How do I finalize a disk (CD-R and DVD+/-R) using Windows ?

I don't have anything more than applause to contribute to this thread, which has been massively entertaining.  Never have I seen the wrong answer more belligerently rammed down someone's throat.  Absolutely brilliant!  Bravo!

I will point out that I needed to resolve the same problem (finalize, as opposed to "close," which is very obviously NOT the same thing).  Like others, it was an information assurance issue with where I work.  I chose to use Ashampoo ( https://www.ashampoo.com/en/usd/pin/7110/burning-software/Ashampoo-Burning-Studio-FREE ).

I downloaded the software and installed.  It asked for a key with a link for a free one, which launched a webpage.  I DID have to provide an email, so I gave them a throw-away hotmail address (take THAT, Microsoft!  Hah hah!).

The email took me to a profile creation, which I also filled in with some fake data.  That got me the key, which moved me forward.

There was no other software linked, though I haven't looked just yet to make sure nothing was installed.  The only customization I had was the typical how many users to install for, where, and whether to create a desktop icon or not.

Post-installation, I launched the software and selected the option to Burn Data.

Drag and drop files to be burned and hit Next.

Click Advanced Options

Check Finalize CD (They have an option for that, because they know there's a difference between finalized and closed)

Hit OK

Write CD

Just completed, checked, and CD shows up with the 349MB file and no remaining available space.

Hope that helps someone.

R.

Wow.  I can't believe it took 7 pages for this.  This is an astoundingly infuriating thread; so many words and at the end, the question is still not answered by the Windows expert.

Here is the simple answer for everyone who's blood pressure has shot up to dangerously high levels:

NO, WINDOWS DOES NOT HAVE THE CABABILITY TO FINALIZE A DISC.

The article that the Windows expert keeps linking to needs to be renamed to "Close a CD or DVD" instead of "Close or Finalize a CD or DVD".  The only thing mentioned about finalizing, is that it does not do this.  Not that it can't do this, but just that it doesn't do this.  This is why people kept asking the question.  The Windows guy refuses to write "Windows cannot finalize a CD or DVD" or provide a method - native to Windows - to accomplish finalization.  A more capable, third-party application must be used instead.

**As an aside, I wrote this reply in Microsoft Word.  When I went to paste the text originating from a Microsoft word processing application onto a Microsoft forum, using a Microsoft browser, the operation failed.  Nice.

We are having the same problem. I think M$ is misunderstanding, or not making it clear, that "finalizing" a disc and "closing" a disc are not the same thing. We are using Win 7 Enterprise, and have to xfer files from different networks and the IA policies require that discs not be able to be modified (over-written or modified) once the disc is burned (in other words finalized). Everyone keeps pointing to the article at this link, http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Close-or-finalize-a-CD-or-DVD, but it is mis-leading in that they only mention, in the Notes, that burning using Windows Explorer does not finalize the disc.

It looks like we are going to have to resort to a 3rd party application to meet our IA requirement. That is unless there is some undocumented way to actually finalize a disc using Windows Explorer.

Hi:

My question is still unanswered.

The program that I am using to "burn" the disks is Windows Vista 32-bit Home Premium.

I can burn JPEG picture files from my digital camera to a CD or DVD.

This following is what Microsoft's web page information states.

What isn't clear is if I want to just add pictures to a disk after closing the first burn session, if the disk type has to be RW , not just R.

To me RW means that I can rewrite the entire disk, not just add to it.

If you "Close" the burn-session, this does not finalize it...

you can still write to the disk.

You can't write to the disk once it is finalized.  In order for Sony's CD/DVD player to be able to read the CD, the CD must be finalized.

So, I have "burned" all of the files that I want to the disk.

Now, how do I finalize a CD or DVD that I have burned with Windows ?

Ejecting the disk does not finalize it ... Properties will tell you that you have free-space left on the disk.  If the disk is finalized, the free space will be zero, since you can no longer write to the disk.

Thank you

DaleB