Windows unable to format disk.

[BalRocket61]

I just bought a new emachines W3611 desktop computer with the Windows Vista Home Basic OS.

I was wanting to back up some files, so I bought some Sony CD-RW disks. But when I try to save the files, windows will start formatting the disk and right when it is " Almost Finished"........It stops and a "Windows was unable to format disk" comes up? Which then stops the backup.

Has anyone alse had this problem and fixed it, or, know where I can find a solution?

[cluberti]

What are the steps you are taking to reproduce the problem, and what have you tried (at least to this point) to resolve it? Also, have you tried formatting the disks in another machine capable of formatting the RW disks to make sure they work in another machine?

[BalRocket61]

When I insert a disk there is a prompt that comes up with three choices. I chose the one that says, "Save files to disk." I am then told the disk needs to be formatted. At that point it starts to do the formatting, and I end up with the same message. "Windows unable to format disk."

I am able to use disks that have already been formatted! I have also formatted one of the disks on another machine, and been able to use it. It seems my Windows simply will not format?

I have searched everywhere I could think of in the Microsoft community and Windows community, and have found some people with the same problem, with not much in the way of an answer except for a particular Knowledge Base Article: KB931654. This article speaks of a Hotfix that, by the way I understand it, has not been really tested yet. That is just about to get above my...knowledge level anyway.

I was hoping someone here may have come accross it, or had an answer for me! If there is a Proven Hotfix for it, I sure would like to get it!

[nightthief]

You can download the hotfix from http://hotfix.xable.net/download/index.php?dir= It is found in the Language Neutral -> Windows Vista section. Grab the version for your Vista installation (x86 or x64) and sav it to disc. To launch the hotfix, you can double-click on it. (If the MSU extension is not yet assigned or is assigned incorrectly, you can specify the app to open it with using Open With... and clicking on browse. The correct app to use is located in your Windows\System32 folder and is called WUSA.EXE.)

Edited April 16, 2007 by nightthief

[BalRocket61]

Thanks. I saved the hotfix to disk. However, I am waiting to put it on the machine. Call me cautious, but I want to make sure it's right and will not cause any problems. Or if it isn't right that I can uninstall it,or should I say, delete it?

Any information that will put my mind at ease would be appreciated!

[cluberti]

Thanks. I saved the hotfix to disk. However, I am waiting to put it on the machine. Call me cautious, but I want to make sure it's right and will not cause any problems. Or if it isn't right that I can uninstall it,or should I say, delete it?

Any information that will put my mind at ease would be appreciated!

I would say that it would be "safer" to download the hotfix from the Microsoft hotfix server after contacting PSS regarding your issue, but those hotfixes at least look like they match up pretty well to the privates you get from MS. I don't know if I'd trust a hotfix from a source other than the vendor's site (even if it was from the vendor, you still can't know for sure if it's been tampered with, etc), but people do all the time.

[irene]

I have the same problem and have also been unable to find a solution and like you I am nervous about the hot fix. Has anything new on this subject come to light? My tech has no idea how to fix it. I wonder if it will be included in the Vista patch that I hear will be coming out early in the new year. It is such an aggravating thing. Irene