Unable to Create System Image on DVD's

[Gordon]

You don't format blank DVD R's. They are a write-once medium.
DVD-RW need to be formatted as they can be written to multiple times.

Not totally correct. A RW disk will take the burning over and over when
treated like a R disk.

 

[herman]

Jack Gillis wrote on 11/03/2009 16:56 :

I have Win 7 64 bit installed on my laptop as well as my desktop. System
images for both are on external HD's.

On the laptop, I have created a system image on blank DVD's using DVD-R's.
No problems -- I can restore from the DVD's.

However, when I try to create a system image on blank DVD-R's on my desktop,
I get a message saying something like, "format was unsuccessful." If
I use a
DVD+RW the process runs to completion and I can restore from it. I had to
use RW's because I don't have any +R's.

I get the same unsuccessful message if I try to format a blank DVD-R with
Win 7.

My DVD burner on the desktop says it is a +R. Does that mean I can't
use -R's.

I've no idea whether this is a Win 7 problem, burner problem or a problem on
my part.

Would someone please try to straighten out the dense old mind?

Thank you very much.

FYI did some searching and found the ans. One person said to use DVD-RW discs
Be sure to format them first by right clicking on the drive and then format.

Have not tried this yet myself, good luck.

whiskey

 

[Michael Walraven]

If it does not say +- (only the + or the -) then you cannot burn the type
that is not listed. I didn't think any new drives were not +-, older drives
were sometimes one or the other but not both. It is possible that the drive
could have its firmware updated but that is a long shot. Worth a try to
check the drive maker's web site for possible firmware update.

Michael

 

[Char Jackson]

I have Win 7 64 bit installed on my laptop as well as my desktop. System
images for both are on external HD's.

On the laptop, I have created a system image on blank DVD's using DVD-R's.
No problems -- I can restore from the DVD's.

However, when I try to create a system image on blank DVD-R's on my desktop,
I get a message saying something like, "format was unsuccessful." If I use a
DVD+RW the process runs to completion and I can restore from it. I had to
use RW's because I don't have any +R's.

I get the same unsuccessful message if I try to format a blank DVD-R with
Win 7.

My DVD burner on the desktop says it is a +R. Does that mean I can't
use -R's.

I've no idea whether this is a Win 7 problem, burner problem or a problem on
my part.

Would someone please try to straighten out the dense old mind?

Thank you very much.

It's a problem on your part. You're trying to format a "write once"
media and you can't do that. Just skip the formatting step when you're
using a DVD-R or DVD+R since those media types are ready to burn right
out of the box. Formatting only applies to RW media, DVD-RW in your
case.