How to Format Disks on a Computer for a DVD
Unlike the old magnetic floppy disks, blank DVD's require no preformatting before recording information to the disk. You can copy the disk in its entirety in one step or set the disk up to add files without closing the disk. You can't read an unclosed DVD in an ordinary drive until you close it. Your burner software will choose the writing format (rewriteable or not) depending on the type of blank DVD you use. With DVD burner software installed, here's how to do both.
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Things You'll Need
- Blank DVD's
- DVD read/write drive for your computer
- CD/DVD recording software
Instructions
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Creating a Data Disk
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Insert a blank DVD into the DVD burner drive. A window will pop-up asking you if you want to create a DVD disk. If you click on that selection your DVD burner software will open.
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Choose the DVD menu and then select the option to "Create a Data Disk". A window will pop up with the option to "Add Files." Click on that option.
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Use the browser window that opens to select what data files you want to add to the DVD disk. A DVD is great for storing backup picture and video files because of its large capacity. A bar below the window will show you how much room is left on the disk as you add files. When you've selected your files, click "Add" on the browser window and you will go back to the burner menu.
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Choose "Next" and go to the next menu. This will give you options like "write speed" and it will ask you whether you want to make it a multi-session disk. This allows you to add files later, but doesn't finalize the disk to be read by ordinary DVD drives. If you don't use this option, the software will verify the data and finalize the disk when you are done so that nothing else can be added to it.
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Select "Burn" and the burn process will begin. Don't interrupt the burn by canceling in mid-session or the disk will be ruined. Wait till a "Done" window pops up, then click on it and follow the menus till it pops the DVD out of the burner and proclaims it completed or tells you the burn failed. If the burn fails, you may need to redo the session with a new disk at a slower burn speed. Some less-expensive DVD's need to be burned slowly.
Copying DVD's
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Choose the Copy Disk option from the menu. The window that pops up will ask for a source drive and destination drive. Choose the drive letter for the source disk. If you have a second DVD drive this will make it faster to copy the drive. If you only have one DVD drive, both the source and destination will be the same and the computer will copy all the files from the source to the computer, then from the computer to the new disk.
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Choose any options like quick copy you want to use and then click on "Burn". This will start the copy process.
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Leave the computer running during the burning process. This can take a while and depending on the capacity of your system you may be able to do other work while the disk is burning. Just don't jar the computer.
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Click on the "Done" button when the burning process is complete. The software will verify the files and tell you whether the burn was successful or not.
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Click through the closing menus till the software pops out the completed copy. Mark it and store the disk in a sleeve or case to protect it.
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Tips & Warnings
Copying copy-protected disks doesn't generally work and if successful is generally illegal anyway. If your disk won't burn a copy, it may be copy protected and you won't be able to copy it.
Avoid using so-called "ripper" software to defeat copy protection. The results are often sketchy and again, it's illegal!
References
- Photo Credit dvd image by dinostock from Fotolia.com
