"Erasing" CD+RW

[ll]

When you want to re-use a CD+RW, what do you do to "erase" it?
Is it as simple as dragging files to to the trash?
Do you reformat it?

 

[Tom]

When you want to re-use a CD+RW, what do you do to "erase" it?
Is it as simple as dragging files to to the trash?
Do you reformat it?

Read here regarding CD burning in XP;
http://www.aumha.org/win5/a/xpcd.htm

 

[Michael Solomon \(MS-MVP Windows Shell/User\)]

I don't think the site referenced in this thread gives the actual procedure
for erasing a CD, XP's Help and Support does:

To erase files from a CD

"Open My Computer.

Double-click the CD recording drive. Windows displays the files and folders
located on the CD.
Under CD Writing Tasks, click Erase this CD-RW. Windows displays the CD
Writing Wizard.
Follow the instructions in the wizard to delete the files on the CD-RW.

Notes:
To open My Computer, click Start, and then click My Computer.
Erasing the CD deletes all the files on the CD; you cannot select individual
files to delete.
Not all CDs are erasable. If the CD you are using is not erasable, for
example, a CD-R, then this feature is not available. "

 

[ll]

To erase files from a CD ...

Thank you.
Should CD=RW's be formatted before use?

 

[Michael Solomon \(MS-MVP Windows Shell/User\)]

Not if you are using XP's built in function, they won't be recognized by XP.
XP's built in burning function is closer to how you master an audio CD and
is not packet writing. While it doesn't require third party software as
packet writing does it doesn't support dragging and dropping or saving
directly to CD.