I put MS Word & Excel docs on a CD-RW. Now I can only "read" and can't make changes. If I move the docs somewhere else to make changes, I cannot move it back to that CD because it says it is a read only.In snooping around in "properties" I see a message that it can be formatted, but I don't know how..... So for future use, is there something I should have done before using that CD to format it? (I'm kind of a newbee on these subjects).............thanks.
A cdrw is the same as a cdr EXCEPT, once its full it can be erased ( formatted ) and used over again!! Therefore, you can add files to it until it is full, you can not overwrite a file ( like on your hard drive ) I'm not sure what burning software you are using, but if your are only able to burn a few files at a time, and wish to add more later do not Finalize the disc Once a cdr is finalized it is only read only. Once a cdrw is finalized it must be reformatted to use and the rewrite speed is slower. Hope this helps
Thanks for reply, it helps partially. However, I now wonder exactly HOW to erase it. I can't seem to select and delete the files on it if that's how it is s'posed to be done. And FINALIZE? I'm not sure how that is done either. If a disc needs to be REFORMATTED after being FINALIZED, that's what I am trying to find out....how to FINALIZE it and how to REFORMAT it and how to ERASE it...... I think I'll just throw the thing away and forget about it. What good is it to save something on a CD if it cannot be changed?
You haven't stated what software(s) you are using so it is very difficult to help with a step-by-step. CdRW are erased by Formatting them. Once your software finalizes it(usually when full) it can only be read, unless you format it (erase it). CdRW are only good if you want to be able to erase the contents, and reuse the disc again. Its basically good to save larger files to cd, so as to free up hard drive space. If you're forever involved with small files and modifications to them its much easier to use your hard drive, and back-up your're final files to CDr. Hope this helps a little better!
