BackUp Problem - brand new DVD is "write protected"??

I have a brand new Dell Inspiron 545s which is equipped with a DVD +/- RW drive.

I am running Windows Vista Home Premium 64 bit.

Today, I attempted to do my first back-up. I am using a brand new pack of Memorex DVD-RW disks which have never been used before.

Upon clicking on the backup utility, it instructed me to insert a blank DVD into the drive,which I did. The next instructions to appear indicated that the disk needed to be formatted (why?? since this was a brand-new disk??), but I let it go through the disk formatting process anyway. Upon reaching the end of the formatting process, I then received a message that the backup was proceeding.

The backup continued until it was approx. one-third completed (according to the shaded progress bar) and a total of two of my DVD's had been used up to that point. When prompted, I inserted a third disk and was, again, instructed to format it.

However, this time I received a message that "Windows was unable to complete the formatting process because the disk was write protected".

Having no idea why this would have occurred,I attempted to use another disk, but got the same message, and I finally exited the backup process without being able to complete it.

Can anyone tell me what the problem might be with this?? Thanks in advance for any helpful advice!

Did you need to format ALL DVDs?

yes, I was prompted to format each disk before it proceeded with the backup. The first 2 disks successfully completed the format process and started to go through the backup, but when I attempted to format the 3rd disk, it gave me the error message that it "could not complete because the disk was write protected"

Hmmm... did you try to format a fourth DVD? Don't format with the backup. Format on your own.

Yes, discs need to be formatted with the live or mastered file system. Better yet, but an external 1TB drive and back up to that. Discs are delicate for your valuable data.

Back up the 1TB external drive off site too.

I did try to use a 4th DVD when the other one wasn't able to format, yes, but got the same error message.

I appreciate the help thus far, Lemur! Can you tell me why I am getting a message to format a brand new DVD, in the first place though? And also, why it's giving me a message that it's "write protected" when the first two DVD's seemed to go through the format and backup process (as far as it was able to complete, anyway) with no problems?

This should explain the "why" of formatting:
Format a CD or DVD - Windows Vista Help

When you right click the dvd drive, does it contain any info for the disc? Can you consider an external hard drive?

Frostmourne said:

Yes, discs need to be formatted with the live or mastered file system. Better yet, but an external 1TB drive and back up to that. Discs are delicate for your valuable data.

Back up the 1TB external drive off site too.

Click to expand...

Oh my...umm..I appreciate your response as well, Frostmourne, but I guess I should also mention that I am woefully computer-illiterate and have no idea what you mean by the "live or mastered file system"...?

From the responses thus far, though, it does appear that I do need to format the DVDs first, even though they are brand-new out of the package. Can you provide me with some direction as to where (on the computer itself) I should point my mouse in order to find this "live or mastered file system" in order to get them formatted?

Frostmourne said:

When you right click the dvd drive, does it contain any info for the disc? Can you consider an external hard drive?

Click to expand...

I didn't try that yet, Frostmourne, but I will do so to see if there is any info on the new disks that I bought.

As to an external hard drive...unfortunately, its not financially feasible for me right now, although from what I have heard, it's the ideal option.

Thanks again for the help!

lemur said:

This should explain the "why" of formatting:
Format a CD or DVD - Windows Vista Help

Click to expand...

Much appreciated, Lemur!

Live means you can add stuff to the disc, works with vista and maybe xp. Mastered is it, nothing added anymore.

Here is a basic external hard drive. It holds 920GB of stuff and its preformatted with FAT32. Ideally you'd want to format it to NTFS if you buy it. Regardless, its more efficient than discs:

Newegg.com - Western Digital My Book Essential 1TB USB 2.0 External Hard Drive WDH1U10000N - External Hard Drives

Hope this answers your question.

The "live" issue can get a little confusing. It refers to being able to add more data, but the DVD can only be read on the PC that created it. Don't worry about that.

As Frost indicated, just right click on the drive and select format.

Good luck!