Laptop does not recognize cd blank?
Does your laptop have a CD burner installed?
Usually one has one or two duds on a larger spindle. Try another one.
If that does not help:
What kind of blank are you trying to burn?
Do you have the right burner?
Which burning software do you use?
There are older laptop that recognize only one kind of CDs like CD-R or CD + R but should not be like this anymore
If it is a little older, then the lens may be dusty.
Clean with a Qtip and Spritus.
But just be careful.