unfortunately very often CD/DVD Write/Re-Write drives do not come with any software to help get started, for some free CD/DVD writing software try any of the following:-
http://majorgeeks.com/FinalBurner_d5319.html or http://majorgeeks.com/DeepBurner_Free_d4055.html or http://majorgeeks.com/Oront_Burning_Kit_2_Premium_d5177.html a CD or DVD is not readable by an operating system without some other software installed, (XP and Vista have a basic software built in) but it can be a bit hit or miss with newer drives, and what you do get are the same results you see at the present, without writing a disk it is unformated and is read as either full or non existent. A problem that can also arise can be caused by changing the write/re-write software, which can cause the CD/DVD drive to disappear from the system as one software removes information from the registry etc. the next software cannot get it recognised again.