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How to Format a CD

This wikiHow teaches you how to format a CD-RW or DVD-RW that is having problems playing or loading information. You cannot format a CD-R or a DVD-R that has already been burned or otherwise written to. Formatting a CD will erase all files...
Method 1 of 2:

On Windows

  1. How to Format a CD Picture 1How to Format a CD Picture 1
    Insert the CD-RW or DVD-RW into your computer. The CD goes into your computer's CD tray with the label facing up.
    1. If your computer doesn't have a CD drive, you'll have to buy an external one.
  2. How to Format a CD Picture 2How to Format a CD Picture 2
    Open Start
    How to Format a CD Picture 3How to Format a CD Picture 3
    . Click the Windows logo in the bottom-left corner of the screen.
  3. How to Format a CD Picture 4How to Format a CD Picture 4
    Open File Explorer
    How to Format a CD Picture 5How to Format a CD Picture 5
    . Click the folder-shaped icon in the lower-left side of the Start window.
  4. How to Format a CD Picture 6How to Format a CD Picture 6
    Click This PC. It's a computer-shaped tab on the left side of the File Explorer window.
  5. How to Format a CD Picture 7How to Format a CD Picture 7
    Click your disk drive's icon. You'll find this grey drive icon below the "Devices and drives" heading that's in the middle of the page.
  6. How to Format a CD Picture 8How to Format a CD Picture 8
    Click Manage. It's a tab in the upper-left side of the File Explorer window. Clicking it prompts a toolbar to appear below the Manage tab.
  7. How to Format a CD Picture 9How to Format a CD Picture 9
    Click Format. This icon is on the far-left side of the toolbar. It resembles a grey drive with a red, circling arrow on top of it. The Format window will open.
  8. How to Format a CD Picture 10How to Format a CD Picture 10
    Select a file system. Click the "File system" drop-down box, then click one of the following file systems. UDF stands for "Universal Disk Format", which means any of the following file systems can be used for media (such as music or movies) or for files:
    1. UDF 1.50 - For use on XP and older.
    2. UDF 2.00 - For use on XP and older.
    3. UDF 2.01 (default) - Usable with most current operating systems.
    4. UDF 2.50 - Usable with most current operating systems. Supports Blu-ray.
    5. UDF 2.60 (Recommended) - Usable with most current operating systems. Supports Blu-ray.
  9. How to Format a CD Picture 11How to Format a CD Picture 11
    Click Start, then click OK. Doing so will begin formatting your CD for your selected file system.
  10. How to Format a CD Picture 12How to Format a CD Picture 12
    Click OK when prompted. This will complete the formatting process.
Method 2 of 2:

On Mac

  1. How to Format a CD Picture 13How to Format a CD Picture 13
    Insert the CD-RW or DVD-RW into your computer. The CD goes into your computer's CD tray with the label facing up.
    1. Most modern Macs don't come with CD drives attached, meaning you'll need to buy an external CD drive for your Mac.
    2. You can't format your disc on a Mac the same way you would on a Windows computer, but you can erase and re-format it to resolve errors.
  2. How to Format a CD Picture 14How to Format a CD Picture 14
    Click Go. This menu item is on the left side of the menu bar, which is at the top of your Mac's screen. A drop-down menu will appear.
    1. If you don't see this menu item, click the desktop or open Finder to force it to appear.
  3. How to Format a CD Picture 15How to Format a CD Picture 15
    Click Utilities. It's at the bottom of the Go drop-down menu.
  4. How to Format a CD Picture 16How to Format a CD Picture 16
    Double-click Disk Utility. You'll find this app, which resembles a drive with a stethoscope on it, in the Utilities folder.
  5. How to Format a CD Picture 17How to Format a CD Picture 17
    Select the disc. Click the disc's name in the "External" section that's on the left side of the Disk Utility window.
  6. How to Format a CD Picture 18How to Format a CD Picture 18
    Click the Erase tab. It's at the top of the Disk Utility window. Doing so will open the disc's properties window.
  7. How to Format a CD Picture 19How to Format a CD Picture 19
    Click Completely. This option will allow you to completely erase and re-format the disc.
    1. You can also click Quickly here to erase the disc faster than the Completely option, though any errors you're encountering may not be resolved.
  8. How to Format a CD Picture 20How to Format a CD Picture 20
    Click Erase. Doing so will begin erasing and reformatting your disc. Once the process is complete, you'll be able to burn music or video to your disc.
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