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JohnCTX-6479 avatar image
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JohnCTX-6479 asked saldana-msft edited

Why don't CD-RW discs have write protect option?

Why don't CD-RW discs have the write-protect option? Is it hidden in some operating systems?
I need to know this. I have Windows 10 home edition, and it won't have the write protect option when I put a CD-RW disc in.

Regards,

JohnCTX

windows-10-hardware-performancewindows-10-application-compatibility
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Hi John,

Haven't received your message a few days, was your issue resolved?If not, please reply and tell us what's going on to provide further assistance.
If the reply is helpful, please accept it as answer to help other community members quickly find useful responses.

Best regards,
Molly

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MollyLu-MSFT avatar image
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MollyLu-MSFT answered MollyLu-MSFT edited

Hi John,

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A.

A CD-RW (Compact Disc-ReWritable) is designed to be able to write, read, erase, and re-write.
The write protect option has few relationship with the system version, only related to the type of CD itself.
The CD/DVD driver that comes with the system can only read the discs, if you want to write data, you need to use third-party software.

As far as I know, there is a registry value related to the write-protected issue, you can check the path: Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\StorageDevicePolicies.
Double click WriteProtect and check if the value data is 1.
If there is no “StorageDevicePolicies” under Control, you can right click "Control" and go to “New”->”Key”. Then name it with “StorageDevicePolicies”.
Then, at the right-hand pane, right click white space and go to “New”->”DWORD (32-bit) value” (If your computer is 64-bit version, choose QWORD (64-bit) Value). Name it with “Write Protect”.
Finally, double-click the newly created DWORD and check if its value is 1.

Please remember to mark the reply as answer if it helps.

Best regards,
Molly

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JohnCTX-6479 avatar image
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JohnCTX-6479 answered MollyLu-MSFT commented

Thank you for your answer.
What if, users want to create a DWORD value of 1, which it is only referred to optical disc drives, whereas other devices, namely, hard drive and USB drives read and write?
Because, if the Storage Device Policies path with a DWORD or QWORD assigned to a value of 1, then all other internal and external storage devices will write protect when users restart their computers.

If that is their issue with their storage device policies, write protect CD-RW will miswrite protect other storage devices as well, namely others as USB.

Therefore it may not be possible to write-protect CD-RW optical media exclusively without miswrite-protecting other devices and drives.

Does that make any senese?

Regards,
JohnCTX

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Hi John,

For the question you asked at the beginning, it is the CD media itself that determines this.
For this registry issue, as far as I know you can change the registry value when a protection prompt appears on either the mobile or local device, the registry is for changing a setting on the system.
If such a problem occurs, you can modify the registry, but if you want CD write protection, then try use CD-R media.

Best regards,
Molly

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Hi John,

Just want to confirm the current situations.

Please feel free to let us know if you need further assistance.

Best regards,
Molly

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