Personal Computers Questions

How come my computer tells me that blank DVDs have no space on them?

by on September 11, 2010

Q: Hi, with a brand new DVD in my burner drive, I am shown 0 free space and 0 used space. But with a brand new CD in the same drive, I see available free space and 0 used space.

I am trying to burn to the DVDs and can’t – I presume the burn failures are related to the zero/zero issue.

The zero/zero and burn failures happen with both DVD+R and DVD-R type discs.

I am using XP(Pro) SP3, fully updated. I’m stumped – any help would be appreciated. I hope I have explained the problem clearly.

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4 Responses to “How come my computer tells me that blank DVDs have no space on them?”
  1.  

    What program are you trying to burn your disks with? What brand media are you using? Try using Deep Burner http://www.deepburner.com/?r=download (make sure you get the free one) as a test to see if it is the burning program. Does your burning program give you any errors as to why it may have failed?

     

    Fletcha (Major Geek) says: on September 11, 2010 at 4:35 pm

  2.  

    Hi Fletcha, thanks for response.
    Before I answer your questions, I should say that the problem I have explained above is identical on the other machine in our home network. Although that second computer is only a couple of months old, it has the same OS, namely XP (SP3).
    Using both machines I have tried burning DVDs with Media Player, and Deep Burner and Arcsoft Media. Arcsoft actually did successfully burn but I didn’t realize that until the burned disc was put into a friends laptop running Windows 7. My computer continued saying zero/zero so I assumed the burn was unsuccessful. My computer will not show me the directory or files on the disc – but my friends shows it fine.
    I like Deep Burner (mostly because it is free), and have used it often for CD burning.
    Media? TDK GOLD discs DVD+R and el-cheapo MPM DVD-R discs.
    Tom

     

    tomhoc (Newbie) says: on September 12, 2010 at 6:02 am

  3.  

    Tom,
    I would say try to burn another DVD using a different burning Media just to make sure that it is not the Discs that you are using. I would recommend to try using Memorex, they are a pretty reliable disc. If you still have problems after that please let me know.

     

    Fletcha (Major Geek) says: on September 12, 2010 at 11:21 pm

  4.  

    Hi Fletcha, thanks again for hangin in there with me.
    I’m not real keen to go buy yet another batch of DVD’s (already got two nearly full batches that it appears I can’t use), especially not just for testing. I’ll try to ‘bot’ one off a friend 🙂
    I suspect the problem is more to do with Windows. Another clue that makes me think that, is when I put a blank DVD into the drive, a little window pops up, headed “CD Drive E:” indicating I have inserted a “blank CD” – note NOT a blank DVD – and then asks me to choose between “open writable CD folder” or “burn an audio CD” or “take no action” … no reference at all to DVD. It appears to me that XP (SP3) does not (by default) allow you to burn DVD’s. I’m wondering if there is a Windows setting somewhere that I should change?
    Tom

     

    tomhoc (Newbie) says: on September 13, 2010 at 1:05 am