i have a new compaq presario notebook with a dvd re writer, i have
tried to burn a dvd onto a dvd+r disk for the first time, i keep
getting the message   "media not blank, check media" what does this
mean, i got the pack of disks with the laptop, advice appreciated

You are 'burning a dvd'...so what program did you a: rip the dvd with
and b: what program are you using to burn the new one?

Also...what model compaq do you have.

I had this problem when a writer I had refused to work with +r and
could only use -r.  Might be worth checking with another disc from
another batch either way in case it's a bad batch of discs.