How do I find out what re-writable DVDs or CDs I need for my laptop?

Question

What I mean is... + or - ? Is there a way of finding out without looking through the paperwork that came with it?

Answer 1

Hi James.
If you look on the front of the Drive, it should have a symbol and a number like 8X +R DVDRW, or 16X -R DVDRW
If there is this symbol ± then it means it can burn both + and -, the number denotes the speed of disk you need to buy... for example, the first symbol i wrote up there ^ means an 8speed +r disk, and the one after that means you can buy UPTO a 16X -r disk, you can buy lower speed disks, but only upto that number :)

Answer 2

Most drives will handle +R and -R DVDs with ease but some may have more trouble with the RW (re-writable) versions of each. CD-R and CD-RW will give no troubles at all.

DVD+RW seems to be more universal than the DVD-RW. Buy a small pack of each and see which burns the better. They're not expensive these days.

As stated above there may be something on the outer case which indicates which disk type the drive prefers.

Answer 3

Only DVD's are + or - format and if your Laptop is fairly new it will use both. You could check on-line from the manufacturers website. The only real issue is if you are going to record movies to play on a home DVD make sure that the DVD player will play the format that you buy,usually +. Don't listen to the uber-geeks that may say one type is for data and the other for everything else, just an urban legend!

Answer 4

All newer (1,5 - 2 years and newer) DVD burners can write both kinds. It's up to you to choose whatever you want.

Still, you might see a logo on the CD/DVD tray's door, and if it's there you'll also see what kind of discs it can write to.

And then again, rewritable DVD's cost less than a chocolate bar. You can allow yourself the loss :)

Answer 5

Might have +r or -r on the outside edge of the tray. Otherwise RTFM.

CDs don't come in +r and -r flavours. Any writable CD should work.

Answer 6

Sorry. except it says DVD-/+RW, this is in ordinary terms CDs. in case you are able to desire to burn DVDs, attempt getting an externalcontinual. they're speedier than workstation drives and in case you go searching they're in ordinary terms approximately $40-$60. usually pc shops sell them extra low-priced than electronics shops.

Answer 7

You are a lazy person aren't you?

Please look at the paperwork that came with it, because it is going to be more exact than the answers you will get here.

Answer 8

considering re writes are 3 times the cost of cdr and dvr? why would you want to use cdrw or dvdrw?
if you want to know what your CD/DVD burner is? Id use the free belarc advisor, and get a full and complete PC audit/ inventory.
to simply know what a drive is? go to my computer right click the drive in question then Left click properties and then hardware , this will give you the type and name of the drive
~CHEERS~

Answer 9

yes it should tell you -R or +R or both. Sometimes its on the front of the actual DVD drive. Other than that I would look at the paper work or look it up online if its a dell or HP.

Answer 10

On the outside of the CD tray which you can see when it is closed, it will have logos of the formats your drive supports.

If it contains the CD-ReWriteable logo, you can use any type of CD-R, and CD-RW (1-4x).

If along the side of this it shows HIGH SPEED, you can use any CD-R, CD-RW (1-4x) and CD-RW (4-12x).

If along the side of this it shows ULTRA SPEED, you can use any CD-R, CD-RW (1-4x), CD-RW (4-12x), and CD-RW (12-24x).

If along the side of this it shows ULTRA SPEED +, youc an use any CD-R, CD-RW (1-4x), CD-RW (4-12x), CD-RW (12-24x), and CD-RW (32x)

If you can use DVD+R it will show "RW" in a box then DVD+R underneath.

If you can use DVD-R it will show the default DVD logo with R underneath.

If you can use DVD+RW it will show "RW" in a box then DVD+ReWriteable underneath.

If you can use DVD-RW it will show the default DVD logo with RW or R/RW underneath.

If you can use DVD-RAM it will show the default DVD logo with RAM underneath

See the source below to get a closer look.