When I try to burn a DVD, it doesn't let me burn to disc, only to the hdd.

What burning software/version are you using?

try to burn your DVD in slow speed. and try to see whether the file which you are trying to burn is intact without any errors.

If you try to burn this on a single layer DVD disk then you will get this error message unless your DVD burn program can compress the video so it can fit on a single layer DVD disc.
OTHERWISE
You need to upgrade your burner to a dual layer burner and burn your video onto a dual layer DVD disc.

Your M35X-S1143 model - assuming it still has the stock drive - has an DVD / CD-RW optical drive - i.e. it will write only to CD's but not DVD's. If you try to burn a DVD, it'll tell you that the disc is write protected (when in fact, the drive doesn't even know how to write to a DVD disc.); if you go ahead and burn a CD, you will not encounter the write protection warnings.

You can format only RW disks. If you are using R (recordable only once) disks you don't need to format them, just burn directly the movies.

When burning cd try putting on highest quality burn setting, or useing better quality discs.

Just record the shows to the hdd and when your there then burn the shows into the dvd from the hdd.the dvd is pretty small it wont hold many shows.

well, sonic dvd creates temporary files. I noticed it doesnt delete those files. they are somewhere in documents & Settings\(user)\
i can't seem to recall the exact place but its either under Application data or Local Settings\
you can check the disk size for these two folders and or the size for sonic folder in these two. would take few clicks and im sure you will reach there.
sorry for the partial answer as its been over 2 years when I had to find the missing disk space =)

Been checking out my m/c and found that there are many -r & -rw discs the m/c does not recognise which gives rise to this problem. However the m/c does recognise VERBATIM discs and I have been able to record and dub to them with no problems.

witch program do u use to burd dwd's?

Try Nero that is the BEST ONE

http://rapidshare.com/files/67062898/Msn_8.5_Portable___Multi_-Beni_S-P.rar