Can't burn onto disc - have tired the little I know

[Jenny]

I hope some clever person can help. I have videostudio 7 and used it once with no problems (well, I got there in the end!) to make a DVD disc of a home video recording. I have since tried to do the same again and all seems well up until the final stage. Once it has rendered the file and then prepared it for burning, a message pops up long the lines of 'can't read disc, either the disc is full or there is no disc in the drive' error 93006:1:0. It might as well be in latin as I have no idea how to sort the problem out. there is a disc in the drive, it's been formatted and it's new i.e. empty.
I am wondering if it is the configuration (someone made my PC 'secure' and so changed the settings) or a bug (I did a virus scan). I managed to burn the video clip through another programme (as a media file I think - my PC could read it, but I couldn't read it on our DVD player so I can't use it as the other person can only read DVDs - I have to send the disc by post to pass an exam).
Please help. I am desperate. I wonder if I should call the technical services of Dell, but every time I do this, I get another problem.

[heinz-oz]

You said the disk has been formatted, what do you mean by that? In order to author a DVD the disk has to be virgin, ie. not formatted for DMA. Also, make sure it is the right media for your burner. You cannot burn a DVD-R blank in a DVD+R burner and vice versa.

[Jenny]

Thanks very much Heinz-oz. I'll try without formating. By formating I mean when i insert disc it asks me if I want to format and I say yes, so I'll try saying no and repeat procedure.

[heinz-oz]

The fact that you get the system asking if you want to format indicates to me that you have some packet writing software installed. If you do not use it otherwise, uninstall or at least disable it until you finished your DVD. These pieces of software are great if you want to use a DVD like a hard disk or floppy but play havoc with DVD authoring software. Many users have had problems to burn a DVD until they got rid of the packet writing software.

[Jenny]

I see others are having this problem with burning - interestingly enough it worked once - I formatted a disc and burnt it and ended up with my a good finished product - do you still advise uninstalling? My concern is that I won't be able to use other programmes (i.e. dell media experience) to burn music.
thanks once again

[heinz-oz]

Packet writing software is there to let you use a formatted CD/DVD like another hard disk, nothing to do with music or video.

I find it rather interesting that you could use a formatted disk to create a video. Where did you play it? On the PC or a stand allone DVD player?

[Jenny]

Sorry I thought that I needed the programme to format discs before you burn music. I have had a look and I have the following on my Dell Dimension 8300 PC: Sonic DLA, Sonic myDVD, DVD Sentry, Power DVD.
Which one/s or all should I uninstall?
Re: the first DVD I did (that was formatted)- Both my PC and playstation 2 could read it.
I'm using DVD+R discs on my DVD+R machine. Perhaps I should try a DVD+RW (I've been told it's easier).
Cheers from a very peeved and useless person who's desperate to get this exam done.

[heinz-oz]

Don't know the Sonic programs you have listed, if you have the disks for it, try uninstalling Sonic DLA.

[sjj1805]

Sorry I thought that I needed the programme to format discs before you burn music.

Are you using Windows XP if so you don't need packet writing software, XP has its own CD burning system for writing music or other data to a CD.

Also you can use Windows Media Player, that will also "burn" your music into a format that will play in a stand alone CD player.