Solved Context menu item "Format" missing on my DVD RW drive

[jimdot]

I am running Win 7/SP1. I have a Sony Blu-Ray Burner BWU-500S. When I right click on the drive I no longer have a format option in the context menu. Does anyone know how I can restore/recreate the format item? I just recently did a clean install of Win 7 & have been in the process of reloading all my software. Everything concerning my drive was just fine, but somwhere something has gotten corrupted. I am not running any particular DVD burning software either.

Thanks in advance for any help.
Jim

 

[Brink]

Hello Jim,

For a CD/DVD/Blu-Ray drive, you will not have the Format option available unless you have a blank unformatted disc in the drive.

 

[jimdot]

Yes I know that. I have a Memorex DVD-RW disk in. I use them all the time on my other system which has a much lower quality writter in it. As I said,,, it WAS working fine at 1 point & somewhere along the way something went a stray.

P.S. I also hooked this drive up to my other system just to see if it was the drive itself, but it worked just fine on that system so it's not drive.

 

[Brink]

I'm not sure, but you could try doing a system restore using a restore point dated before you believe this started to hopefully undo and fix it.

 

[jimdot]

Thanks for the replies. I was just hoping someone woukd know how to put Format context menu back. I have used image copy backups at different short intervals as I have progressed from the fresh Win 7 install to getting all my software installed & didn't use restore points. I have an SSD for my system drive & was trying to avoid to many restores to. All that writting to an expensive SSD shortens it's life span so I've been led to believe anyway. Sureley someone knows how to fix a context menu item,,, wouldn't ya think!!!:sarc:

 

[Reboot2]

Context Format Missing

I have exactly the same problem. I have been formatting DVDs from the context menu with Windows 7 since it first came out. I have no revisions, software changes, reinstalls etc. A week ago the format option disappeared from the DVD context menu, and it has never come back. I agree that someone should surely know how to fix this. (Microsoft knowledge base wqs no help.) I am now formatting from a command prompt - not great

 

[rcloud7]

I had this same problem. Sounds strange but apparently you don't want to go unplugging USB flash drives without following proper 'safe' eject procedures or it can cause conflict / issues with you dvd burner. Try plugging in a USB drive then "eject" it properly. This seemed to return my DVD burner functions. Hope this helps.

 

[jimdot]

Thanks for the tip! I'll give it shot!!

 

[wtgreen]

@rcloud7 Thank you for that tip! That was exactly my problem. Format option didn't appear in the context menyu for my Bluray drive. Plugged in a USB drive, then ejected it - bingo! - format now appears in my bluray context menu.

Thanks again!

 

[Shodan816]

It would sure be a godsend if someone would post the registry entry that puts "Format" into the context menu for CDs or DVDs. That is what many people are looking for instead of replies like "maybe your CD is read only."

 

[SapientSensei22]

Frustratingly, there seems to be very little understanding (myself included) of the cause of this missing optical drive context menu "Format" issue. I am experiencing it right now, and it's operating system-related, not hardware. I've tried everything I've been able to find about the issue online, which is next to nothing. Anyone have anything new to add on this? It would be so appreciated. Thanks in advance and all the best.

 

[SIW2]

https://www.dell.com/community/en/c...a8de4c4f67?commentId=647f9fd8f4ccf8a8de4c8ef1

open the Windows Registry Editor and delete the NoCDBurning DWORD key from two locations:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

 

[SapientSensei22]

This worked for me...

So after I posted my last message in this thread a short while ago, I came across this information from Dell and it solved my problem:

https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/...ows key,+ R). Type gpedit.msc and hit Enter.

Hope this helps someone else, too.