatible with many computers and devices.

DVD-RAM

You can burn files to a DVD-RAM more than once. You can also delete unwanted files from the disc to reclaim space and add additional files. A DVD-RAM can be burned and erased many times.

2.6 GB

4.7 GB

5.2 GB

9.4 GB

DVD-RAM discs can generally only be used DVD-RAM drives and might not be readable by DVD players and other devices.

hope this helps

The disk created were Vista formatted now you have Win7 format. Try using the same program to read ,write and erase files such as Nero.

Hi
I think the answer is in your question. Pioneer DVD-RW drive, DVD+R disc.
For some reason known only to Apple, some drives do not work with all discs. Mine will not burn -R dual Layer discs.

IF YOU HAVE WIDOWS VISTA, IT WILL WONT ALLOW TO MAKE COPIES, OR THE DISK YOU ARE BURNING IS RIGHT PROTECTED...IF THESE ARE NOT THE PROBLEMS CHECK YOUR BURNING SOFTWARE SETTINGS...OR LAST THING IS TO CHANGE YOUR DRIVE

sometime it has more to do with the driver software than it does with the unit itself.
Try uninstalling the writer software, restart the computer, reinstall the software, restart the computer, and attempt burn again. Software occaisionally gets confused and needs to be "rebooted" from time to time. Hope this helps.

You need to try a commercial cd of any kind. You just want to see if it reads the cd. Then you want to try a dvd and see if it reads that. If it reads the cd but has trouble with the dvd then the heads are out of alignment. It might still write a cd but not be able to write a dvd as that require more accuracy and it doesn't have it anymore.

You may still be able to use the drive but you will have to replace it. The symptoms you describe are typical of the driver going out of alignment so I would say you are heading for replacement sooner or later.

These are not cost effective to repair anymore so all you can do is replace them. Unless you can get it replaced under warranty you can replace it for under $50 at any local computer store.

CD-RW drives can only read all CD-rom and CD-RW formats and read DVD formats but cannot write to a DVD, if you want to write a DVDs you need to buy a DVD-RW burner which can burn all CD-formats

When burning CD/DVD use a lower burning method... as not to rush data to burn and make sure that before burning the let it verify or test the data burned on the CD/DVD... it takes time, but be patient, after all it is your data.

I have a Dell XPS 400 that's about 3 years old. I have a DVD reader and a DVD-RW device. The former works - the latter takes forever to read discs (particularly DVD data discs.)

I'm starting to think some of the generic DVD-RW devices Dell uses in its computers are prone to early failure. The DVD-RW in my XPS-400 was called "HL-DT-ST DVD+-RW GSA-H21N".

I'm going to try cleaning it, and then just swap it out for a better device.