Does a DVD-R not work like a CD-R?

So I normally use CD-R to back up pictures. I went to buy some more at Best Buy and ended up getting a 25 pack of DVD-R cuz they had the spindle on sale and I heard they hold more data the CD-R. When I insert the disc the autoplay blank dvd options come up and I hit burn files to disc. Then the Burn a Disc Window comes up, how do you want to use this disc and give the option of "like a usb stick" or "with a cd/dvd player". I pick "like a usb stick" which is what I always chose. It starts formatting then after a few seconds it says "Windows was unable to complete the format". Is there a reason to this? I was told it would work just like a CD-R and that it would be like fitting 4 cd-r onto one dvd-r.

Hi

It should work like a cd-r. As long as the disk drive is capable of burning dvd what's full model number of the laptop

There's no reason, nor advantage for that matter, to use "Like a USB Stick" with -R disks, as they can only be written to once (as in no modifications after burning are possible) unlike -RW disks. Choose "With a CD/DVD Player (Mastered)" instead with the -R disks and that should do it. Only choose "Like a USB Stick" if you're using -RW disks, and which you actually do want to be able to 'save, edit, and delete' data on more than once.

MagusMagnus said:

There's no reason, nor advantage for that matter, to use "Like a USB Stick" with -R disks, as they can only be written to once (as in no modifications after burning are possible) unlike -RW disks. Choose "With a CD/DVD Player (Mastered)" instead with the -R disks and that should do it. Only choose "Like a USB Stick" if you're using -RW disks, and which you actually do want to be able to 'save, edit, and delete' data on more than once.

I have Sony CD-R Audio discs that I've been using prior to buy this pack that I use to back up pictures, and I've added more to them several times until they're out of space. Are DVD-R discs different? So I should get dvd rw? Thanks but if I select with a cd/dvd player won't that mean I can't add more after those?

oscer1 said:

Hi

It should work like a cd-r. As long as the disk drive is capable of burning dvd what's full model number of the laptop

Its an hp, model number is g7-1139wm

HP Pavilion g7-1139wm Notebook PC Product Specifications | HP® Support

The spec sheet for that model says it has a "SuperMulti DVD Burner", whatever that means.

DVD capacity is over 6 times the capacity of a CD.

I don't know what the problem is, but I don't use the built-in Windows burner.

it could be that the dvd lazer is dirty or has failed their are seperate lasers for cd and dvd

countrygirl91 said:

I have Sony CD-R Audio discs that I've been using prior to buy this pack that I use to back up pictures, and I've added more to them several times until they're out of space. Are DVD-R discs different?

No. You can always add more as long as there's still space left on the media (assuming you haven't written in such a way that "closes out the media" at that point, thus permanently preventing any further content from being added even if additional available space remains).

This is true whether you're using one-use media (i.e. -R) or multi-use media (i.e. -RW).

As long as your drive supports writing to both CD and DVD, you will be able to ADD to both CD-R and DVD-R.

So I should get dvd rw?

The CD-RW and DVD-RW media allow for additions, deletions, edits, etc., because they are "re-writable", same as a regular hard drive is changeable. If you have a need to put things on the media and then edit/delete/rename them, then using a -RW media is mandatory. If you never want to make any edits to content you write to the media once you write it, then -R is perfectly fine.

You will always be able to ADD to both -R and -RW media. It's edits that are only possible using -RW media.

Thanks but if I select with a cd/dvd player won't that mean I can't add more after those?

No problem doing ADD to either type of media, so specifying "format as CD/DVD" will not prevent you from ADD'ing content with either -R or -RW media.

countrygirl91 said:

MagusMagnus said:

There's no reason, nor advantage for that matter, to use "Like a USB Stick" with -R disks, as they can only be written to once (as in no modifications after burning are possible) unlike -RW disks. Choose "With a CD/DVD Player (Mastered)" instead with the -R disks and that should do it. Only choose "Like a USB Stick" if you're using -RW disks, and which you actually do want to be able to 'save, edit, and delete' data on more than once.

I have Sony CD-R Audio discs that I've been using prior to buy this pack that I use to back up pictures, and I've added more to them several times until they're out of space. Are DVD-R discs different? So I should get dvd rw? Thanks but if I select with a cd/dvd player won't that mean I can't add more after those?

You've actually been using CD-RW disks then. You can't do what you're saying you've been doing, with -R disks. Only with -RW disks is that possible and only if you don't write permanently to them (which in Windows is the "Mastered" option instead of the "Live File System" option). So yes, if you want to continue to use disks as you were before and DVD's, you will need DVD-RW's.

Personally, you'd be better served using SD cards or flash/USB sticks for what you're doing. They're not as expensive as they used to be by far and they pretty much last forever. Much longer than disks (or so that's my experience. I've had some burned disks stop working, for varying reasons. Some not because of scratches even). If you shop right, you can get them very inexpensively. You don't need them to be super fast or fancy, just any regular and high capacity one will do for your purposes.

MagusMagnus said:

You've actually been using CD-RW disks then. You can't do what you're saying you've been doing, with -R disks. Only with -RW disks is that possible and only if you don't write permanently to them (which in Windows is the "Mastered" option instead of the "Live File System" option). So yes, if you want to continue to use disks as you were before and DVD's, you will need DVD-RW's.

This is simply not true. You can have multiple write sessions with cd-r.

The problem could be with the DVD-R brand itself. What was the DVD-R brand and model you bought?