drive not recognizing DVD

When I am trying to burn a data disk (nothing fancy just files) I make a burn folder on desktop, then click burn. It says you must insert media capable of holding x.x GB. I have put in two different DVD-R and neither is recognized. I can burn CDs via iTunes, and a DVD via iMovie.

Please advise.

Can you try another brand and see if the same problem occurs?

Sometimes brands have inferior quality media and it won't burn at all.

There used to be a great website where they would list the failure rate by brands but it is dated info and with all the company mergers and buy outs, that info is simply not valid anymore. One manufacturer that stood apart back then, it was all the CDs made in Japan by Taiyo Yuden but even that doesn't hold true anymore.

This might not be pertinent to your question but in case you or any other member here is curious, I found this: Video Media Guides - Blank media quality guide & FAQ. This article is more for the longevity of burn media.

Thank you MHC.
Things got weirder. I am unable to burn from a burn folder, BUT the same DVD is able to burn in iPhoto.

These are the steps I took

To burn a data cd of pictures.

1) I exported all images I wanted
2) i made a burn folder then drug the images into the folder
3) inserted a DVD (blank)
4) clicked burn in the burn folder

Is this a user error, or a mac genius issue. My apple store is 40 miles away

I drove out to the apple store and there was a setting off in system preferences.

Now problems seem to be solved.