How to properly erase a DVD-RW?

[rags_20]

I had this DVD RW and had my Windows 7 Beta ISO burnt onto it months ago. All was well. I wanted to use it for something else and used Quick-Erase in Nero 7. It finished and ejected. Then when I popped it in again, the computer hangs, nothing happens, no Task Manager, totally frozen. Nothing I can do. Also tried it in two other computers. So, I bought new DVD-RWs. I don't want the same thing to happen to them, so what is the proper procedure to write and erase? Its a 1x-2x version that I have now and its a Sony.

 

[Lavarin]

Try using ImgBurn. It's the best free CD/DVD authoring tool I've used so far.

 

[cortico]

I had some DVD+RW disks that were formated and written on a CyberHome Recorder. Then I could not erase them on the PC using Nero 9, in fact it would actually hang Nero 9. Nero 9 would not restart correctly until I rebooted the PC. Then I used ImgBurn to write a Video file to the DVD. ImgBurn then formated the DVD and wrote the files. Then using Nero 9, the erase worked fine, both the quick and full erases.

 

[Mimoso]

You cannot erase DVD+RW discs, you can only overwrite them.
A programs which claims to erase DVD+RWs simply clears the file structure.

DVD-RWs are different. They have to be erased before they can be used again.

 

[leon2006]

You can format it and reuse.