The number of times that CD-RW and DVD-RW/DVD+RW discs can be rewritten depends upon the disc itself. The higher quality discs will have a longer life than lower quality discs. It also depends on the care that is taken with the disc. Some disc manufacturers state that their CD-RW discs can be rewritten up to 1,000 times.

It is estimated that a DVD-RW or DVD+RW discs can also be rewritten approximately 1,000 times and a DVD-RAM disc a huge 100,000 times.

How to format and erase files and folders on a CD-RW, DVD-RW, DVD+RW and DVD-RAM disc in Windows XP

Windows XP Home or Professional Editions cannot format CD-RW, DVD-RW, DVD+RW or DVD-RAM discs. Windows XP can burn data and music to a CD-R, DVD-R or DVD+R (record-once-only) disc without problems because those disks are pre-formatted.

Description of CD-R and CD-RW recording in Windows XP -

http://support.microsoft.com/...

Microsoft says in a round about way in the above article that you need third-party software to format a CD-RW disc, which also applies to the rewritable formats - DVD-RW and DVD-RW. It does not make that clear enough. Without formatting a CD-RW disc, you won't be able to write any data to it. Therefore, unless you have third-party software like Roxio, Nero or some other software for burning rewritable discs, you cannot use Windows XP to burn data to them at all. The following disc-writing software is free.

CDBurnerXP - "CDBurnerXP is a free application to burn CDs and DVDs, including Blu-Ray and HD-DVDs. It also includes the feature to burn and create ISOs, as well as a multilanguage interface. Everyone, even companies, can use it for free. It does not include adware or similar malicious components." - http://www.cdburnerxp.se/

You cannot erase selective (individual) files from a rewritable CD/DVD in Windows XP itself. The only way to do that is be to copy the files and/or folders back to the computer's hard disk drive, erase the files that you don't want, erase the contents of the disc and and re-burn.

There are packet writing programs that make rewritable discs appear to behave like large-capacity floppy disks, which allows you to "edit" and "delete" files from those discs. The files seem to have disappeared when the contents are viewed in Windows Explorer, but in fact the space is still being used by those files. To regain that space, you have to erase or reformat the disc.

However, note that Windows Vista allows you to erase all of the files on a rewritable disk - or just selected files. With CD-RW, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, or DVD-RAM discs, if you use the Live File System file format, you can delete one or more files to make more room on the disc. (Read the following information on Vista.)

I have used a CD-RW disc as the example, but the following process applies to all of the types of rewritable discs - CD-RW, DVD-RW, DVD+RW and DVD-RAM.

To erase files from a CD rewritable (CD-RW) disc, place the disc in the optical CD/DVD drive and click Start => My Computer, right-click on the entry for the CD/DVD writer, and click Open. The folders and files on the disc will be displayed. In the CD Writing Tasks pane, click Erase this CD-RW. The Welcome to the CD Writing Wizard window is displayed. Click its Next button. The Erasing the CD window is displayed and the progress bar shows the progress of the deletions. A message is displayed in the Notification Area when the process is finished, after which you can reuse the CD-RW disc. Note that if the CD/DVD disc is not erasable (the disc is read-only CD/DVD ROM) this feature is not available.

How to format and erase files and folders on a CD-RW, DVD-RW, DVD+R and DVD-RAM disc in Windows Vista

Windows Vista allows you to erase all of the files on a rewritable disk - or just selected files. With CD-RW, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, or DVD-RAM discs, if you use the Live File System file format, you can delete one or more files to make more room on the disc.

To erase all of the folders and files on a disc do the following in Windows Vista:

1. - Insert the CD-RW, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, or DVD-RAM disc into your PC's CD/DVD writer.

2. - Click Start => Computer.

3. - Double-click the icon that represents the CD/DVD writer and click the Erase this disc that appears on the toolbar. The Erase Disc Wizard will guide you through the process.

Follow the following steps to delete some of the files on a disc.

1. - Insert the CD-RW or DVD-RW disc into your computer's CD or DVD burner.

2. - Click Start => Computer.

3. -Double-click the icon that represents the CD/DVD writer to display the contents of the disc.

4. - Select the files or folders that you want to delete. To select more than one file, hold down the Ctrl key, use your mouse to select the files that you want and press the Delete (Del) key.

If you are using Windows Vista to burn discs, read the following pages on formatting and burning a CD/DVD.

Format a CD or DVD [in Windows Vista] -

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/...

Burn a CD or DVD [in Windows Vista] -

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/...

Formatting and erasing Blu-ray rewritable BD-RE discs in Windows X/Vista

At the time of writing there was not much information on the web about formatting and erasing rewritable Blu-ray BD-RE discs in Windows XP/Vista. You can conduct a search for information yourself by entering a relevant search term such as format + erase + blu-ray + discs + vista as is in the Google search box at the top of this page (with its Web radio button enabled).

Third-party software is available that can format and erase BD-RE discs in Windows XP and Vista. Here is a good example:

BurnAware.Professional.v2.2.0-Retail -

http://www.zimbio.com/Blu-ray+Disc/articles/1035/...

Computer diagnostics: How to solve or fix common desktop and laptop PC problems

To diagnose and troubleshoot specific and general problems with Microsoft's software (Windows 95, 98, Me, XP, Vista, Internet Explorer, and Outlook Express) using the MS Knowledge Base, visit the Diagnostics page on this site.

Click a relevant link below to visit the information it describes on this website:

1. - Recovering and repairing Windows XP when a computer crashes or fails to boot

2. - Recovering and repairing Windows Vista when a computer crashes or fails to boot

3. - Windows Vista problems: How to fix problems with Windows Vista

4. - Recover, restore and repair Windows 7 (Win7) when a computer crashes or fails to boot

5. - Windows 7 problems: How to diagnose and fix problems with Windows 7

6. - Windows XP: How to troubleshoot and fix shutdown, restart (reboot), and startup problems

7. - Typical DLL (Dynamic Link Library) device driver problems

8. - Software problems: How to fix problems with Windows, programs, and utilities

Also visit the Software pages on this site for more information on specific software-related information and problems.

9. - Motherboard and power supply problems: How to fix common problems with faulty motherboards (mainboards) and power supplies (PSUs)

10. - RAM memory problems: How to fix problems with the Random Access Memory

11. - Hard disk drive problems: How to fix computer hard disk drive (HDD) problems

12. - CD/DVD drive problems: How to fix problems with CD and DVD drives and discs

13. - Processor problems: How fix common processor (CPU) problems

14. - Video/graphics card problems: How fix common computer video and graphics problems

15. - USB and FireWire problems: - How to fix common USB and FireWire problems

16. - Network problems: How to fix common wired and wireless networking and internet problems

17. - Laptop/notebook problems: How to address or fix the most common laptop/notebook problems

How to fix problems with device drivers in Windows XP and Windows Vista and Windows 7

Although the information on the following page is specific to Windows XP, much of the advice is relevant to the earlier versions of Windows. Click here! to read Troubleshoot Device Driver Problems. Click h ere! to go to Tips for fixing common driver problems in Windows Vista. Those tips should also be applicable to Windows 7.

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Visit the Build a PC page for information on how to build a desktop PC and solve self-build problems, and visit the other pages, such as the Video/Graphics, Sound, Motherboards, and Monitors pages for more problem-solving information, all of which can be accessed via the menu items and jump menu on the orange navigation bar, or via the site search engine at the top of each of the main pages.

The Tips & Tricks pages of this site contain additional useful tips, tricks, and problem-solving advice.

The safest way to upgrade RAM memory: Use the UK and US Crucial Memory Advisors

Paul Mullen, who was the highly-respected computer guru of the Helpfile at ComputerShopper.co.uk - "I have recently been buying my memory only from Crucial Technology. I would rather pay the extra cost than waste time trying to track down the obscure program faults that bad memory can cause."

The best way to choose RAM memory for a brand-name desktop or laptop computer, or memory for a particular make/model of PC motherboard is to make use of the Crucial Memory Advisors (provided under the brief guideline on the minimum memory requirements for Windws XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7). If the Crucial memory you receive does not work, you are guaranteed a refund and standard shipping is free.

The memory requirements of the versions of Windows Vista and Windows 7

Most of the versions of Windows Vista require more RAM memory to run optimally on a computer that doesn't use memory-hungry applications than Windows XP. A video-editing application is an example of memory-intensive software. Only Windows Vista Home Basic has a recommended minimum amount of memory of 512MB, which is the same amount recommended for Windows XP. Windows Vista Home Premium, the most popular version, and Windows Vista Ultimate require a recommended minimum of 1GB (1024MB) of memory, which is twice the amount of minimum memory recommended to run Windows XP. Note that if you are using a 64-bit version of Windows, up to 4.0GB, it requires twice the amount of memory as a 32-bit version, which can only use a maximum of about 3.5GB. For more information on computer memory, read the RAM pages of this site, which includes information on the lower memory requirements of Windows 7.

UK - Crucial Memory Advisor - UK

USA - Crucial Memory Advisor - USA

How to Use the Crucial Memory Advisor

For example, if your computer has an Asus motherboard, open the menu, scroll down to ASUS, and click GO. If, say, you have a Dell computer, scroll down to DELL, and do likewise. You will be taken to the relevant information on Crucial's website.

If you don't know the make and model of the motherboard installed in your computer, here is a good free utility - Belarc Advisor - that creates an analysis of the hardware and software on a personal computer. Look under FREE DOWNLOAD - http://www.belarc.com/. Another utility that also provides detailed information on the memory itself is CPU-Z.

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