DVD-R reports low size

[Morello]

Hi,

Apologies if this has been answered somewhere else but I've done a pretty exhaustive search and had no luck (got stuck on key search words really). I recently bought a new DVD writer to go with my new rig (it's a Samsung, not sure of the model) and got some new media along with it. Now I know the drive is working fine as I have since backed up a lot of things to several (TDK) DVD-RWs 4x with no probs. However, I also have some DVD-Rs 8x 4.7GB and when I insert any one of them, the program reports nowhere near 4.7GB (or 4.37GB) available, more like 1.4GB. I use Nero for the majority of my burning but I've also tried ImgBurn to burn an ISO directly and it reports there's not enough room. The DVD-Rs are Tescos own which I would suspect are lesser quality (Tescos is a supermarket - not sure if this is a UK site). Is this a simple setting (of format or something) or is there something wrong with the actualy discs??

Any help, much appreciated.
Mike

[Richard_G]

Probably the discs, my missus needed some CD-Rs in a hurry and bought some of the Tesco own brand ones. Even they failed! Try some decent discs and see what they are reported as. Bear in mind though that you can't always go by the brand name on the pack, some well known makes can still be pretty poor (although not as bad as the Tesco own brand ones). If you are in a hurry, see what your loacl PC World has in stock (they usually stock Verbatim which are worth trying) or, better still, order some from www.svp.co.uk. Then you really will know what you are buying.