Reformating DVD Disks

I was making backups of my data files using the Vista back up program & for
some reason the back up didn't complete the first time. I'm using DVD's as
my backup destination. I now have 3 DVD's that I thought I could reuse but
when I try to re-format them I get a message that the disks are protected.
Is there ant way to remove the protection to utilize them again?

On Sun, 3 Feb 2008 10:54:08 -0500, "Boomer" <> wrote:

>I was making backups of my data files using the Vista back up program & for
>some reason the back up didn't complete the first time. I'm using DVD's as
>my backup destination. I now have 3 DVD's that I thought I could reuse but
>when I try to re-format them I get a message that the disks are protected.
>Is there ant way to remove the protection to utilize them again?
>

Hi Boomer,
I assume you are using DVD/RW (re-writable) DVDs. When I got my first
DVD/RW drive, I called the manufacturer, Memorex, and commented about
the extremely long time it was taking to format each new DVD and the
amount of kb I was loosing in the process. The tech asked me why I
was formatting the DVD. I replied "So I can prepare it for use, like
any other media (i.e., floppies, or hd.)." He told me I was wasting
my time, and doing things wrong, and that I should be using the
DVD/RWs straight out of the box "as is" and when I wanted to re-use
them to simply "erase" them, *not* format them - never to format them.
This was back in the "olden days," about 1999, maybe 1998.

Try this:
go to

www.pricelesswarehome.org

everything is freeware. Search for some backup utilities. Download
as many as you want and see if any of these will erase your DVDs.
If not, you've only lost a little bit of your time, not your money,
since this is all freeware.

Snowman