When I try to erase my CD-RW it says it completed but all the files remain on the CD. When I try to erase it manually (clicking on the files and pressing delete), it says the files are Read-Only and cannot be deleted. What's the reason for this?

how are you trying to erase your CD-RWs? via explorer?

I tried using explorer and programs such as Nero and CloneCD, but none worked.

if you haven't, try fully erasing the CD-RW(i know Nero has a quick erase and a full erase option).

Someone had posted in here a while back (I think it was on the CCleaner Forums) about an improperly uninstalled Roxio CD/DVD burning application causing that, e.g.; can't erase discs, or write them.

Already tried that.



I don't know what program was used to burn the stuff on the CD-RW.

The only thing I can think of that would cause such a problem would be a broken ASPI installation, for which with most CD/DVD burning applications reinstalling them may fix the issue if they include their own ASPI driver. For those that don't include an ASPI driver something like Adaptec ASPI, Vob ASAPI, or Ahead Nero ASPI could fix the issue.

Although with that said Windows NT based systems use SPTI so third party ASPI drivers aren't necessary unless a CD/DVD burning application specifically needs a particular ASPI driver to function.

I don't think there's any problem with the software that I tried, but rather something related to the settings when the CD-RW was burned, because it prevents the data from being erased...maybe there's a program that can get passed this.

It could have been recorded with something like Plexor PlexTools which can create password-protected discs, or some other software which disables the modifications to the disc contents, e.g.; erasing.

Yeah that's probably what it is. Not a big deal anyways. Thanks for both of your suggestions.

I've found that if you use a small packet writing application, e.g., Sonic DLA, to write data files to a CD-RW, you may have to use the same or a compatible application to erase or rewrite. I think the file allocation table is structured differently.

Good point about packet writing a disc because they're formatted a special way. Perhaps a UDF reader is needed to be installed to erase such disks, I don't know for sure if that would work, of course there's Adaptec UDF Reader.