This seems to happen only with R/W DVDs. I cannot format the disc because my computer keeps telling me that my blank discs are write protected. These are brand new, and can be read on another PC. I've even reformatted and when I look at Properties for the disc, it says all 4.38GB is used, with 0 available space. I have checked in the device manager, and it says that the drive is working properly and the driver is up to date. I have tried several different discs.
How-To Geek Forums / Windows Vista
(Solved) - Error: blank discs are write protected, can't write to empty disc
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Try the Microsoft Fixit.
To post images in your post follow the steps given here.
sorry about the confusion with the DVD/CD devices. I indicated that they were DVD/CD-ROM devices, this is the folder name under Device Manager. This is what they are (in case you cannot enlarge the screen shot sufficiently):
#1 is Sony CDRWDVD CRX310S
#2 is TSSTcorp DVD+-RW TS-H653A
I am running Win Vista Home Premium on a Dell XPS 410
As I've stated previously, these have worked in the past, both reading and writing to all kinds of discs (Read Only, Write once, RW multiples) The only kind it won't read would be BD.
I believe, but cannot state unequivocally, that this started after loading ImageBurn program - at least that's when I first noticed I couldn't write to my DVD (got the 'write-protected' error).
I've run Fixit twice, same results. When asked for a disc, after putting one in that I know can be read and written to (verified and tested on another PC running same version of Windows, etc) it says it cannot write to disc, it's write-protected.
Do you think doing a complete re-install of Windows would solve anything? If I do this, and have a complete back-up of my system for a restore, anything I need to be aware of, or steps I should be certain to take?
Can the write feature on a burner go 'bad'?
Other questions - if i decide to wipe my pc and reinstall, and i use a program such as Macrium Reflect to back up/create a mirror, what is the procedure for restoring? Will this create a backup of all the programs I've loaded, or will all of those have to be reloaded? I've never done this before. I mean I've had crashes (not with Win Vista however) and ended up having to reinstall Windows, but never really worried about settings, etc. This time, however, I'd like to do it properly, efficiently, with minimum data and/or settings loss. Would it make more sense to replace at least one of the burners instead? Thanks again.
If you do a complete backup image it creates an exact duplicate of your current "C" drive with all your programs, data and whatever else you have on your drive. You have to burn a recovery disk. This is important when you go to recover your image. You will boot off this recovery disk.
ok, so I've created an image using Macrium Reflect. Next I need to create a recovery disk, or can I recover with the original Windows install CD? Question about the image file I've created - if there are any corrupted files (that aren't discovered/fixed using a program such as iobit Advanced Systemcare) currently residing on my PC, wouldn't they just be reinstalled?
Mike,
I have been using the iobit for a few years now, with no problems (the paid version). Do you have specific info regarding problems with this app? What would you suggest as an alternate program? Any feedback to my previous post from today? Thanks for the advice.....this site seems to have the best that I have found, without being overly techie!
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