Vista - Problem formatting a dvd

Well I figured out half of the problem, I now have figured out how to format
a DVD-R Disk, I only have to insert the DVD and the Autoplay box comes up
and I pick burn files to disk using Windows and click on Show formatting
options and select Mastered Formatting option.

But can someone help me do the same with a DVD-R Disk,
I insert the DVD-R Disk and nothing happens, the Autoplay box does not come
up so I can't select the format option, I go into My Computer and click on
the E: DVD DRIVE and if I go and click on format it only gives me one option
to fast format the DVD disk but then it will format it (Live File Format)
and I want Mastered Format, How do I format the DVD +R Disk as Mastered ???
Sorry for all the stupid questions but I am new to using DVD'S and am
struggling to figure this out.
Steve

Saint wrote:==================================
Just burn the disk...formatting is not an
issue when using the Mastered format.

--


John Inzer MS-MVP
Digital Media Experience

Notice
This is not tech support
I am a volunteer

Solutions that work for
me may not work for you

Proceed at your own risk

DVD and CD disks are automatically formatted when you write to them. Just
make that they are Finished before you take them to another player if you
write unfinished option.

"Saint" <slstdenis@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:06F87AB2-54CD-451B-B98E-A5DD7270D930@xxxxxx

Well then I must have a problem with the DVD burner in the HP Pavilion dv7
notebook, On my Windows xp machine I started Convertxtodvd3 software and it
would convert my .avi movie and then burn the converted movie to my DVD-r
disk and everything was done the DVD-r disk would eject and it was finished.
Now with Vista Home Premium I try the same thing and CONVERTXTODVD3 software
converts the .AVI File and then stops and pops out the DVD-r and asks for a
disk to write to , it will not write to the disk unless it's formatted.

What I would like to do is format several disks and get them ready in
advance so I can then convert and burn in one session, but again I need to
format in mastered format, Why is it so hard to do a little thing like this
in Vista, it's unbelievable that I just can't put in a DVD-r disk and a box
would come up and give me a choice to either format in : format live file or
format mastered, this should not be rocket science and have me pulling my
hair out for several days and wasting several good DVD disk trying to figure
this out.

Is there a freeware program out there that will, when I put a disk into my
drive just come up and ask me if I want to do a live file format or
mastered.
thanks for try to help, I really appreacate all the post on this subject .
Steve

"Curious" <mailmenot@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:e4NAjKwhJHA.2204@xxxxxx

2 things to try:
1. try formatting live and then closing/mastering when you are done.
2. Try not putting a blank DVD in the drive till the program asks you to.

"Saint" <slstdenis@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:9F9BD63D-A24B-45FA-8E2F-6C2E7D9FD691@xxxxxx