Dell Vostro Vista will not burn playable CD

I have just bought a new laptop running vista. Each time I burn mp3's (legal) onto a cdr they will not play in cd players that normally play burnt cds.
I have tried Roxio 9, Windows media player and centre and also CDburnerxp. I have also tried using an external cd burner but still no luck. The cds will play in the laptop but not on anything else.
Please help?!

 

It sounds like the discs are not finalized. Check in WMP's settings for a "finalize disc" setting (roxio too) if that setting is unchecked, you will not be able to play the disc anywhere but on a pc. I thought most players did that to discs anyway.

 

You might need to burn them as "Audio CD". Some CDplayers just don't play MP3s.

I use Nero. Just get the free version.

 

I had a quick look on Nero's website but I could not find any free version.
Are you talking about the free trial?
What kind of limitation does it have? Quit working after a period of time, or after a certain amount of burnings?

 

Yeah the trial. Or I think. At least there is the version that comes with every computer, maybe not Dell since they use Roxio though.

The free version does not include MPEG-2-4 codecs. (DVD & DiVX).

 

Thanks. I did not know it would work indefinitely albeit marginally 'crippled'.
I will give it a try, should my other free burning apps have any problems.

 

I hate to suggest it, but iTunes may work. It's quick and easy.

 

The problem with the "crippled" version of burning software, is that they usually cripple the burn speed. For instance, if your burner can burn a DVD at 16x and a CD at 48x, the software may lock top speed at 4x for a DVD or 16x for a CD. Kind of a bummer.

Your regular software (i.e. WMP, Roxio, and CDBurnerXP) should work just fine. Just check the settings to ensure you are buring an Audio CD and finalizing the disc. Then you should be set.

 

Laptops don't go over 8x anyway.