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If your computer is having trouble writing information (that is, doesn't burn) to a CD or DVD, several factors could contribute to or be the source of the problem. Here's a list to check:
 | - Your hard drive needs up to 1GB of free space when your drive burns data to a blank CD; it needs up to 8GB of space when burning to a blank DVD. If Windows says it needs more hard drive space, use the Disk Cleanup program. If you burn a lot of DVDs, you might need a larger hard drive.
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- Always burn information that's currently on your own PC. If the information lives on a networked PC, copy the information to your own PC, and then burn it. Your PC needs to write to the disc in an uninterrupted stream, and your network might not send the information quickly enough.
- Disc-burning programs usually burn at the fastest speed possible. That might be more than your particular CD or DVD drive can handle, leading to botched burns. Look at the blank disc's label for its rated burning speed, and then reduce Windows' burn speed accordingly.
- Drives must write information to the disc in a continuous flow. If your computer is interrupted during the process and doesn't feed information to the drive quickly enough, the disc might suffer, leading to skips or gaps in the data. To be extra safe, don't run other programs when you're burning CDs or DVDs.
- Buy blank discs in bulk, as some damaged discs inevitably turn into coasters. You'll feel less guilty about throwing a damaged one into the trash if you still have 49 more on your stack.
- Third-party disc burning programs often disable Window's own method of burning to CDs and DVDs. Use one program or the other, but don't try to use both.
 | - If you're using a third-party program to burn your discs, check the manufacturer's Web site often for updates. Burning programs seem to accumulate lots of patches and fixes that enhance performance.
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