Windows 7 How do I write protect a DVD-R in windows 7

Georged

New Member
How do I write protect a DVD-R after burning files that I want to permanently back up?

I've burned jpg images to a DVD+R for permanent backup with windows 7 drag & drop. I close the DVD burn session which I have read "finalizes" it but when I load the DVD I can still burn or delete files on it. If the files have the same name they are overwritten. I want to write protect the DVD. When I used Windows XP I used Roxio to drag & drop files to DVD & the disc had to be finalized so it could be read on other computers. This write protected the disc & when it was reload on any computer properties showed there was no room on the disc & it could not be written to & files could not be deleted.

Is there an answer to this?

GeorgeD
 
You cannot be using a DVD+R - that is a recordable and read only media - you can neither erase or overwrite data on it. You must be using rw media which is rewritable. However closing a session and finalizing a disk are not the same thing. Closing a session leaves any remaining space on the disk still available to start a new session and burn further data to the disk. Finalizing it prevents any further write whether or not the disk is physically full. Even so, a DVD+R will not permit overwriting any existing data and the contents of a closed session may not be overwritten.
 
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I'm currently using Maxell DVD+R printable discs & have already burned over 40 from my 50 pack most under windows XP with Roxio drag/drop.

You are correct that I cannot delete files on the disc but I can indeed "replace" any file on the disc. I just tried that. I cannot modify a file such as a text file directly from the disc but I can copy that file to a hard drive, modify it, then burn it back to the DVD which gives the appearance of overwritting it. I just did that & the original file no longer can be seen & is unreadable (removed from the FAT). A file on DVD+R cannot be erased because the space cannot be recovered as it can on DVD+RW. It's simply removed from the FAT.

Finalizing makes the disc appear full when it is not. That's how Roxio makes it no longer burnable.

My concern is how do I protect or finalize the disc under windows 7 so it appears there's no room left on it & therefor protects files on the disc from being lost (removed from the FAT)?
 
When you get the dialog box to burn your disk make sure you check the option "with a CD/DVD" button. This will cause the disk to be finalized at the end of the write.

Capture.JPG
 
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Thanks for your replies. I appreciate that.
I do select with a CD/DVD button. None of the DVDs I've burned gets finalized. I don't have a need to select use like USB flash drive. Properties show I have a considerable amount of free space left.
Any other suggestions?
 
It can get worse! There does not seem to be a way to 'write-protect' the disc. I've tried copying to DVD or CD (doesn't matter if these are -R, +R or RW) ... depending on your (control panel) options of how to view your disc files, ... if your computer does not recognize the type of file, ... it will think it is a 'blank' disc and allow you to FORMAT the disc. And, when you do this, you have just lost the "directory" tracks and your files. So, ... don't count on using the discs as a permanent 'backup' file.
 
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