Verified answer

See if you have the enable burning box checked for the cd-rw hardware. You check this by opening my computer then right on the CD RW drive and select properties, then click the tab that says recording and make sure the enable write to cd box is checked. If that doesn't work then I would suggest that you download a free trial version of a burning software and see if it writes through the software. You find one by searching "free burning software" through yahoo.com.

I have to admit, I never saw my computer tell me that something was useless - that is a new one.

Some questions - are these mp3 files? Are you trying to burn a CD in the old CDA format rom the 1980's? This would involve converting the mp3s in the process. Are you trying to simply copy your mp3 files to the CD? That;s the simplest and best way (you get better capacity, and it's best to avoid conversion if you can avoid it).

Is this a CDRW drive? I know it's a stupid question, really no offense, but people sometimes miss the obvious details.

The disc could be bad - it does happen. You may have to format it. I avoid CDRW - it's not like CD_R's are so expensive that I'd prefer to re-write them. Have you had this problem with other discs on that drive?

just burn it