Computer Problems and\or Advice 2008 to 2011

[mark smyth]

Thanks for the input. I borrowed, after many phone calls, a laptop with powerpoint.

[shelagh]

I know this is a stupid enquiry but my computer running on Vista Home Premium just won't accept any blank discs I use and tells me they need formatting.  Fine, the Microsoft website tells me to insert the disc and when the dialogue box comes up to click on a particular phrase.  Trouble is no dialogue box comes up and Microsost seem to want to charge me to find an answer.  Can anyone help?  I admit to being only semi literate when it comes to computers so words of one syllable only please

[ranunculus]

Hi Shelagh,
Are we referring to CD'S or DVD'S?
Some CD players will not accept or even recognise + or - designated CD's in the inappropriate player.
Please check which player you have and see if you are using the correct discs?

[shelagh]

Hi Cliff, its a DVD disc writer and the disc I want to use is a DVD+R.  I wouldn't mind but it has let me use CD-R discs in May this year to back up programmes but now it won't even let me use those either.  Same message 'not recognised must format'.

[TheOnionMan]

Hi Cliff, its a DVD disc writer and the disc I want to use is a DVD+R.  I wouldn't mind but it has let me use CD-R discs in May this year to back up programmes but now it won't even let me use those either.  Same message 'not recognised must format'.

Shelagh, can you confirm that you actually have a CDrom/DVD drive?  There are many combinations of these, and depending when you bought your computer and what options you went for, it is possible to get a computer with a CDrom drive only (doesn't read DVD), or a combo CD/DVD drive  that allows read & write capabilities on CD, but only allows "read" on DVDs, and there are drives that allow "read" and "write" on both CD and DVD.  And, there is one more possibility.  My Dell computer is 3-1/2 yrs old now, I bought it with the CD/DVD combo for read/write on both, but it shipped with software that only enabled CD read/white and DVD-read... I needed to find a software update or program (purchased an update for $30 US) that allowed the DVD-write capability... must have been a fine print situation  

So, the first thing to do, is try to find out what your computer shipped with or what hardware components are installed, you can look at the "Device Manager" which lists details about all installed hardware components.  I can't give you specific directions where to find "Device Manager" under Windows Vista, I don't have that operating system; at home between my wife and I we have Windows XP and the newest Windows 7.

[David Pilling]

If you're trying to write to a blank writable DVD, I think you either use dedicated software like Nero which has to be installed, and launched from Start->Programs.

Or, drag the files you want to write to the icon for the DVD drive in My Computer and then eventually right click it and select the option to burn the disc - this is the disc writing facility built into Windows. I think this only works on CD for XP, no idea at what stage it was extended to DVDs.

If that doesn't help, what are you trying to do, and what are you doing when the message about formatting appears.

[shelagh]

OK Thank you Mark and David.  Mark I'm not sure I even understand the one syllable explanation but I will get on to it.

David I have Nero (an invaluable tool) but that too has been over-ridden (not sure if that's a word) also tried drag and drop and no go there either.

I think I may have to save to a stick and then plug that in my old PC and transfer to disc there, it's just such a fag when the laptop has a disc drive that only reads things.

[maggiepie]

Hi Shelagh, maybe you need to update the driver.
You can at least check to see if there is a newer driver available.
Perhaps yours has been corrupted.

If you decide to try, here are the instructions.

Upgrade the device driver.
================
Note: It is recommended that totally remove the previous driver before this.
 
1.     Click Start, right click Computer and choose Properties.
2.     Click Device Manager.
3.     Navigate to your DVD drive.
4.     Right click on it and choose “Update Driver Software”.
5.     If the issue persists, please try to uninstall this device and restart the computer. Vista will detect this device automatically.

Can't hurt to try, good luck.

[TheOnionMan]

Shelagh, my new advice is to find someone, a computer-savvy friend perhaps, or a service, that can help you out.  Attempting to delete device drivers and reinstalling hardware device drivers should not be attempted by someone who is not more comfortable and experienced with the ins and outs of computers. 

Step ONE: verify the type of CD/DVD drive you have; check your initial sales invoice or packing slip. If there is an "RW" after the DVD name, then it is a Read/Write capable one, not all of them are, some combo CD/DVD drives will only "read" or view the contents of a DVD but not write to them.  If your CD/DVD drive will only view or "read" DVDs, but not capable to actually "write" to a DVD, then it is futile to attempt writing to a DVD. 

So first step, is to learn what type of CD/DVD drive you have.

[David Pilling]

I'd lilke more detail on exactly what is being done and what the error messages are.

The question I always ask, which no one ever knows the answer to, is "what changed", you know it once worked and now it doesn't, so what happened.

Anyone on the spot knows a lot more than ever comes out in an email or phone call.

[johnw]

I have never had much luck with the search button on the forum. Today I entered "Lycoris" and "Re: Lycoris 2011" did not appear anywhere.

Am I doing something wrong?

johnw

[mark smyth]

I have never had much luck with the search button on the forum. Today I entered "Lycoris" and "Re: Lycoris 2011" did not appear anywhere.

Do you first click Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum > General Subjects > General Forum  > Computer problems and/or advice

[johnw]

Mark - I entered the Lycoris search on whatever page I was on in Recent Posts. The search did successfully grab Lycoris topics from other Subjects but not the most recent one - i.e. 2011.

johnw

[Maggi Young]

If you searched for Lycoris 'in messages', as I just did, there are two pages of results, the 2011 thread was
second in the options.
If you searched for Lycoris 'in topic subjects only" then the 2011 thread was third in the pageful of options.

 

[bulborum]

Seen on a other forum working with SMF © 2006-2011, Simple Machines LLC

If you click on Notify
it changes in unnotify

I don't know how to change it here
maybe a trick

Roland