I cannot delete CD-RWs anymore because drive is not able to read anymore

[MrBurns]

I tried to install Mendrake Linux, and because you have to burn it to CD before, I tried to do that. I used a CD-RW because I didnt want to waist a CD-R. This CD-RW wasnt really empty, so I tried to delete it, but this didnt work:


nero and clone-cd said, that the CD wasnt deleteable because it was no CD-RW.

I also think, that I know the reason for this: since months my CD-RM drive has problems reading CDs, and since a few weeks it doesnt work at all anymore: When I insert a CD and try to access it in Windows or even in DOS (w/ dir), my PC crashes. When I try the same CD in my DVD drive, it doesnt have any problems reading it. My CD-RW drive doesnt mak any problems when burning a CD.

I think, that the problem is, that when the burner isnt able to read a CD, he will also have problems to check if it is rewritable.


So I have a question: Does anyone know a program (for Windows or DOS), which can be used to delete a CD-RW and doesnt check if it really is a CD-RW?

 

[MrBurns]

I cleaned my drive w/ a cleaning-CD, and now it can read as good as when I could erase CD-RWs drive again, but I still cat delete the CD. Under CD-Info in nero it says, that the CD is a read-only CD-ROM. So I know think, that it is the disk.

 

[lucky9]

it might be the disk. first try to format the disk. there should be an option to do a full format during the format it will erase anything onthe disk that may be the problem. i had a prob with cdrw's that this procedure cleared up. i still don't know why. prob something that made the writer think it was not the right kind of disk. a complete erase will sometimes resurrect them.

 

[BFG10K]

Do a full delete instead of a quick one and perform it at the lowest speed possible.

Also make sure you have the latest firmware for your drive.

 

[MrBurns]

Ok, I tried to delete the CD w/ a full delete, and the lowest possible speed (4x), but it still said, that it was no rewritable CD.

About format: Nero doesnt support formatting, but there is an additional program, that also came w/ my burner and is from the vendor from nero. Its called In-cd. It only supports the udf format, so I dont know, if mandrake linux will work w/ it. I havebt installed it right now, because I never need the udf format and the program is a little bit annoying (it always adds itself into the startup folder when it is used, and it automatically starts itself w/ nero), but if you think, that its a good idea, I could install it.

 

[MrBurns]

It now looks, like the burner is the reason for the problems:

I have buyed a CD-RW today, and after I put it in the drive, nero's CD-Info meant, that there was no CD in the drive. After that I tried the same w/ an empty CD-R, but the result was the same. Whats also strange is, that the burner can read burned CDs (although it makes a lot of errors, but this isnt different w/ bought CDs), but when a CD-R/RWis empty, it doesnt even recognize, that there is something in the drive. Explorer has the same behaviour: Until a short time ago Explorer showed me the contents of the empty CDs, and under properties -> file system it said CDBLANK, but now Explorer only complains, that it cannot access the drive.