Can not format a CD or DVD unduntu 10.10

If they are blank, why do they need formatting?

cds and dvds use a common iso9660 format. you can't use fat or ext formats on them.
as actionparsnip said, you don't need to format them.

exactly what are you trying to do?

burn stuff onto the disks?

if that's what you want, you'll need to install the program called brasero.

in properties they are showing as zero Mb available - and i cant see them in a 'prepare startup disk' window

may be there is something else wrong with my system?

..ok ill try brasero thanks

to redefine the problem - brasero is evidently installed but i cant find it - but i have used the disk mounter - which shows the blank disk and i can drag to it and burn

however i want to make a startup disk on cd but this does not show up as a 'destination' option in the system>disk creator panel

If you want to make a boot cd, just open the ISO with barsero and it wil start the process. Burn as slowly as possible

good -thank you guys- i have burned an image of the iso onto CD using brasero.

it starts of course as a trial or install option (and my existing files saved on the hard disk were not evident) so can get control of the PC once more /safety disk

my final question then - is this doing the same thing as the 'startuo disk creator' in the admin tools?

Ok. Thanks. Yes my CD is bootable, as in a new install, i shall have to figure out how to directly browse to my existing data files on the HDD after booting from the CD. Roger the mem stick thing that is good.

i will try XFburn too, though i got brasero to work ok it seems.

thanks for your time