Posts Tagged: burn cd

Hardware Tips / Windows Tips — 2 Comments
9
Oct 09

How to burn a CD with Windows XP

Information Superhighway

photo credit: nickwheeleroz (on holiday)

Floppy disks have long since departed from the computer landscape. Most comptuer companies have not included floppy drives as standard equipment for at least two years.  I say good riddance except for one thing…they were easy to use. Computer users felt comfortable copying and backing up information to these slow, yet convenient drives.

For quick and roomy storage today, I recommend flash memory drives (click here for a tip describing these).

However, almost all computers now come with a CD/DVD burner drive…a CD/DVD drives capable of creating (burning) CD’s. Capable is the operative word in this sentence because many computer users still feel daunted by the task of  burning a CD. Windows XP aims to  help simplify the process and does a reasonably good job at it. Here’s how to burn a CD with Windows XP: Continue reading →

Computer User Group / General Computer Tips / Riding Shotgun with Rick — 14 Comments
26
Apr 09

10 Skills EVERY computer user should have (or learn)

I originally posted this list in January 2007. However, through my keen observation skills, I discovered that all computer users have not yet read and digested this information. For this reason, I’m posting it again because I won’t stop working to educate computer users until every computer user knows these 10 skills.

Computers have become almost a main stream household appliance. Whether you have been using a computer for fifteen years or one, these skills should be second nature:

  1. Cut, Copy, Paste
  2. Print just what you want (word processing, email, web)
  3. Backup your address book
  4. Select (highlight) text or files
  5. Properly uninstall unwanted programs
  6. Burn a CD
  7. Download files from the Internet
  8. Use MSCONFIG ; Another MSCONFIG tip
  9. Search the Internet
  10. Attach Files to an email

If you already know how to do these skills, please pass this article along to someone who doesn’t…help me help other computer users.

Riding Shotgun with Rick — 1 Comment
29
Apr 08

The $399 Power Computer

Last week, I was charged with finding a computer for a customer who only wanted it for Internet, email, and word processing. He didn’t want to add any games, extra programs, or anything else to it. My first thought, as I was listening to his needs, was Ubuntu. One other request was not to break the bank on cost. Lastly, he told me that he would be hooked up to a high speed cable Internet service.

Upon talking a little more, I explained my idea bout an Ubuntu Linux machine. He asked, “Does it do Internet? Email?” I said, “Yes.” He agreed that it sounded fine to him.

This weekend I perused the big box store ads in the paper as I do every Sunday morning and found the deal I was looking for at Best Buy. For $399, the package included an AMD dual-core processor, 1 GB of RAM, 19″ flat panel monitor, AND a printer! It came with Windows Vista Basic, but I wasn’t planning on leaving it on there anyway.

I called the customer, and they agreed to meet me there and purchase the system. They also decided that it would be fun to Skype their family from time-to-time, so we added an inexpensive web cam to the mix.

When I fired up the computer to make some restore CD’s (just in case), I left everything as is and timed the boot process with Vista; 4 minutes 45 seconds. And of course, trying to do anything, I got the obligatory “Are you sure you want to do this?”

Ubuntu 8.04 came out this week, and I inserted one of my freshly minted Ubuntu installation CD’s into the computer and restarted. Less than 45 minutes later (90% of it hands off time), I started working with the new Ubuntu system. Boot up time: 54 seconds! The printer was installed, the web cam was installed, I downloaded, installed and configured Skype, and setup his Yahoo email account for easy access.

To do all of this on the machine I bought, had I left Windows on it, would have taken twice the amount of time, and he would have had less features.

Moral of the story:

  • Ubuntu is a real compelling option for many computer users. In fact, for computer user similar to the customer I described in this article, I think Ubuntu should be the first option to consider.
  • Ubuntu improved performance and function over a Windows machine is impressive. Buying an inexpensive new computer, less than $600, and replacing Windows with Ubuntu will give you a faster, safer, and more functional computer. In fact, its performance and function will rival a Windows system of twice that cost and be much safer on the Internet.
  • Ubuntu allows you to play games, surf the Internet, send and receive email, download your digital photos and work with them, play and burn CD’s, play DVD’s, and much more. 
Riding Shotgun with Adam — 3 Comments
14
Nov 07

CDBurnerXP free CD burning and DVD burning software

It’s already Wednesday and I just noticed that I haven’t posted anything all week. I better make this one count.

I have helped a number of people do basic reformats lately and often they have old copies of Roxio EZ CD Creator. Any version older than 6.0 can cause some serious problems with Windows XP and AVG antivirus.

If you would like to create music or data CDs or  data DVDs, CDBurnerXP is a free program that will let you do almost everything that the expensive programs from Roxio and Nero will let you do. I have been using it quite a bit and I have been pretty impressed with it so far.

The one feature it doesn’t have is the ability to copy CDs of any kind.

Other free CD burning and DVD burning software packages that allow you to burn cd’s or dvd’s include:

General Computer Tips / Riding Shotgun with Rick — 1 Comment
19
Apr 07

When to use a CD for backup

Our regular listeners hear us talk about this subject often, but it bears repeating as much as we can talk about it for your data's safety and your sanity. Backing up to CD's is a multi-step process and all the steps need to be followed for it to go right.

CD's work great for archiving data that won't change. This includes pictures, music, your finished novel, etc. CD's should only be burned ONE time. CD-R's have the capability of being written to many times, but this also increases the likelihood of problems with the CD. Burn them once and store them in a safe place.

CDRW's should NEVER be used for any purpose.

The reason we don't like to use CD's for reusable backup is a technical one. When we burn CD's, the CD burning software has to burn extra files to the CD called a Table of Contents (TOC). These files act as the disk's librarian. When inserted into a CD drive, the drive looks first for the TOC so it knows how to read the disk and recall the data. When repeatedly burning the disk, the software has to find and read the old TOC, create a new TOC (that ignores the original) and burn it to the CD. Too many chances for error can occur in this process. We know that many people have had no problems burning CD's and CDRW's multiple times, we just want it to be known why the disk fails using the process. 

For data that changes often like word processing documents, financial program backups, genealogy backups, address books, and other similar files, we recommend using USB flash drives. They are fast, spacious, and durable. Copying information to a Flash drive is a one step process versus the multi-step process required by CD burning.

As always, if you have extremely important information that you really don't want to lose, make multiple copies of your backups. 

Riding Shotgun with Rick — 2 Comments
29
Aug 06

Transferring LP’s and Cassettes to CD

One of my customer's today was using an older Windows 98 machine to try and transfer LP's to her computer so she could then burn CD's. I will have some links at the end of this article for products that help perform this feat, but first I want to put into perspective the time involved:

  1. The average song is 4 minutes long. By the time you adjust levels, start and restart the song and then end the song to get it just right, you will easily spend double the time per song just to get it from the LP or cassette to the computer and saved.
  2. Because you are moving from an analog to a digital format, certain pops, hisses and other noises will enter the equation. Many of the products that I will link up offer software solutions to help 'clean up' the artifacts. On average, it will take approximately 50-70% of the total time of the song to complete this process. 
  3. You will need to convert the file from the .wav format to .mp3 to save space on your hard drive. This takes approximately 25-30% of the total time of the song.
  4. Lastly, you need to finally compile and burn the CD's. Plan on about 25-30% of the time per song to complete this step.

Taking these four factors into consideration, if you have a four minute song, it will take about 16-20 minutes to complete the process. Multiply this by the number of songs you have and the time investment is HUGE. Yes it is possible, but don't be surprised at the time involved. Factors that will decrease (or increase) this time include:

  • Processor speed of your computer
  • Available RAM (the more the better)
  • Free hard drive space
  • Your knowledge of the process and the products. 

All that being said, here are some products to consider when deciding to transfer your old 8-tracks, LP's, and cassettes to CD:

PlusDeck2 

DAK PC Interface Preamp Mixer

Polderbit's Sound Recorder and Editor  

Cassettes2CD's.com – They do it for you! (there are other services out there similar to these guys…shop around and compare time turnaround, guarantee, cost, etc). In the long run, the cost may well be worth your time.

 

 

Computer User Group — No Comments
11
Jul 06

Creating Data and Music CD’s – July 2006

Creating Data CD's

CD Cross section

How Stuff Works articl on how CD Burning works . And a second article from them specific to CDR disks .

Windows XP aims to help simplify the process and does a reasonably good job at it. Here's how to burn a CD with Windows XP:

  1. Go to the folder containing the files you want to copy to a CD (usually My Documents)

  2. Find the files or folders you want to copy and RIGHT click on them (remember you can use Ctrl+Click to select multiple files or folders)

  3. Click the Send To option, then your CDRW drive letter (may be D or E in most cases)

  4. Repeat this process for any files and folders you want to copy (keeping in mind that the maximum storage available on a CD is 650-700 megabytes)

  5. When you are finished, insert your blank disk (or previously copied disk)

  6. Click 'cancel' on the windows that appears

  7. Click Start —> My Computer

  8. Double-click your CD drive icon and a window will pop with the files and folders you selected. They will be in a section called "files ready to be written to CD)

  9. Click the "write these files to CD" link in the left hand task panel and follow the on-screen wizard.

You can repeat this process over and over until the CD is full…yes, you can write and rewrite to a CDR using this method. Typically, the integrity of the CD is more secure if you only burn them once and use a new one the next time.

You will not be able to backup directly to this drive using only the Windows software. To backup financial or other info to a CD, first save it on your desktop or some other designated place and then follow above steps. However, an easier way of backing up this type of data is using USB Flash Drives.

Burning Music CD's

These steps outline burning music CD's using Windows Media Player which is included on every Windows computer. As already mentioned, there are many programs that can perform this function that can be purchased, downloaded or may already exist on your computer.

  1. Click Start –> All Programs –> Windows Media Player
  2. Insert a music CD into your computer (cancel any automatic window that may appear)
  3. Click Copy from CD (or RIP on some versions of Media Player)
  4. Uncheck the boxes of the songs you don't want to copy to your computer/custom CD
  5. Click Copy Music (each song will take approximately 60-90 seconds to copy to your computer)
  6. Repeat steps 2-5 for each music CD you want to use
  7. Keep Windows Media Player open, and insert a blank CDR (must be CDR…don't use blank DVD's or CDRW's)
  8. Click the Copy to CD or Device option (or Burn CD on some versions of Media Player)
  9. In the Items to Copy column, click the drop down arrow at the top of the page and choose All Music
  10. Uncheck the check box at the top of the music list to 'deselect' all the music Media Player check box
  11. Check the boxes next to the songs you want to burn to CD (you will be able to fit between 12-18 songs on once CD depeding on the length of the songs)
  12. Once you've checked the music you want, click Copy or Burn to start the process.