cannot put data on cd's via DVD and DVD RW drvies

[Loveembirds]

seems I cannot put photos from my documents, etc. onto a cd via my DVD and
DVD RW drives. If I put a CD that already has data on it in either of these
, it reads the data on that CD just fine.
However, if I put a blank CD into either of the drives , my computer is not
recognizing the such and says to " insert a disk" into either the E or F
drive, --whichever the case may -when I'm trying either drive.
There is a Roxio program on here that sometimes pops up and wants me to put
data on it via that program, however- I just want to "send to" the photo -or
whatever -straight to the CD without going through Roxio.
Any ideas? Know this is prob.a no brainer for most of you but I'm no puter
expert by a long shot.
Thanks if you can help!

 

[H.S.]

seems I cannot put photos from my documents, etc. onto a cd via my DVD and
DVD RW drives. If I put a CD that already has data on it in either of these
, it reads the data on that CD just fine.
However, if I put a blank CD into either of the drives , my computer is not
recognizing the such and says to " insert a disk" into either the E or F
drive, --whichever the case may -when I'm trying either drive.
There is a Roxio program on here that sometimes pops up and wants me to put
data on it via that program, however- I just want to "send to" the photo -or
whatever -straight to the CD without going through Roxio.
Any ideas? Know this is prob.a no brainer for most of you but I'm no puter
expert by a long shot.
Thanks if you can help!

One very good, free, and open source CD/DVD writer is InfraRecorder:
http://infrarecorder.sourceforge.net/?page_id=5

Here is a video showing how to burn files to a disc:

BTW, you probably need to be logged in as an administrator in XP to be
able to burn discs (no idea why XP makes it so!!?!).

Good luck.