I have a question for you or one of the other computer guru's on board...

I was having trouble getting my DVD+RW to write to a CD-RW so I called Dell's technical support and they told me to try using a different brand of CD-RW. I did and it worked!! Can you tell me the reason why it would write to a Sony CD-RW and not a Memorex CD-RW? Just curious, it seems odd to me, I'd think that they would all be basically the same.

Thanx guys!!

 

Unfortunately the quality of the different brands vary as much as the spelling of their names. Currently the best quality seems to be those made in Japan.
I have seen some CD-Rs that are so bad the reflective coating (which is where the data is burned to) will flake off pulling them from the spindle.
Also if you are burning for long term storage or backing up data, it is best to use CD-Rs. CD-RWs are notorious for going bad or losing data. I realize this means only burning once to a disc, but if the data is important, burn to a CD-R.
Sony's aren usually good, I have also had good luck (no coasters) with Fuji's that are made in Japan. I have pretty much stck with the Fuji's as I was not having any problems with them.

 

Were both brands rated at the same write speed?

Most of the time any brand will work just fine, you'll have quality issues with all of them. Yes, some more than others. Most issues with burning problems stem from folks attempting to burn at a faster speed than the disc is rated for. That makes for bad burns and wacky results.

Assuming they are both the same rating and correct format, then could be you just got a bad batch.

Did you try multiple discs from the Memorex spindle? I've used memorex in the past with no issues on different burners...

 

I use the cheapest ones I can buy and have never had trouble with any of them. I go for the ones that have the 100% rebate offers. You probably got a bad batch.

 

Ok, this is the exact sequence of events...I think!! In the interest of saving time and typing all CD's I am speaking of here are CD-RW unless I say otherwise.

I burned a single picture on a Memorex when I first got the computer just to see how it worked and it did. A few weeks later I tried burning some data to a different Memorex, same spindle, and it wouldn't work. I tried everything I knew of, including limiting the write speed to 4x because that's what the discs are. Then I called Dell. They had me try various things and even tried to tell me that a DVD+RW writer would not write to CD's! Anyhow, I got frustrated after 3 hours on the phone with them, in the process using about 6 different discs from the same spindle and some from a second spindle, Memorex also. I decided to go get a different brand the following day and see if that would work. In the mean time I burned the same data onto an Imitation CD-R, worked flawlessly! The next day I purchased a single Sony (unknown write speed, it doesn't give a speed just says its "Audio"...oops I put pictures on it ). I tried a Memorex (second spindle-new disc) just to be sure...no workie...then the Sony, I put a whole slew of pictures on it and it worked like a charm.

So the Memorex just don't seem to work in this machine for some strange reason, I can't see having gotten two bad batches. The two spindles were purchased at two different times, in two different stores, in two different towns (same state )!

Thanks for your answers!!