Windows was unable to complete the format

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the issue of a PC being unable to format CDs and DVDs, with participants exploring potential causes and solutions. The scope includes technical troubleshooting and hardware/software considerations related to optical drives.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant notes that their PC cannot format any CDs or DVDs and questions the underlying cause.
  • Another suggests that cleaning the drive might help, mentioning specific cleaning methods and tools.
  • A participant indicates that they have already attempted cleaning the drive without success.
  • Some participants propose using alternative software like NERO or ROXIO instead of Windows for burning, citing potential issues with Windows' formatting process.
  • There is a discussion about the possibility of the drive being faulty or incompatible with modern disks, with one participant suggesting that it could be a hardware issue.
  • Another participant argues that it might be a software problem since the drive can still read and erase disks.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on whether the issue is hardware or software related, with no consensus reached on the exact cause of the formatting failure.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention various potential causes, including hardware degradation, dirt on the lens, and compatibility issues with modern disks, but do not resolve these possibilities.

samalkhaiat
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"windows was unable to complete the format"

Like myself, my PC is getting old! I have just noticed that it is not able to format any CD's and most DVD's. It certainly can not format any disk which has been erased. After 20 minutes of trying, it displays the message "windows was unable to complete the format".
It is interesting to known what exactly had happened to it? can I get an answer before I go to work in 13 hours from now?

Sam
 
Computer science news on Phys.org


maybe you need to clean the drive? it probably has some dust in it or on the lens.

There are some CD cleaners that look like CDs with a brush attached that clean as it revolves. It may come with some cleaning fluid too.

You might be able to clean it with a Q-tip and some lens solution. Not sure if you'll have to remove the drive or not though.
 


jedishrfu said:
maybe you need to clean the drive? it probably has some dust in it or on the lens.

There are some CD cleaners that look like CDs with a brush attached that clean as it revolves.

That was the first thing I tried! it didn't work.
 


have you tried NERO or ROXIO instead of Windows?

I've heard that Windows doesn't finalize CDs or DVDs as it should when burning is complete.
 
Last edited:


jedishrfu said:
have you tried NERO instead of Windows?

Sorry, what is NERO?
 


samalkhaiat said:
Sorry, what is NERO?

Its commercial software that people use in place of windows default tools to do CD and DVD burning:

http://www.nero.com/enu/
 


another thought is to get an external dvd writer and try that in case your drive just gave out.
 


jedishrfu said:
Its commercial software that people use in place of windows default tools to do CD and DVD burning:

http://www.nero.com/enu/

Ok thanks, but it is more interesting to know the cause of the problem! burning disks is not a problem, I have another PC which works well.
 


samalkhaiat said:
Ok thanks, but it is more interesting to know the cause of the problem! burning disks is not a problem, I have another PC which works well.

The is most likely a hardware issue. Could still be dirt on the lens or the LED no longer lights... or it could be you're using more modern CD/DVD disks and your drive just can't handle them. I've seen that with some older DVD players not being able to play a disk I burned on my PC.
 
  • #10


I think it is a software problem because it is still able to read/play and even erase CD's and DVD's.
 

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