I'm having a nightmare...!! :D

I'm trying to save some pictures that I have scanned into my computer onto a DVD. It keeps saying insert DVD in D Drive.

The thing is, its already there, so I take it out and put it back in, it makes a lot of noise and nothing happens..

Does anyone have any suggestions??

I have checked that I have the right sort of DVD, and even got one from the photo lab, but it still doesn't work.

Natasha

HelloNatasha
I save photos on CDRs By save to my computer then to whatever disc drive you use.
Mick

Hi Mick

When the disk is inserted, it only states 1 drive, which is drive D. But it just won't let me save, just says insert DVD...do you think I could be using the wrong sort of disc.??

Natasha

Just a thought Natasha, but have you formatted the disc you are trying to save the pictures too ? Not sure how DVD discs work but I know I have to format CD-Rs before I can save to them. Ingrid

Hi Ingrid & John

To be honest, I'm not sure if they are formatted or not, it doesn't say anything on the packaging. All it says is d-view / CD Recordable Disc.

John I do have a CD rom on my hard drive, don't know about the Re Writer though...

How can I find out if the disc is already formatted, is there any way... I did ask the guy at the counter, for discs that I could save pictures onto straight away, and he gave me these..

I've tried to find the instruction manual for my scanner to see if that had anything in, and looked through all the other manuals, to no avail:(

If worst comes to worst, I can take the pictures to the photo bar and they can scan them in, but I would like to do it myself for the future !!

Natasha

I assume you do have a CD R or CD RW? If you have a writeable DVD then i'm not sure if the format of a normal writeable CD is compatable?

Thats a point Ingrid, I buy ready formatted CD's but some are not!

Regards, John

Nat

You can't write to DVD's without a DVD writer drive and then you'll need writable DDVD's. You need to be clear about what kind of writable drive you have - if it's a CD writer then you need to use either CDRs or CD re-writable discs.

They're not like floppies and don't need formatting - you can but it takes some of the space away and doesn't serve any real purpose.

hth

Pam n the boys

Hi Pam, How can I find that out?? I don't think i have the re write., does it come in a program/disc??

Nat

Nat - Ok basics here. Sorry if this is what you already know - but what we are looking at firstly is hardware - not software. The hardware is your PC, monitor, keyboard etc - the software are all the programs that you use on the PC:

In your PC you will have the following drives Hard drive - known as C:// thats where you save all your files and programs etc.

Floppy drive - known as a:// uses floppy discs

Then you have a CD drive of some sort and this is what we need to know. You already know it's called the d:// drive - it will be a minimum of a CD drive but you need to know if it is a combined cd or DVD read and write drive. Not all CD drives can write. It's like with video machines - some can only play tapes and not record while the others play and record. You need to know just what yours is. If it is a DVD drive then it's unlikely to be a writeable DVD drive - unless you paid an awful lot for your PC - DVD writeables are only just coming onto the market and are very costly. If your PC is more than say 6 months old - I would hazzard that if it has DVD - then it's not a writeable drive.

If you bought your PC with separate cd/dvd read drive and cd writer drives - which is a common set-up then your writing drive is more likely to be labelled e:// and that is where your PC is struggling. You need to tell it to go for the e:// drive to write and it is in the e:// drive that you need to put your CDR so the PC can write onto it.

Let me know if this helps at all. The CD you are using to write to - did you buy it in a box or spindle, does it say CD-R on the disc and or jewel case? - that will tell you if it is a writable or re-writable CD If it says CD-RW then it is the re-writaeble variety - neither should matter as long as you have a drive that can write.

It's a bit like having a piece of paper but no pen. Imagine the disc as your paper - we're trying to find your pen:)

Pam n the boys - well OK the boys aren't much help with this type of stuff

PS - have just thought - what program are you using to doo this with - Easy CD Creqator, nero? or are you just trying to save to drive D from the photo program you are using - if so - won't work!!(Usually)

OK here goes Pam & Ingrid !! :D

On the disc I bought there were a pack of 5 CD's and it says D-View, CD - Recordable 650 mb. So I'm inclined to think I have the wrong CD to start off with !!

When I go into the area that gives the info on my disc drive., it says DVD - D drive., the computer is only 4 months old., so I may have re write but just using the wrong disc?? But how do I find out if I have re write?? Is there somewhere I can look in "my computer" on the desktop??

The program Im in to copy the photo's is the photo xpress workshop...

Pam you are very good in explaining things...even if the boys didn't help much !!

nat

Nat

the disc is fine - it os a recordable CD - what is not clear is if your DVD drive is a writeable one - to be honest it doesn't sound as if it is. Can you ask the supplier of your PC exactly what they sold you - it should be on your purchase order. To save a file to your CD is called "burning" and you normally need specific CD burning software to do that. Your photo software is unlikely to contain the burning element necessary for saving to CD but it might.

The first port of call though is to determine if your DVD drive is a read only drive or a write drive.

Pam n the boys

I will call the supplier Pam !!! :D

I'm okay with word and excel, but when it gets too technical....forget it !!!:D

Thank you all for your help!!! :D

Nat

Natasha, a CD/DVD rom and CD/DVD Rewriter are 2 different things, many modern computers come with a CD/DVD rom that is a rewriter as well, confused, you will be.
I have 2 CD/DVD drives one that only reads the discs and one that reads and writes.
I use Easy CD creator to t write the discs and it does require them to be formatted before you can save anything to them, you don't format if you are copying a disc. The advangtage with this programme is that you can just add to the discs until they are full, some of the others you can only write to once.
Hope I haven't confused you too much. Ingrid

Doesn't take much to confuse me when it comes to computers Ingrid !! :D

Nat

Take the disc out, place it on a flat surface and check that it is not warped - my CD drive rattled badly when I put a warped disk in - and this one had been written to and sent out as software with some new hardware!

Christine

Ok try and this, click on the 'my computer' icon on the main screen, then control panel, then system, go to the bit that says cd rom & click the + sign next to it and tell us what it says, that should let you know whether it is a read only or writer, mine says TDK CDR & DVD ROM. Ingrid

Okay Ingrid.,

Just been in and it says DVD-ROM SD- 616F DVD/CD R

Does that make any sense ??!! :D

Nat

what you have there is a DVD Player and a CD-R (CD Player and CD Writer) combined.
You can play DVD films
you can play CD based games or use CD based software of any kind
you can record onto CD-R disks

what you will NOT be able to do is record to DVD-r or DVD-rw disks

what you need to do is check that you have CDR disks and not DVD-r disks
theres not much difference in looking at them
but DVD-r work in different ways and expect different hardware to be able to work

have a word with your local computer shop
who, if they are any good, will gladly take the time to explain to you in greater detail if you need it
plus its a bit difficult to explain technicalities via a messgae board

HTH

Z

Zig

you hit the nail on the "very thick head" !!! :D

I have just phoned the computer company, and I do not have the re-writer disc drive :rolleyes:

But I can purchase it for £42.50 !!

So have ordered one, and hopefully they will show me how to work it !!

So might be without a computer for a couple of days////no.////can't stand it//// AAARRRGGGHHH......wot will I do??? :D

Nat

shouldnt take them more than 15 minutes to fit that for you

so you shuldnt have ttime to get withdrawel symptoms :D :D :D

Z

Hopefully not Zig !! :D

NAt

Hi my name is Debbie and I wondered if you know if I can burn my downloaded digital photos to a rewrittable DVD disc and then be able to play them on my big screen tv with dvd player? Thanks in advance for you help

HI Debbie,

Did you get any response, I am looking to do the exact same.

Yes you can as long as the DVD player plays copied discs.