I need to know how to format a disc. ?

Question

I am on a shared computer. I am moving soon and need to download my folder of personal items. Since this folder includes documents, pictures, and video clips I bought the type of disc recommended for this combination of items. However, when I got home and tried to download the folder, I got the message telling me I needed to format the disc first. I am not sure whether I need to have admin. privileges to do this (I don't have them). I need step-by-step instructions. I always buy preformatted discs; but this time I got the wrong ones.

Answer 1

UPDATE:

So you were in fact referring to CDs. Well, copying files to a regular recordable CD (also known as CD-R) doesn't require that you do any kind of formatting. You just open the cd burning software that's on the PC and select the option to burn a data CD. At that point you would put one of your blank CDs into the drive and use the software's browser window to select the files you want to burn unto the CD. Remember that the blank CD will either have a total capacity of 650MB or 700MB so make sure you don't exceed the disc capacity.

What you wrote before suggests that you're familiar with doing this (burning CDs). This tells me that either the disc you are using is not a regular CD-R or that your CD drive lens may need to be cleaned. Use the drive to play a regualr audio CD  - If there are no problems playing it, then a dirty lens is unlikely to be the problem. To clean your CD lens you can buy a regular CD lens cleaner at your local electronics store.

Is your drive a CD burner or a DVD burner? IF it's a CD burner and you put a blank DVD into it, you'll likely get a format error. It's more likely that your drive is a DVD burner.

IS the disc you are trying to use a CD-RW and NOT a CD-R?

THOSE are the discs that can be erased and reused over and over again. What may happen sometimes is that the computer may be unable to read the disc info sectors on the new blank disc and may suggest that it may need to be 'reformatted' so that the computer will be able to use it properly. In that case what you need to do is to check the help menu of your CD burning software to find out how to ERASE a CD-RW. There are usually two erase modes - Quick erase and Full erase. Full erase guarantees that there are no errors on the disc that will prevent you from burning the CD. It takes longer to do than a quick erase.

Occasionally, you will encounter CD-RWs and CD-Rs that don't work with your CD burner. The burner uses data stored on special sectors on the blank CD to know how to adjust the drive's lens and laser intensity to both read and burn to the disc. Some older CD burners may have older firmware (firmware is software inside the burner itself which tells the burner how to operate). Some new discs are incompatible with drives with older firmware and the only fix for that problem is a firmware update of the drive. Since it's not your computer you wouldn't be able to do that - only the administrator should do it.

The simplest solution to your problem is to use the regular CD-Rs that you normally buy to copy your data files. You don't need any special type of disc to do this. All you need to do is to use the option in your burner software that lets you create a DATA CD. This way, you can put ANYTHING on your CD including pictures, videos, documents, even mp3s - Anything that can be put on a hard-drive can be put on a data CD. You can even put your files into folders on the hard-drive so that when you burn the folders unto the CD you will have all your file types organized and separated. Then, when you are ready to put them unto another computer after you've moved, you just pop the CD into the next computer and copy and paste the folders and files into the locations that you want them stored.

Hope this helps