How to Check whether a DVD Rom is Readable or Read/Writable?

Question

My laptop comes with a DVD Rom, but I don't know whether I can burn DVD using it.

Is there anyway for me to check whether that DVD Rom is just a readable device, or I can use it to burn DVD?

I am using Windows XP

Answer 1

You can check the variety of logos and icons on the drive itself. Mine has a few of those (some of those are on the drive but only visible when removing it from the laptop; not everyone has a laptop featuring a removable optical drive, though so refrain from dismantling the laptop if that's not the case :-)):

• DVD Multi Recorder (LG's marketing term for DVD burners that are able to write DVD-RAM as well)
• R DL (I suspect I can read dual-layer DVDs)
• Compact Disc ReWritable
• RW, DVD+R DL (ok, I'm at a loss, maybe it can write dual-layer DVD+R media)

Not very self-explanatory in some cases, but figuring out the difference between reading and writing should be easy.

Answer 2

For Windows :

Use DVDInfoPro, just use the trial version, find out, and uninstall. Or pay if you like it alot.

For Mac :

Go to System Profiler, click on "Disc Burning", it should list out what you can read or write.

For Linux :

Use the dvd+rw-tools package, there's a command-line tool mediainfo that will tell you what your optical drive supports.

Answer 3

You did not indicate you operating system, so it's hard to say what you would do. Most computers let you look at the hardware config to see if the drive can write based on model number.

In general, I would put a disk in and then try to drag some files onto it and burn it. Or find some disk burning software such as roxio/toast/itunes/etc.

Answer 4

1. Download ImgBurn

2. Then click "discovery"

3. Then Tools -> Drive-> Capabilities

Answer 5

you don't have to 'install' anything for this: just download and run SIW

identify make and model of the DVD drive (Hardware > Storage Devices).

now look up the specifications (e.g. at the manufacturers website)