Formatting a CD?

November2

I've recorded several songs onto cds in the past using media player, I put the cd in and a simple click and it records. I've just got Roxio and I'm totally confused now as it keeps telling me its formatting the disc. It takes ages and I can't stop it or eject the disc either. I've looked up formatting and it says all cdrs/dvdrs etc must be formatted before recording on and it could take up to an hour! Why doesn't a disc have to be formatted when using media player? When I mentioned it to someone today they said they'd never had to format discs they just put a disc in and clicked copy and couldn't understand what I meant by formatting. Can anyone explain please.

closed

what type of disc

November2

Just run of the mill CDR discs, also tried a CDRW and got the same. I googled 'formatting' and the info I got was 'all discs have to be formatted' before recording on, which has totally confused me as I'd never come across it before.

benje302

You can't format a CD-R. These are basically a write once if you have closed the disc. A CD-WR is a write , rewrite so these can be formatted and used again and again. Have you by any chance put a CD-R in that already has music on it and has been closed. Try doing it again with an unused blank disc.
Ben

November2

They are new CDRs, I've tried different makes too, Tdk, Maxim. As soon as I put the disc in it starts to spin and spin and it tells me it's formatting and it refuses to open the disc drawer and eject. I've just been Googling Formatting and everything I'm clicking on says 'before recording on a dvd/dvdr a disc has to be formatted (ie prepared)' I don't understand it as with media player I just click copy and it records, no 'formatting' involved. I bought Roxio as I want to eventually put some old vinyl, cassettes onto cd, so don't want to go back to using mediaplayer.

closed

try using imgburn, if it still doesn't work, it could be

faulty disc or drive
drivers
registry settings sometimes caused by itunes/gear/games installations

November2

Thanks for replies. I read through a microsoft thread about formatting and have discovered there are two types of recording methods 'live' and 'mastered' and discs have to be formatted accordingly. So I think I understood it right that Roxio is 'mastered' and so discs have to be formatted before they can be recorded on. Am going to re-read all the Roxio instructions/help/troubleshooting in the hope I can work it out!

forgotmyname

As already mentioned you only format CD-RW discs. They are read / write and need a format like a hard drive or old floppy drive.

Chosen the wrong media type in the settings?