Trying to Clean install OS

So I am trying to reinstall the operating system. So I bought a bunch of DVD-R DL. I have DVD/CD-RW, which I assume can burn DVD's and CD's. But for some reason it never recgonizes my discs. Whats up with that?

 

. Machine brand/model?
. Your OS?
. What software are you using for burning?

cheers ...

 

Lenovo T500
Vista Home Basic
No software to burn. The software is aready there I think. It's like Thinkvantage or Lenovo's recovery media files.

My D drives is DVD/CD-RW and I bought DVD+R dl drives

 

^^ Your specs do not support burning DVDs, sorry

cheers ...

 

Then how does Lenovo expect me to back up my files? If i cant create recovery CD's?

 

Is there anyway I can transfer my Q and S drive to external hardriver and then put it on my old laptop which does have the ability to record?

 

Your best bet would be using something like Acronis to duplicate the current drive onto an external hard drive.

Backing up your files and creating recovery CDs are 2 different processes.

cheers ...

 

Or you could take a DVD backup images and take it your friends system which has DVD Writer and write it

 

Or use CDs instead of DVDs??

 

BTW, that link to T500 is an auto link from NBR. I don't think OP linked to that page intentionally. T500 has the option to select a DVD burner.

@ gguan : If you configured your notebook with a CD-RW/DVD-ROM Combo 24X/24X/24X/8X Max, Ultrabay Slim (Serial ATA) then you can only burn CDs, but if you have DVD Recordable 8x Max Dual Layer, Ultrabay Slim (Serial ATA) then you can burn DVDs. To make sure what disks and formats are supported, run Nero info tool (FREE). It will give detaild information about your optical drive like the following figure.

 

Just buy an external dvd burner like an LG, they are cheap as chips these days. Its what i used to do on my old Toshiba that only had a CD writer.