Why Can't I Burn?

[ermadea]

Please, please can someone help, Iam a complete novice having just got windows xp in Feb, but Iam totally perplexed at my inability to burn a bought cd that I can play in my bedroom cd player, because my kids keep borrowing my cds, I tried windows media player and real player, but when I put copy into cd player it says "no disc inserted" I've wasted so many cd r &cd rw discs its a joke, I really need some simple directions I can follow, because I don't understand much of the jargon, Please help, or tell me what Iam doing wrong, appreciate this may have been asked before, so forgive me for taking up your time, but Iam ready to be sectioned (Apologies to anyone who is in fact sectioned, or anyone who has a family member who may be or about to be sectioned) Thanks in anticipation. Ermadea

[matt_london]

<PRE>You do have a cd writer, and not just a reader?</PRE>

[Catso]

1/ Are you sure you have a CD writer?
2/ Are you sure you're trying to write onto blank CDs?
3/ I presume the CD you're trying to copy isn't copy protected?
4/ Do you have CD writing software?
5/ Some CD players, especially older/cheaper ones, will not be able to read CD-RWs. Really old players may not even be able to read CD-Rs. Try your attempts in a different CD player.
5/ Look at the disks you tried to make; can you see the 'burnt' data part (starts at the centre) looking different to the outer, unburnt part? If not, then probably you haven't actually burnt the CD, so you've not used the CD writer software correctly.
6/ If you don't understand this point, then ignore it - I think you need to be a system administrator to write to CDs. Non-admins can't write disks.
7/ Finally, if you have done all the preceeding correctly, the make/quality of the blank disks you used have a great deal of bearing on whether they can be played by a CD player. I've found unbranded/cheap disks frequently (possibly even always) fail to play properly. Use high quality, branded blanks. As you've found, you can sooin waste a lot of money buying cheap blanks.

[ermadea]

Matt, Thanks for reply, yes I do have a cd writer.Catso,Thanks for your reply also, I bought blank tapes from Argos (Philips 10 for 9.99) They look the same as blank and when I've burned, They actually play on the computer. It's "Ugly Beautiful" by Babybird, Just not on Cd Player, It's 2yrs old, also tried in my other one, bought last year, still wont play. Iam the system administrator, being that I alone use my computer, How do I find out if cd is copy protected. Anyone else able to share their knowledge I would be most grateful, Is there perhaps a better way to burn, not on media player that I can use free if poss. Do I have to burn on a specific format, to get a true cd copy and not mp3. Any input from anybody would be great, by the way came across this site by accident, and so pleased I did, So much great free advice, and I've laughed so much on previous answers, with the wit and humour of "Commoner & Spacechimp" Keep up the great work Many thanks Ermadea

[marshman]

Seems like you need a better burning program,go to "giveit2me4free.com",sign in and you will find many programs free to download.

[ermadea]

Thank you so much marshman, very much appreciated. Will let you know how I get on. Ermadea

[Catso]

10 for �9.99!! 1/ Shop around, you can get them for about 25p each or, 2/ Have you got CD-RWs here? They are the least likely to work in CD players. CDRs are cheaper, more reliable and more likely to do what you want.

The Copy CD utility makes an exact copy of the CD, so it should play OK. Creating a CD is a different kettle of fish, and you have to get the format exactly right for it to work.

Yes, try a different CD writing program - use the Copy option, not the Create.

Once used, CDRWs often don't look any different when they've been burned.

[Catso]

PS you can't have 'wasted' many CDRW disks because they can be reused.