Formatting a DVD-RW

["Helen & Kevin English" <fingerlakesrus@frontiernet.net>]

Hi,

    I just bought a DVD-VCR combo recorder. When I insert the DVDRW nothing 
happens. I can hear the disc spinning but nothing happens. I tried this with 
several other discs (from the same package) the same thing happend. Do I 
need to format the disc? If so, how do I do that? Help me please.
Helen