Need HELP burning DVDs!!!! Please B-4 DH kills me!:o - SBB Digital Scrapbooking Forums | Scrapbook-Bytes

Krash · #1 (**permalink**) 02-18-2006

Ok. 1st of all I'm the world's biggest goober!! Disclaimer~~I've had to teach myself EVERYTHING computer related and I'm quite sloooowwww....lol!!

Anyway when I bought this computer (over a year ago) I made sure it had burning capabilities both CD and DVD. My old computer didn't have either, just CD reader. I've got dual DVD burners~double layer. Anyway I can't seem to burn a DVD to save my soul and dh is ticked at me!!

1st I figured I needed software~the stuff loaded in my puter all requires a upgrade to burn DVD's. I can't seem to get windows to do it. Sooo I installed a trial version of Ulead's Burn Now software~couldn't find a trial for Roxio~and tried to burn a DVD of all my lo's. I've GOT to get all this stuff backed up before it's too late!!!!!!!!!!!!

It said it was successful. Showed me all the progress while burning~all looked good. WELL now I can't open the thing!! I wanted to take a look and make sure it worked. I can't seem to open it to save my soul!! DH stuck it in the DVD player to try and take a look on the TV. Nothing. Sigh...Dh is hollering that here I spent all this $$ on "that computer" and it can't do anything

MEN!! lol~of course I told him my computer can do TONS (and it CAN~I built it special for graphics work and it cost me a bundle)!!

It's ME that can't do quite a bit!! Sigh...Any advice or step by step directions for the computer stupid??? lol

TIA

Kari · #2 (**permalink**) 02-18-2006

make sure you have the right kind of DVD in there to burn to... some take -R, some take +R.... I have that problem with mine... I have +R format and all I had was -R cause that is what my other computer uses... it acted like it was burning fine... but when I went to view the DVD, NOTHING was on it...

Betty E · #3 (**permalink**) 02-18-2006

When my CD burner on my laptop died, I replaced it with a unit that can burn either CDs or DVDs. I can't tell you how many different brands and units I went through before I figured it out!

I found that I the only way I can burn DVDs successfully is to leave about 25mb free and burn at a slightly slower speed. In addition to getting the right format, get DVDs that close to your DVD burning speed. I had a couple of old 1x DVD R/W and the burner wouldnt recognize them.

Good luck, Martha!

Krash · #4 (**permalink**) 02-18-2006

Sigh...now HOW do I find what kind of DVD my computer would take? See?? I told ya I was computer stupid! lol I have DVD+R DLs and also DVD-R's. I tried the DVD+Rs cause they are the DL and I figured I could get lots more on 1 disc. Hmmm...the speed for those (as it says on the box) is 2.4X???

Thanks for the replies so far! Maybe I can get this figured out in baby steps

~Amy~ · #5 (**permalink**) 02-18-2006

Martha - have you tried burning to the DVD-R's yet? I'd try that for sure and/or go and purchase some +R's that aren't DL and try that too - just to try and start narrowing it down a bit.

arti-bytes · #6 (**permalink**) 02-18-2006

Martha... What Brand and Model Number is the DVD burner? Some "beasts" are more touchy than others with what software and brand of blank dvds that you use. I was required to switch to the "Nero" burning program, and have the best luck when using "Maxell" dvd's at the slowest rate of burning. if you can, do a google search on what you have, and see if anybody has come up with a quick fix or even a patch that might help. I will also ask DH if there is anything else that might belp when he gets home from work (already put in over 50 hours this week and he is back at work today).

starling · #7 (**permalink**) 02-18-2006

Put the DVD you burned into the DVD slot you burned it in. Go to Windows Explorer (where you look at your files) and click on My Computer. It ought to show you the DVD slot as a separate disk, and if you did the burn correctly when you click on it, it will open up and show you a file tree for that DVD. With any luck your files are there.

Now, if you want to burn a DVD that you can look at on the TV, that is a totally different project.

I suggest you buy the newest Roxio software. There will be a bunch of different applets in it. One is just "copy files" and it will put files on a CD or DVD. Another will make you a slide show for your TV or to see on the computer. It will open up automatically and you can have music and transitions. I've done this (only once I admit) with the version that is just one number earlier than the new one.

The files that you can see as a slideshow don't have the same resolution as the files you want as backup, so you need to do both. Don't let DH push you around on this. I'm very computer literate and when he wanted the slideshow we printed a full manual (from the Roxio CD) and killed a tree. I needed it printed out because I couldn't figure out exactly what to do until I did. Once I had the manual the entire process was so easy I'm embarrassed about killing the tree.

arti-bytes · #8 (**permalink**) 02-18-2006

DH is home now... PM me if you still need a computer tech's assistance