This one is a funny one one. HP support no good and could not sort it. I have a DVDRW CDRW combo drive. Windows explorer see the drive (when empty) as DVD RW (E). When I put a blank disk in the drive it changes to CD drive (e) and will not let me copy files onto the DVD RW or CD rw for that matter. If I put a DVD in that I have copied already it reads as DVD ROM. Put a music cd in it reads as audio cd. This is the mad bit. Itunes and Sonic record both see the blank DVD as a blank DVD. Sonic calls it a DVDRW (9) and allows me to write files to it. Itunes allows me to back up music files to it as a dvd. Once I have created a disk of info then exploer will see it was a DVD ROM. I have downloaded all the drivers and firmware for this. been into the bios whic is currently set to auto. Even removed the drive and put it back in again. But windows will not let me drop files onto the drive when a blank disk is installed. I have tried expensive disks but it makes no diffrenece. Any got any ideas ?? The drives is a lite-on DVDRW SOHW-832s.

Have u tried using a burning software like Nero instead of Windows?

My guess [actually I'm sure about it] is that the dvd-rw disc isn't as yet formatted which is why Windows won't see it. Sonic's DLA probably does it [I don't use that part of Sonic] first before you can use it. Roxio Direct Cd\DVD [this I do use] will format it first before using it and Nero ditto if I remember correctly. I don't think Windows is capable of formatting these discs without a program such as Roxio, Nero and Sonic etc... Basically from what I understand, discs that are to be used for drag'n'drop purposes, be it CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD-RW etc.. have to be formatted first by your burning software's format feature. My DVD Rewriter, Imation IMWDVRW8DI, is a rebadged version of your Lite On model as several others are and I always have to format a disc first for drag'n'drop. Normal permanent data or audio burning I do via the program I wish to use at the time.

Nice one. It was me being thick. Formatted the disk in Sonic and now windows sees it. Thanks for the help.