Why does it take so long to format my CD-RW before I can burn files to it?

The amount of time it takes to format a cd-rw disc is controlled by three things, software(1) and hardware(2). Software is the program you are using to format the cd-rw with. There are many different programs to choose from. I would recommend Nero. Most programs have two options available for formating know as: Full format or Fast/Quick format(fast format option depends on cdrw drive). Full Format: Full format takes about 60 minutes for a 2x drive, 30 minutes for a 4x drive and about 15 minutes for an 8x drive. It verifies the integrity of the CD surface, prepares the CD for data, and writes the UDF file system to the CD. Quick Format: Quick format takes only a few minutes. It writes the file system to the CD, but does not verify the physical condition of the CD. Any files that were on the CD will not be accessible, but they are still on the CD and could be retrieved by a data recovery company or nutcase dumpster diver. Regarding the hardware side of the issue is the CD drive itself. Any drive that operates at less than 8x speed will do the job but much slower and the time lost is not really worth it since you can get a fast burner from tigerdirect.com for about $30. The other hardware to consider is the actual cd-rw discs you are using. They have different burn rates. They range anywhere from 1x to 12x. Last but not least, if you are not erasing and re-writing to your cd-rw discs then you should be using cd-r discs. Most of the large retail chains offer cd-r discs that are free after rebate every couple months. Free media with no formating? It's a no brainer!