Microsoft KB Archive/931698

= When you try to use DVD-Rs or DVD-RWs interchangeably, a consumer electronics DVD player or DVD recorder may be incompatible with the DVD drive in a Windows Vista-based computer =

Article ID: 931698

Article Last Modified on 3/15/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Windows Vista Enterprise 64-bit edition
 * Windows Vista Home Basic 64-bit edition
 * Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit edition
 * Windows Vista Ultimate 64-bit edition
 * Windows Vista Business
 * Windows Vista Business 64-bit edition
 * Windows Vista Enterprise
 * Windows Vista Home Basic
 * Windows Vista Home Premium
 * Windows Vista Starter
 * Windows Vista Ultimate

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SYMPTOMS
Consider the following scenarios:
 * You try to use a DVD-R or a DVD-RW that was recorded on a Windows Vista-based computer in a consumer electronics DVD player or in a consumer electronics DVD recorder.
 * You try to use a DVD-R or a DVD-RW that was recorded on a consumer electronics DVD recorder in a Windows Vista-based computer.

In these scenarios, you may experience issues. These issues may include, but are not limited to, the following:
 * Windows Vista does not recognize a DVD-R or DVD-RW that you format on a consumer electronics DVD recorder.
 * A consumer electronics DVD player or a consumer electronics DVD recorder does not recognize a DVD-R or DVD-RW that you format on the Windows Vista-based computer.
 * Windows Vista can read a DVD-RW that you record on a consumer electronics DVD recorder, but Windows Vista cannot write to the DVD-RW.
 * You cannot play a DVD-R or a DVD-RW on a consumer electronics DVD player if you format that DVD on a Windows Vista-based computer.
 * A consumer electronics DVD recorder cannot record on a DVD-R or a DVD-RW that you format on a Windows Vista-based computer.



CAUSE
These issues may have causes that include, but are not limited to, the following:
 * The DVD-R or DVD-RW was not finalized on the consumer electronics DVD recorder before you use the DVD in the Windows Vista-based computer. A disc that has been finalized is complete, and you cannot add any more files to it. Windows Vista may not recognize DVDs that are recorded on DVD players and are not finalized.
 * You format and record the DVD-R or DVD-RW on a Windows Vista-based computer by using the Live File System disc format. The Live File System disc format is incompatible with some consumer electronics DVD players and DVD recorders. Some consumer electronics DVD players and DVD recorders may require a Mastered disc format.
 * You record the DVD-R or DVD-RW on a consumer electronics DVD recorder in streaming video by using a format that uses real-time file name extensions. For example, you record the disc in the DVD-VR recording format. Currently, Windows Vista does not support real-time file name extensions.
 * The consumer electronics DVD player or DVD recorder cannot read DVDs that use the Virtual Allocation Table (VAT). Windows Vista uses VAT to write to write-once media. Write-once media includes DVD-R and DVD+R media.
 * Windows Vista writes to DVDs by using an access type value of 4. The consumer electronics DVD player or DVD recorder may not use the partition access type value of 4. Some DVD players and DVD recorders expect a value of 3.



WORKAROUND
To work around this issue, use the following guidelines when you use DVD-Rs and DVD-RWs interchangeably between a Windows Vista-based computer and a consumer electronics DVD player or DVD recorder:
 * Use the Mastered disc format when you format a DVD in a Windows Vista-based computer.
 * Finalize the DVD in Windows Vista before you try to play the DVD in a consumer electronics DVD player or DVD recorder.
 * Finalize the DVD in the consumer electronics DVD recorder before you try to play the DVD in a Windows Vista-based computer.

Note Many different recording formats and standards are used for recording DVD-R and DVD-RW. Therefore, some discs that are used in some consumer electronics DVD players and DVD recorders may be incompatible with the disc that you use in a Windows Vista-based computer.

For more information about the formats and standards that your consumer electronics DVD player or DVD recorder uses, contact the manufacturer of the device.

For information about how to contact the manufacturer of your DVD player and DVD recorder, click the appropriate article number in the following list to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

65416 Hardware and software vendor contact information, A-K

60781 Hardware and software vendor contact information, L-P

60782 Hardware and software vendor contact information, Q-Z

Microsoft provides third-party contact information to help you find technical support. This contact information may change without notice. Microsoft does not guarantee the accuracy of this third-party contact information.



MORE INFORMATION
For more information about how to format and record DVDs in Windows Vista, visit the following Web sites:  For information about which CD or DVD format to use, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/help/2af64e60-60aa-4d79-ab6c-3a5db5806cbe1033.mspx

 For more information about burning a CD or DVD, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/Help/b47eb51a-ea6d-4d97-97b0-2d07a59316981033.mspx

 For more information about how to close or how to finish a CD or DVD, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/Help/6ba29b2b-0804-44ba-b277-a64fc439c79c1033.mspx



The third-party products that this article discusses are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, about the performance or reliability of these products.

Additional query words: WinVista burn

Keywords: kbtshoot kbexpertisebeginner kbprb KB931698

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