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In Windows XP I always used Nero to burn CDs and DVDs. I can’t count the number of times a user asked for help with their CD they brought from home. They dragged the file to the disk, which added it to the index, but they never did the final Burn process to create the CD, so of course the files don’t end up on the disk. With Vista I figured I’d give it another try and see how the built in burning facilities work. Here’s an area that Vista hasn’t improved. It’s virtually identical to how it works in XP. Yes you can burn discs with this feature, but there are better alternatives.
I’ll be archiving some video files to blank CD-Rs, and I just want a standard ISO9660 disk that will be readable in any CD drive.
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Insert a blank CD-R in your drive. If you have AutoPlay enabled (which it is by default) you’ll see a window asking what you want to do with the disk that was inserted. We want to Burn files to disc using Windows. You can check the box in this window to repeat the same behavior every time after this, or you can just select the behavior you want for this one time. If you don’t get this prompt, simply double-click your CD drive icon in the Windows Explorer.
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You’ll then be prompted to Prepare this blank disc. Today’s date will be automatically entered as the default disc title, you can of course change that to whatever you’d like. By default, Vista wants to make a Live File System disc, one that can be used like a flash drive or floppy disc. The problem with this format is it’s dependent on certain hardware and software to work, so it’s not completely portable. To change this, click on Show formatting options.
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If you do want to use ‘Live File System’, clicking on the Change version link will allow you to change the version of the UDF file system that you want to use. If you want to learn more about the difference between all these disc types, click on the Which CD or DVD format should I choose? link which has a detailed discussion of the formats, disc types required, hardware required, etc. In my case, I just want to switch the option to Mastered, which is a standard ISO9660 disc, and then click the Next button.
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Vista will do a quick ‘preparation’ of the disc, and then a window will open showing your empty disc.
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You can now open another window to find your file, and drag it to the empty disc window, or you can right click on a file, choose Send To… and choose the drive with the empty disc.
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Vista will show a progress bar as it caches the files you want to burn to a local folder, this helps eliminate problems that can occur when you try to burn a file from a network drive, or a slow external drive or removable medium.
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Repeat this process for any other files you want to add. Note that you’ll need to do the math on how much can fit on your CD. Vista doesn’t help you at all in that area (the main reason I prefer Nero), it waits until you try to burn the disc before telling you that you have to many files. Lame.
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When you have all the files you want, click the Burn to disc link at the top of the explorer window where you’ve been dragging your files and you’ll be asked a second time what you want to name the disc, and you’ll get an option to select the speed you wish to burn at. Generally you’ll always want to pick the fastest available. You may want to select a slower speed if you know the blank media you have is only certified to a slower speed than what is shown. Also, if you have problems with a burn succeeding, lowering the speed can sometimes help.
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Vista will start burning the disc, at times a progress bar will be displayed, but it seemed to have no relation to the actual time that was progressing.
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When the disc is finally finished, it will automatically be ejected from your drive, and you’ll see the You have successfully written your files to the disc notification. Click the Finish button and you’re done.
I burned 9 CD’s, and all of them say they succeeded. In Nero, I learned the hard way that you should always validate your disc to be sure it burned properly. Vista doesn’t offer that option, so if they work great, if they don’t you’re screwed, but you won’t know until you try them out. All-in-all, I’ll be going back to using Nero. The guage to show you how full your disc is getting is alone enough reason to prefer it over the built in Vista functionality.
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Comments
30 Tips for Getting More (or Less) Out of Windows Vista | ITsVISTA
Jan 31, 2007 at 9:26 am
[...] How to Burn a CD with Vista [...]
AJS
Mar 7, 2007 at 2:52 am
> “I just want to switch the option to Mastered”
Me, too – but the option is unavailable (grayed out) on that dialog. What’s wrong?
DVD+RW disk and Windows Vista Home Basic.
Joe
Mar 7, 2007 at 10:43 am
Because it’s an RW disc, it generally intended to be used as a ‘Live File System’ (you pay more for that capability). I’d bet it’s probably already formatted that way (maybe it came pre-formatted?). Not sure you can reformat it to work as an ISO9660.
Windows Vista masterizza in aramaico (inesatto: aggiornato) « L’importante è avere un titolo
Apr 5, 2007 at 5:54 pm
[...] qui è dove ho capito l’arcano [...]
realtebo
Apr 6, 2007 at 10:08 am
Thanx for this article. I found your site onlu today, and I added to the font of information for my weblog on Windows Vista
Chris King
Apr 10, 2007 at 8:32 am
I just want the default to be Mastered. Anyone figure that one out? I don’t mind MS giving us new functionality but just let me set it the way I want it.
I sorry if I cannot get excited about a feature that pumps out CDs that might not work everywhere in order to save money on 10 cent CDs.
marge
Apr 11, 2007 at 3:34 pm
Just a query…How do you change the burn speed of your CD or DVD drive?
Joe
Apr 12, 2007 at 5:46 pm
Good question. The only place I can find that talks of burn speed is in Windows Media Player. Under the Burn icon is an arrow for the options, and one of the settings is for the burn speed. It gives ‘fastest, fast, medium, slow’ as options. Not sure if burning from the explorer respects this setting, or how to tell what setting is currently being used. Yet another reason to use a third party CD/DVD burner…
Ian
Apr 30, 2007 at 1:30 pm
I am getting the message burn completed every time I use Nero and still nothing has been burnt. Driving me mad. Seems to be ok if I use an external dvd writer though
Charles
May 28, 2007 at 9:31 pm
Before you burn a CD in Vista, when it asks you to prepare the disc, click “Show Formatting Options” and select “Mastered” mode. Then it’ll ask you what speed to burn the disc at when it’s ready to start.
Blisset
Jul 17, 2007 at 2:44 pm
I’ve burned a DVD-R (UDF 2.01) with XP and Nero 6.6.
In XP that DVD works fine, but Vista sees that UDF 2.01 DVD as BLANK and wants to burn it ! I tried with Nero 7.10.1 (in Vista) and the DVD appears blank !
I go back to XP system and the DVD is perfectly readable in Nero and Explorer.
Why Vista can’t read UDF 2.01 DVD burned with XP-Nero?
RonCam
Aug 13, 2007 at 2:16 am
Vista pre-release publicity said* the new OS would be able to format and burn CD-MRW/CD+MRW (Mt. Rainier/EasyWrite) discs, presumably using a burner having necessary firmware support for this feature. Now that it’s released, neither Vista Help nor the Microsoft site make any reference to Mt. Rainier. The drive compatibility list makes no reference to Mt. Rainier.
What happened? Was Mt. Rainier left out? What about its features (rapid background format, mapping bad areas on the disc, etc.)? Can Vista duplicate this functionality without having Mt. Rainier in the drive’s firmware? Any additional info going in this direction will be most appreciated.
_________
* Actually, I only saw it claimed Vista “would support Mt. Rainier.” I didn’t expect this meant it would only “work with” a Mt. Rainier drive, then drop back to simple packet writing, but I assumed that meant “full support.” Or not?
Joe
Aug 14, 2007 at 8:38 am
I hadn’t even heard of Mt. Rainier before you asked, but in Googling around, there are definitely many mentions of how Vista was going to support it. The only page I found that makes it sound like that actually happened is at Wikipedia where they say “Mount Rainier is implemented natively in Windows Vista, which was released on January 30, 2007.” I don’t have a Mt. Rainier drive, so I’m afraid I can’t offer much more than that. Anyone else know more about Mt. Rainier support in Vista?
RonCam
Aug 14, 2007 at 10:36 am
Here is an experiment: using Nero InfoTool (or any utility that shows your drive’s supported ‘write’ features, look for Mount Rainier or MRW. With Vista running, insert a CD-RW and let Vista format it. Then, open the formatted disc’s Properties box.
Let us know what you see: if it’s UDF followed by a number, Vista isn’t supporting the drive’s firmware. However, if you see, in place of, or along with the UDF, any of the following — Mount Rainier, MRW or EW (for ‘EasyWrite’) you just made a Mount Rainier disc.
Post your results in this thread, along with your drive’s supported ‘write’ feature, please!!
RonCam
Aug 17, 2007 at 4:32 am
Not to confuse anyone, there’s a typo in my original post. I said Vista is supposed to record in the “CD+MRW” format. As we all know, there is no “+” or “-” format for CD recording!
That should have read, of course, is “DVD+MRW.” I doubt the “-” would be applicable, because I have read that the “-” format doesn’t work with Mount Rainier.
RonCam
Aug 17, 2007 at 4:51 am
Question for Joe, re: August 14 Post
If it is true that Vista supports Mount Rainier, and he (or anyone else) burns files using Vista on a drive without Mt. Rainier capability, and then gets some burns with errors …
Would this be the fault of Vista, or the fault of using an incompatible drive?
Using Nero’s CD-DVD Speed utility I see that some of my new rewritable discs have LOTS of errors, sometimes even unrecoverable errors (the red ones) in parts of the disc. If one does packet writing on such a disc without being unable to map the defects, one could expect to write files that won’t verify. Or not?
RonCam
Aug 17, 2007 at 5:00 am
Sorry!
“without being unable” should be changed to “without being able.”
Philippe Lanthier
Sep 3, 2007 at 5:04 am
I just installed Vista Home Basic and I don’t see the ‘Burn’ icon when I select files. Do you any idea why? I have another PC with Home Premium and everything is ok.
RonCam
Sep 3, 2007 at 10:47 am
I have a question about the article in this thread, “Windows Vista masterizza in aramaico.”
The author is complaining that software-based packet-writing systems are, and always have been, notoriously incompatible with one another. He is upset (very!) because (he says) Vista is no exception.
However … if Vista supports Mount Rainier, and if he uses a compatible drive, would not those discs he creates be readable on any other system (hardware, software, including different OS) that also has a Mount Rainier driver and a Mount Rainier-compatible drive? For example, with Linux, Mount Rainier support has been built into the kernal for several years.
His problem would be solved … or not? Replies welcome from those having knowledge in the practical aspect of using this feature. Is the author of that article following the thread, I wonder?
xufufxufytf
Oct 25, 2007 at 8:15 pm
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Nick
Nov 3, 2007 at 2:05 pm
It’s great to see what’s supposed to happen but when I choose mastered format and drag files into the open RW drive folder then click burn – what I get is a message saying: this folder does not exist do you want to create it? I click yes and get the message: You must format the disc before you can use it! I click yes and choose mastered format. I get the message: Windows cannot read the disc in drive (E). If I choose live file format burning proceeds normally. There is more than ample room on my HDD for the cached files, so if I have dragged files into the folder why – according to Vista – doesn’t it exist?
Mike
Nov 8, 2007 at 11:27 am
I just followed all instuctions above. The disk burned and I am able to play the DVD on my computer but not any DVD players. ( All DVD players state that there is a disk error ) I did select the mastered option to? Please help!
Joe
Nov 8, 2007 at 11:46 am
Making a ‘Video’ DVD is different than making a ‘Data’ DVD. For one, your video files need to be converted to MPEG-2 format. Try using Windows Movie Maker, available in Premium and Ultimate, it should be able to create the video DVD you need.
Nick
Nov 9, 2007 at 3:01 pm
Re: Mastered format – burn folder (cashe) does not exist (can’t create one either). If I hold the shift key and right click on my CD/DVD RW drive I can open the command window. This states: Incorrect function.
C:\Windows\system32>
would someone else try this and see what I should be getting?
Connie
Dec 3, 2007 at 5:31 pm
Error message: Windows cannot read disk in drive E
have new Vista program……..the E drive can read a CD/DVD and have even burned a video on a DVD, but when I want to burn data files on a DVD or a CD for that matter, all I get is the error message……… any ideas ???
Ellie
Dec 13, 2007 at 8:37 am
Having problems reading picture discs that were burned when we used XP, now we’ve got Vista it asks us to format these discs, refuses to see that there’s anything on them. Surely we haven’t lost all these images because of some sort of softawre incompatibility?
RonCam
Dec 13, 2007 at 9:52 am
See comment of September 3, although you are finding this out, by now, for yourself. You didn’t say if you did a “true burn” or used XP’s Drag ‘n Drop.
At this point, is it too late to go back to XP? Read the discs on an XP system and transfer them to some other medium. If you want to stay with optical media, save files using a conventional burn with Roxio or Nero, bypassing XP. Otherwise, use the IsoBuster utility for file recovery. (see http://www.isobuster.com ) Be sure to check if IsoBuster is running on Vista, before going too far.
RonCam
Dec 13, 2007 at 10:01 am
Question: if Ellie had used Drag ‘n Drop on XP with a Mount Rainier compatible drive plus MRW-capable software (XP is MRW incompatible), and now has another MRW drive on the new Vista system, would the files be readable?
MrAndrew
Dec 17, 2007 at 10:02 pm
Response to Connie’s problem:
Vista cannot read a blank disk, no AutoPlay option, no Format available
I have had this problem on 4 machines that I built using Windows Vista, based on Gigabyte motherboards (1 GA-P35C-DS3R, 3 GA-P35-DS3R.) The problem on my machines turned out to be a bad driver written by a company named JMicron (jmicron.com) and supplied with the motherboards by Gigabyte. I do not know if the bad JMicron driver ships with other Gigabyte motherboards as well, but I suspect so. It is possible that JMicron supplies drivers to other motherboard manufacturers. I don’t know what the effect of this driver is on Windows XP systems.
The Symptoms:
1) Inserting a blank CDR (or CDRW) or DVDR (or DVD +/- RW) does not bring up AutoPlay dialog.
2) Attempting to use the disk in windows explorer generates the error “Windows cannot read the disc in drive X. Make sure that the disc uses a format that Windows recognizes. If the disc is unformatted, you need to format it before using it.”
3) In Device Manager, under DVD/CD-ROM drives, the CD/DVD device says it is “SCSI�, even though it is not a SCSI device. It should say “ATA�.
4) In Device Manager under Storage Controllers there is a device named “Gigabyte GBB36X Controller.�
The Issue:
JMicron supplied a device driver to Gigabyte that has something to do with support for PATA drives. They based it off a SCSI device driver, but failed to fully re-write it for PATA. The device driver reports to windows that the device is a SCSI device, and hands other bad data to Vista. Because of the bad data supplied by the faulty device driver, Vista fails to identify that there are valid CD/DVD PATA device(s).
The Solution:
Go to Control Panel/Device Manager. Click on “Storage controllers�. Double-click on the “Gigabyte GBB36X Controller.� Select “Roll Back Driver�, and Yes/OK any dialogs asking to confirm. Afterwards the “Gigabyte GBB36X Controller� will be gone. Check under DVD/CD-Rom drives. The device(s) should now show up as ATA, not SCSI. The device should now work properly.
Note: On two machines I did not reboot after doing this and subsequently had a blue-screen crash (after which everything was fine.) On the other two machines I did a reboot after rolling back the device and had no crash.
Microsoft is aware of the issue and is working with Gigabyte to correct the problem.
Ellie
Dec 19, 2007 at 3:59 pm
Not altogether sure I know what Mount Rainier software is, nor why we should need it. I use a computer, never seemed to need to know too much about what it did, and how.
The discs were burned using Nero and checked as complete before any files were removed from the hard drive – which is no longer available. I’ve checked them on an XP system, the pictures are there but aren’t readable with Vista.
We’re having more than the expected problems with using Vista, it’s irritating and sometimes very frustrating to use.
RonCam
Dec 20, 2007 at 12:37 pm
“The discs were burned using Nero and checked as complete [i.e., verified] …”
I always thought a conventional burn with nero, finalized (if needed) and verified meant the files should/could be universally read without error, by any other system? Perhaps Joe will shed some light on the matter, at this point.
greymaster
Dec 23, 2007 at 11:06 pm
ok so… my “mastered” option is greyed out with a normal cd-r. How do i get it back? I’ve seen a similar question asked a few times on this page, but seems to have gone ignored…
what is the answer!?
ladybugg
Dec 29, 2007 at 1:25 pm
I am having the same problem, when using CD-Rs, Vista does not give me the Mastered option, only Live. Also, I cannot seem to burn audio cds at all, every burn fails, irregardless of the program I use. But I can make data cds fine. I’m also having the same problem as Ellie, I made a disc of photos using the Live option, as that is all it would offer, and every time I put the disc in, Vista won’t show me the files, just tells me I need to format it, but I can see the files on my XP machine.
Ellie
Dec 30, 2007 at 1:41 pm
It looks as if I’m not alone with this problem. I should be pleased that it’s not just me and my new computer but it’s intensely frustrating to apparently have the ‘latest’ operating system and find it expects me to junk all my old stuff, or have access to a machine running XP.
I can get to a computer that uses XP, but it isn’t really a reasonable thing to have to do.
I’ve read that there’s a Vista Service Pack available, seen it on the MS site, but haven’t had the courage to download it because it doesn’t seem to be readily available – or hasn’t been added to the list of updates MS tells me to install.
If we were to download and install it, do you think it’s likely to go some way to resolving some of the problems we’re having? (Not just with using CD-R but also with sound management and using a Skype phone – another Vista irritation
)
Elliot
Feb 16, 2008 at 8:34 pm
Does anybody know the cache folder on C drive that holds the mastered disc image? I failed to make a burn due to not enough disc space on C drive, but I can not clean up the used space !
Angel
Mar 20, 2008 at 4:10 pm
I can’t burn dvd/cd on vista but can read. My laptop is a VAIO and has a Pioneer dvd-rw device. It was working fine before it had windows update. Pls Help.
Ejay
Mar 23, 2008 at 6:59 pm
I have Vista and I use Roxio Creator that came with the OS , so far it has not taken a step wrong , I even use it in preference to “Ashampoo” burning 6 which I never bother to use anymore !
sbw07
Apr 2, 2008 at 12:40 pm
When I formatted my 700 MB cd-rw in the UDF format it left me with around 550 MB. Turns out that UDF needs the rest of the space for itself, as I saw here . I think that Vista should inform you of that when it gives you the choice of formats.
Also, is it possible to copy an ISO to a UDF cd and use it as a reg. cd?
adya
May 21, 2008 at 9:51 am
ive been trying to create an iso image with vista for ages. it just wont do it. finds all kinds of stupid reasons why to . like disc is full? when i use a brand new blank disc. ive tried around 20 different disc . but it finds a reason every time.
im switching to mastered like u suggest, but why does it have to format? the format which it does everytime i put a disc in takes around 45 min.
this is stupid. never did this crap on xp
Andy
May 28, 2008 at 11:54 am
I tried your furst suggestion to burn a cd using Vista. I checked my “automatic play” and it is set to default –but, it does not work. In short: Nothing else is working. Any suggestions? Thanks!!
Jamie
Sep 15, 2008 at 7:32 pm
I have sonic stage, windows media player,i tunes,nero etc I can’t burn cd’s , not one has been successful.I
Jamie
Sep 15, 2008 at 7:42 pm
i have never been able to burn a cd, brand new sony viao with vista, i have tried itunes,nero,sonic stage and windows media player. On itunes i get error message 4450 ? nero and sonic never complete… media completes but disc is blank….. i have turned virus off,tried better discs and followed the above help to burn a cd but it completed but was blank …? please please please help… im at my wits end !!
Julia
Dec 3, 2008 at 8:12 am
I just got an HP Pavilion with Vista. It takes more than half an hour to burn a CD. Is that normal? With the old computer that had XP it usually took less than 10 minutes. Any ideas to make it faster?
Mitchell
Feb 21, 2009 at 4:42 pm
can u plzzz help me plzzz i had this game for my xbox 360 and i went on http://www.xbox.com and it says u have to download this peice of software for the game to work couse its an origanul so i tryed the method of burning and i draged the file into the cd file and it come up with the blue bar then it completed so i fort is that it then i done what u said burn at the top of the screen and it dident come up with the wizard and it hasent out ejected like u said im so anoyed plzzzz help
something
Apr 14, 2009 at 5:26 pm
when i try burning a disc. it doesnt show burn to disc plz help
Mashudu Violet Nephawe
Jun 19, 2009 at 8:25 am
what should i do for the dvd to play in other dvds as I struggled since i bought it in April 2009? I am so frustrated. Should I remove the Vista pROGRAMME OR WHAT? i NEED AN ADVISE BECAUSE i NEED TO SEE MY STAFF PLAYING IN OTHER DVD PLAYERS
Andy
Nov 28, 2009 at 5:51 am
I dragged and dropped some MP3 music files in my CD r, but forgot to click on burn to disc option. Later I removed the CD r and tried to play on my CD audio system, but failed.
Now can I re insert my CDR in my PC and select burn to disc option? Wll the files be then playable on all players?
Leslie
Mar 11, 2010 at 1:39 am
I read the comment that ‘you are screwed’ if you did not complete the burn process with Vista. Why? I mean, where are the files that I cut and pasted to the CD-R if they did not make it on there? Isn’t there a temporary file somewhere where your files ‘go’ if they are waiting to be burned? I have searched and searched and searched throughout Windows Explorer and found nothing. Am I missing something? Surely they did not just ‘cut’ without being ‘pasted’ somewhere! Oh please tell me that didn’t happen! I’ve done 7 discs of pictures that are just gone! Please help!
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