uncle Bill's testicle pulling algorithm.

[Bushfiva]

In the absence of more info about the software you are using, I'm assuming you're using the features of XP itself to write to CD. From the Help file, using "copying files to CD" as the search term, my guess is you haven't done steps 5 & 6:

To copy files and folders to a CD

1. Insert a blank, writable CD into the CD recorder.
2. Open My Computer.
3. Click the files or folders you want to copy to the CD. To select more than one file, hold down the CTRL key while you click the files you want. Then, under File and Folder Tasks, click Copy this file, Copy this folder, or Copy the selected items. If the files are located in My Pictures, under Picture Tasks, click Copy to CD or Copy all items to CD, and then skip to step 5.
4. In the Copy Items dialog box, click the CD recording drive, and then click Copy.
5. In My Computer, double-click the CD recording drive. Windows displays a temporary area where the files are held before they are copied to the CD. Verify that the files and folders that you intend to copy to the CD appear under Files Ready to be Written to the CD.
6. Under CD Writing Tasks, click Write these files to CD. Windows displays the CD Writing Wizard. Follow the instructions in the wizard.