A couple of possibilities are:
1. You have used multiple and conflicting software - you can only use ONE Packet Writer program in a system, and if others were not properly uninstalled, the result can be messy.
2. You are using the wring speed of media for the drive - there are THREE speed categories in rewriteable.
Standard (1-4x and 2x)
High Speed (4x-10x - or 4-8/4-12)
Ultra Speed (nominally 16x to 24x, but may extend down to 12x and up to 32x).
A CD-RW drive cannot use a faster media type than it's classification, but may (but need NOT) support a slower type.
More details on the actual drive (what it's called in Device Manager, if you don't know the full make/model) and the media would help.
I'm not great on chit chat, but welcome to the forum, hang in there and you'll soon be one of those giving the advice instead of asking - I've had a few coasters (failed burns) myself, and still do!.
