I'm just starting to try Nero myself since it came with my CD burner (full-free)
and everyone says it is so much better that Roxio ver 5.02d(full) on XP...
(And it is a new computer so I have a perfect chance to switch if I want to...)
(I have three or four years burning experience.)

Are you aware that you only have to format a CD for certain advanced
types of burning, and lots of users might "never" have to do that?
(Be extra careful if using XP and draging and dropping files to a burner...)

Also, there are different types of formats for different types of CD media.
So a safe and accurate answer to your question would be to ask what
type of format do you want to do and on which type of media.
(There is no "one answer"...)

So, I would wonder if you actually "have to" or if you only "think" you have too...
Sorry if this questions your experience, but many people do this
by mistake when they "should" be doing something else instead,
(or nothing...)

Sorry if this is no help, but the question is incomplete...

Side note:
And it only gets worse from here... If you actually "are" doing what I
think you might be asking, (formatting a CD-RW for Data storage),
please look into that VERY carefully before you proceed. Many people
have lost lots of data using what has been said (by some) that this is a
fragile file system with an unpredictable and/or short and/or unstable storage
life. Please do not shoot the messenger, and I encourage you to check this
out on your own...
Lots of people swear by it and lots AT it... YMMV.  Good luck.

                        Rick Glazier
  From: Karen Miller 

  Hello.  I downloaded the Nero free trial cd burning software and cannot
  figure out how to format a cd?  When I click on "new burning rom" it just
  opens what looks like windows explorer and then nothing seems to happen.

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