Windows 7 and the DVD Maker

Just had a cry for help from someone I've not spoken to for a while, of course it's about computers what do you expect [sigh]. She has some avi video files that she wanted to burn to a DVD for use in a standard DVD player.

She's got to the point where she was added files to the disc but couldn't progress any further. So yeah like so many others before her she was trying to add files to a disc in data mode and would then wonder why the DVD player wouldn't read them.

I directed her to Windows DVD Maker. Excellent she was very happy and was about to ring off (typical woman just wants me for my brain :-) ) when I asked her to check what letter the DVD Burner was located at. It was blank. No drive letter no drives in the drop-down box. Ah.

So Windows 7 recognises the drive as being writeable and offers up the standard burn files explorer window, but a programme from the very same company doesn't recognise a burner being installed.

It seems this is a common problem with a variety of solutions that range from the simple removal of the USB modem or any USB devices through re-installation of the drivers and up to deletion of the drive. No USB Devices plugged in and no way was I going to talk her through anything else.

So sadly I conceded defeat and suggested she talk to her brother the systems architect who built her computer and told her it wasn't possible to burn these videos.