Maxell CD-R Music Blank CDs Will Not Burn

By Michael Roennevig

Damaged CD-Rs will not burn correctly.
i cd on cd image by Stephen Kirkby from Fotolia.com

Getting home with a new pack of blank Maxell CD-R disks only to find out that, for some reason, they don't work on your CD burner can be a frustrating experience. It's unlikely that there's a problem with the disks themselves and more likely that there's an issue with the way your system is configured or the media you're trying to burn. Troubleshoot your set up and get to the root of the problem.

Step 1

Check over your blank Maxell CD-R disk to make sure that it's not damaged. If there are serious imperfections on the surface of the disk, you will not be able to burn any data or files to it.

Step 2

Make sure that you're not trying to burn more data than the disk can take. CD-R disks can accommodate a maximum of 700 MB of data or 80 minutes of audio. Some programs will not allow any data to be transferred if you try to move more than the disk you're using can hold.

Step 3

Check that your burner is compatible with the operating system you're running and that all of the correct drivers are installed and up to date. You can visit the support pages for your product on its manufacturer's website or consult the Windows Compatibility Center. (See Resources)

Step 4

Click "Start," "Control Panel" and then "Hardware and Sound." Click your burner's icon and make sure it's enabled. If you're using an external device, click "Devices and Printers" after "Control Panel" to view your burner's status.

Step 5

Ensure that the files that you're attempting to burn are not corrupt or copy protected. You should receive a warning when attempting to burn asking you to skip affected files if this is the case.

Step 6

Try using different software. If you're attempting to burn your CD-R using a media player or library, try moving the files you want to transfer into another program to see whether you can burn them from there.

Step 7

Try to burn another make of disk. There's a chance that you might have bought a corrupt pack of Maxell disks.

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