It could be that the CDR media you're trying to use is not compatible with your drive.
Try to "quick format" the CD-RW. If you can't, it might have failed. They all fail eventually.
Did you previously close the cd? You can't write to a closed cd.
Personally, I wouldn't waste time with CD-RW media. Not worth the expense. I just use CD-R as I'm never going to write over it....
Some writeable optical drives are persnickety about the media you feed them. I suspect that's what you've encountered..
tje
Take the CD-RW out of the drive and use it the way it was intended: As a drink coaster.
Once your liquid refreshment is properly placed on the coaster, insert a CD-R into the drive and start over. CD-RW discs aren't worth the money. Are you really going to re-write to the disc? Just use CD-Rs instead. You'll save money on discs and Advil.
open the drive, and close it.
now it will work.
When you view the properties of the CD-RW drive, do you notice if there is a Recording tab displayed in the Properties dialog box ?
My guess is the write laser diode died. I do believe a CD-RW drive with a bad write laser can read but cannot write CD's. I've had that happen to me too. I would try to see if you could write a standard CD-R disc, if that doesn't work, generally, it is toast. I use an external CD-RW because I like to use it on my laptop as well, I bought it in July of 2003 and it died May of this year. I bought the 2 year fix or replace service plan at CompUSA and it had 5 weeks to run. So I took my drive back and got a new one at the same price. The plan was $14.99 and the drive was $100 so I got a new drive for $14.99. Naturally I bought the same plan for the one I'm using now. Always buy the service plans too for things like these, you'll be better off.
Do you have Microsoft windows 2000?
Two on this thread made erroneous generalizations about how RW's are "costly".
My computer is almost 4 years old now, (bought on July 12 of '01). On that same day I bought a 3-pack of Fuji RW's, and I still have them and use them. I backup stuff over multiple discs, and when the time is right I bundle everything and burn them permanently.
I'd hate to think how many CD-R's I'd have needlessly burned until necessary.