Windows 7 doesn't recognize formatted DVD

[zinger]

Since I was having so much trouble recovering on another computer, I wanted to make a recovery system for my wife's computer. The computer won't recognize that the DVD+RW (which is recommended to use) that it has been formatted. I even formatted it on another computer but still no go.

[Mark.]

just checking...

the unit on the wife's PC is a DVD unit, capable of reading RW's.
and the DVD-RW you created on the other PC has been closed, or finalised or whatever it's called these days.

[Salmon Trout]

just checking... the DVD-RW you created on the other PC has been closed, or finalised or whatever it's called these days.

Ejected, if it's been UDF formatted.

[zinger]

I assume the DVD ROM is capable of reading + RW disks because they recommend using them for making a recovery disk. These are new disks which have to be formatted before using. It says when trying to make a recovery disk that it needs to be formatted. After formatting it, it still reads it as not being formatted.

[patio]

Try a different brand of media...

[zinger]

That's the only brand I could find that had +RW but I might be able to locate some without shelling out another 15 bucks. The ones I'm using are Memorex which is a good brand. I'm wondering if a -RW would work?

[Salmon Trout]

CD and DVD -RW or +RW technology can be unreliable. The disks are more fragile than regular -R or +R write-once disks, and disks recorded on one PC may not be readable on another. I do not see why you are intent on using them. Since a DVD-RW disk can hold only 4.7 GB, you are not going to be able to store much recovery data on each one, and if you use disk spanning methods, you multiply the chance of an failed restore due to failure of one disk. Personally, I would get an external hard drive and a free disk imaging application like Macrium Reflect.

[Geek-9pm]

What Salmon Trout says is right.
My personal experience with CD RW and DVD RW has been 99% bad.

For what i's worth.
The 2.5 inch laptop hard drives and now very cheap. The older IDE models are now a real bargain if you want  a simple external storage system.
Example:
Used Western Digital Scorpio 80 GB Laptop Hard Drive 5400 RPM 2.5 inch is on E-bay  for about $10  tested by vendor but no returns.
IMO it is less risky that the flaky DVD  RW discs. 

[Lisa_maree]

If you are making recovery media, then the DVD-R are all you need. You can use the Memorex R/W disks but when Windows decides they need formatting then close the windows format and let the "Laptop recovery Disk maker software" write the disks. The recovery media is only useful if the Laptop is running the same version of windows as it was supplied with. If it is a windows (X) upgraded to Windows 10 then use the Windows 10 boot recovery builder.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-nz/help/4026852/windows-create-a-recovery-drive

You could also make a complete backup of the system to an external hard drive using say Easues todo backup .