SCoPA SCoPA SCoPA seyaro The Learning Centre for Development First Edition SCoPA Robert YAWE S.
Simplified computer programming And Application seyaro.com Experience with Hands-on Chapter Three First Edition Robert S. YAWE seyaro.com Simplified Computer Programming and Application Page ii
Preface Simplified Computer Programming and Application SCoPA has come out after a long period of research on the approach to teaching and learning Computing, the general use of computers as well as applying the knowledge acquired in computer studies. Teachers, learners, general users and the entire community have always held a mistaken belief that computing CIT as a discipline is difficult and is done by only the geniuses. Contrary to that view, research indicates that keen interest by the learner and the teacher, and the proper teaching methods and applications help in acquiring skills in computing and the theory in general. It is precisely because of this that the author has written this book to spur the interest of the learners of computing CIT and the entire community. Practical approach has been illustrated with brief explanations of the procedure, and the set objectives that the learners, teachers and the users ought to achieve have been given. The book also shows the procedures in their exact appearance (three dimensions - graphics) to enable learners, teachers and the users grasp them so that they appreciate the importance of practical SCoPA (and computing in general) in one s endeavor in life. The illustrations given in this book are easy to comprehend and this enables the learner teachers and the users to grasp the theory of the procedures and apply them properly. Acknowledgement The preparation of this book is a family effort and the dedication of all the family members is reflected in the quality of the final product. First, I would like to thank my own family, whose patience and support has made this project possible. Second, I would like to thank the scores of my fellow designers and developers; seyaro Graphic Ltd, seyaro Publishers Ltd, seyaro.com in general and all my users who have taught and advised me much in the past and continue to do so. I gratefully acknowledge the invaluable help for all dedicated reviewers, who provided expert suggestions and the needed encouragement to improve the text. My deepest thanks go to my Mother and my father for their support and care that has made me what I am. Finally, I express my love and thanks to my partner for her support and encouragement during the work on this project. Robert YAWE (seyaro) seyaro.com Simplified Computer Programming and Application Page i
Contents Preface... i Acknowledgement... i 3.0. Introduction... 2 3.1. Burn a CD or DVD in Windows Explorer... 2 3.2. Burn a CD or DVD from an ISO file... 2 3.3. Burn a CD or DVD in Windows Media Player... 2 3.4. Windows DVD Maker... 2 seyaro.com Simplified Computer Programming and Application Page ii
Chapter Three: Burning CDs and DVDs 3.0. Introduction If your computer has a CD or DVD burner, you can copy files to a writable disc. This process is called burning a disc. Windows burns discs in the Live File System format or in the Mastered format, depending on which disc format you choose. Not only playing music, Windows Media Player can also be used to copy files to a disc, which is referred to as burning. With SCoPA, creativity is guaranteed. You can customize the DVD menu style and text before you burn the DVD using the Windows DVD Maker. Aim To learn how to backup files and documents on CDs and DVDs Objectives By the end of the chapter, one should be able to; a) Identify the different types of CDs and DVDs. b) Know the different file formats that can be burned on CDs and DVDs. c) Burn a CD or a DVD in Windows Explorer. d) Burn a CD or a DVD from an ISO file. e) Burn a CD or a DVD in Windows Media Player. f) Burn a DVD in Windows DVD Maker. seyaro.com Simplified Computer Programming and Application Page 1
3.1. Burn a CD or DVD in Windows Explorer The following procedures explain how to use Windows Explorer to burn a data disc (a type of disc that is useful for storing, archiving, and sharing files among different computers and devices). If you want to create other types of discs, such as a DVD-Video disc (to play in a regular DVD player) or an audio CD (to play in a regular CD player), you will need to use a different program or feature of Windows. 3.1.1. To burn a disc using the Live File System format Choose the Live File System format when you want to burn a data disc that will play in a computer running Windows XP or later. 1. Insert a writable disc, such as a CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD-RW, or DVD+RW disc, into your computer's CD, DVD, or Blu-ray Disc burner. 2. In the AutoPlay dialog box that appears, click Burn files to disc using Windows Explorer. If the AutoPlay dialog box does not appear, click the Start button, click Computer, and then double-click your disc burner. 3. In the Burn a Disc dialog box, type a name for this disc in the Disc title box, click Like a USB flash drive, and then click Next. This is the option for burning a disc that uses the Live File System disc format. It might take several minutes for the disc to be formatted. When the formatting is complete, an empty disc folder opens. 4. Open the folder that contains the files you want to burn, and then drag the files into the empty disc folder. To select more than one item, press and hold the Ctrl key, and then click the files you want to burn. As you drag files into the disc folder, they are copied automatically to the disc. You can copy files (or entire folders) to the disc folder by dragging them to the disc icon or to an open disc folder 5. After copying the files and folders, you might need to close the disc session. Tip Instead of dragging and dropping files as described in the procedure above, you can select the files you want to burn in Windows Explorer, right-click one of the selected files, point to Send to, and then click your disc burner drive. seyaro.com Simplified Computer Programming and Application Page 2
3.1.2. To burn a disc using the Mastered format Choose the Mastered format when you need a disc that will play on any computer or in different consumer electronic devices, such as CD, DVD, and Blu-ray Disc players, that can play digital music files, pictures, or video files. 1. Insert a writable disc, such as a CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD-RW, or DVD+RW disc, into your computer's CD, DVD, or Blu-ray Disc burner. 2. In the AutoPlay dialog box that appears, click Burn files to disc using Windows Explorer. If the AutoPlay dialog box does not appear, click the Start button, click Computer, and then double-click your disc burner. 3. In the Burn a Disc dialog box, type a name for this disc in the Disc title box, click With a CD/DVD player, and then click Next. 4. Open the folder that contains the files you want to burn, and then drag the files into the empty disc folder. To select more than one item, press and hold the Ctrl key, and then click the files you want to burn. 5. On the toolbar, click Burn to disc, and then follow the steps in the wizard. The selected files are copied to the disc. When the disc burning is complete, the disc burner tray will open and you can remove the disc. You can now use the disc in another computer or in a CD or DVD player. This type of disc does not need to be closed. Tips To burn a Mastered disc, you might need free space on your hard disk that is up to twice the capacity of the disc. A typical CD has a disc capacity of 650 megabytes (MB). For a typical DVD, it is about 4.38 gigabytes (GB). For a typical Blu-ray Disc, it is about 23 GB. The time it takes to burn a Mastered disc will be reduced and require less available free hard disk space if the files and folders that you're burning are stored on the same drive seyaro.com Simplified Computer Programming and Application Page 3
as the temporary folder location (typically C:\), if you stored your Windows on partition C, and the drive is formatted using the NTFS file system. Instead of dragging and dropping files as described in the procedure above, you can select the files you want to burn in Windows Explorer, right-click one of the selected files, point to Send to, and then click your disc burner drive. If you decide not to burn the files to a disc, you can delete the temporary files to recover hard disk space. To delete the temporary files, open the disc folder, and then click Delete temporary files on the toolbar. 3.1.3. Difference between the Live File System and Mastered disc formats When choosing a disc format, it is helpful to understand what the differences are, so you can pick the right format for the disc you are going to burn. Discs that use the Live File System format are often more convenient because you can copy selected files immediately and as often as you want, just like you can with a USB flash drive. Alternatively, Live File System discs cannot be used in all computers or in a CD, DVD, or Blu-ray Disc player. Use this guide to understand the difference between Live File System and Mastered discs: 1. Discs formatted with the Live File System option: a) Have this option name in the Burn a Disc dialog box: Like a USB flash drive. b) Work like a USB flash drive, which means that you can copy files to disc immediately without having to burn them later in a separate step. c) Give you the option to delete one file, many files, or all files. d) Are convenient if you want to keep a disc in your CD, DVD, or Blu-ray Disc burner and copy files whenever the need arises. e) Are compatible only with Windows XP and later versions of Windows. f) Are not blank after they are formatted. 2. Discs formatted with the Mastered option: a) Have this option name in the Burn a Disc dialog box: With a CD/DVD player. b) Do not copy files immediately; you need to assemble the entire collection of files that you want to copy to the disc and then burn them all at once. c) Do not give you the option of deleting just one file or a few. All files on the disc will be deleted. d) Are convenient if you want to burn a large collection of files, such as a music CD. e) Are compatible with other computers and consumer electronic devices, such as CD players, DVD players, and Blu-ray Disc players. 3.1.4. Why are there different versions of the Live File System format? Each version of the Live File System format is compatible with different operating systems. Depending on which computers you plan to use a disc in, you might need to select a different version of Live File System. If you plan to use your disc on a later version of Windows, however, seyaro.com Simplified Computer Programming and Application Page 4
you should not need to change the version of the Live File System you use. If you need to make discs that are compatible with earlier versions of Windows, use the following table to select the right Live File System version for your needs: The following table describes Live File System versions and their appropriate uses. Live File System Best for version (UDF) This version is compatible with Windows 2000 (and later) and 1.50 Windows Server 2003 (and later). It might not be compatible with Windows 98 computers. This version is compatible with Windows XP (and later) and 2.00 Windows Server 2003 (and later). It might not be compatible with Windows 98 and Windows 2000 computers. This is the default version that is compatible with Windows XP (and 2.01 later) and Windows Server 2003 (and later). It might not be compatible with Windows 98 and Windows 2000 computers. This version is designed for Windows Vista (and later). It might not be 2.50 compatible with earlier versions of Windows. 3.1.5. Format a CD or DVD Before you can burn files to a CD, DVD, or Blu-ray Disc, the disc must first be prepared using a process called formatting. There are several ways to format a disc. Your choice of format determines which computers and other devices will be able to read the disc. i). Insert a recordable or rewritable disc into your computer's CD, DVD, or Blu-ray Disc burner. ii). In the AutoPlay dialog box that appears, click Burn files to disc using Windows Explorer. iii). Type a name for your disc in the Disc title box. iv). Click one of the following formatting options: a). Like a USB flash drive The disc will use the Live File System format. b). With a CD/DVD player The disc will use the Mastered format. v). Click Next to prepare the disc. Now you can burn files to your disc using whichever method you selected. 1. Choosing the right formatting option for the job When you format a CD or DVD, you can choose either the Live File System or Mastered format. Use the following information to help you determine which formatting option you should choose. Live File System discs: seyaro.com Simplified Computer Programming and Application Page 5
Enable you to copy files immediately to the disc by dragging them. Are convenient if you want to keep a disc in your disc burner and occasionally copy a few files at a time. Are convenient because there is no lengthy recording step as there is with Mastered discs. Each file is written to the disc as you drag it to the disc folder. Enable you to save a new file directly to the disc. Enable you to update or delete individual files. Enable you to format the disc again when you use a rewritable disc, such as a CD-RW, DVD-RW, or DVD-RAM. Might have to be closed before they can be used in other computers. Are compatible only with computers running on Windows XP and later versions of Windows. Mastered discs: Enable you to drag files to the disc and then burn all the files at once. Are convenient if you need to burn a large collection of files. Are compatible with computers running older or current versions of the Windows operating system, a different operating system other than Windows, as well as consumer electronic devices such as CD players, DVD players, and Blu-ray Disc players. Might require a large amount of free hard disk space to burn (up to twice the capacity of the disc you are burning). 2. Choosing the right disc for the job There are many kinds of writable discs, and not all discs can be formatted in the same way. Refer to the following table for details on disc formatting. This type of disc CD-R, DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-R DL, or DVD+R DL CD-RW, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, or DVD-RAM Can be formatted Only once. Information cannot be deleted from this type of disc. Many times. If the disc has been formatted at least once, you can erase the disc quickly, format it, and then burn files to it again. 3.1.6. Erase a CD or DVD Rewritable CDs (for example, CD-RW discs) and rewritable DVDs (for example, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, or DVD+RAM) can be erased and written to many times. After you erase a rewritable CD, DVD, or Blu-ray Disc, you can format the disc and burn files to it again. 1. To erase all of the files on a disc You can erase all the files at one time on a rewritable disc, such as CD-RW, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, or DVD-RAM discs. You can do this for discs that use either the Live File System or seyaro.com Simplified Computer Programming and Application Page 6
Mastered disc format. The following steps for erasing a disc will not work for recordable discs, such as CD-R, DVD-R, or DVD+R discs. 1. Insert the rewritable disc, such as a CD-RW, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, or DVD-RAM disc, into your computer's CD, DVD, or Blu-ray Disc burner. 2. Click the Start button and then click Computer. 3. In Windows Explorer, click the CD, DVD, or Blu-ray Disc burner icon. 4. On the toolbar, click Erase this disc, and then follow the steps in the wizard. 2. To delete one or more files on a disc If you have a rewritable disc (such as a CD-RW or DVD-RW disc) or recordable disc (such as a CD-R or DVD-R disc) formatted using the Live File System, you can delete one, some, or all the files on the disc. 1. Insert the recordable or rewritable disc into your computer's CD, DVD, or Blu-ray Disc burner. 2. Click the Start button and then click Computer. 3. Double-click the CD, DVD, or Blu-ray Disc burner icon in Windows Explorer to view the files on the disc. 4. Select the files or folders that you want to delete. To select more than one file, press and hold the Ctrl key, and then click the files you want to delete. 5. Press the Delete key. 3.1.7. Close or finalize a CD or DVD Before you can use a recordable disc (such as CD-R, DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-R DL, or DVD+R DL) formatted with the Live File System format in other computers, you need to close the current disc session to prepare the disc for use. 1. To stop closing discs automatically The disc session is closed by default when you eject a disc that can be burned in multiple sessions (called multi-session capable discs, such as CD-R, CD-RW, DVD+R, DVD-R, and BD-R discs), as well as for single-session capable discs (such as such DVD-RW, DVD+RW, DVD- RAM, DVD+R DL, DVD-R DL, and BD-RE discs). This is a system level setting that applies to all user accounts on that computer. You must be logged on with a user account that has administrative privileges to change these settings using the steps below. You can change the close session settings for both multi-session and single-session capable discs by doing the following: 1. Click the Start button and then click Computer. 2. Right-click the disc burner and then click Properties. 3. Click the Recording tab, and then click Global Settings. If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation. 4. Do one or both of the following in the Global Settings dialog box, and then click OK: seyaro.com Simplified Computer Programming and Application Page 7
If you do not want to automatically close the session when you eject a single session-only disc, clear the Single session-only discs are ejected check box. If you do not want to automatically close the session when you eject a multi sessioncapable disc, clear the Multi session-capable discs are ejected check box. Closing disc sessions automatically 2. To close a disc manually 1. Click the Start button and then click Computer 2. In Windows Explorer, click the disc burner drive, and then click Close session on the toolbar. The session will be closed, so the disc can be used in other computers. Notes After you close a disc session for multi-session capable discs, you can still add more files to the disc, but you must close each additional session to be able to use the disc on another computer. About 20 megabytes (MB) of disc space is used each time you close a session. If you remove a disc from your burner without closing the disc session, you can close it later on. Just insert it back into your computer's disc burner and follow the steps above to close the session. Some programs might finalize your disc instead of closing the current session. You cannot add any additional files to a disc that has been finalized. 3.1.8. Pick the appropriate disc and format for your needs Find an example in the following table that best describes your situation. Then, insert the recommended disc, and choose the appropriate disc format when you prepare your disc for burning. The type of recordable disc you should choose depends on a few different factors, such as: a) The types of recordable discs that work with your disc burner. b) The disc drive on the computer or device that you plan to use the disc in after it is burned and the types of recordable discs the computer or device can read. seyaro.com Simplified Computer Programming and Application Page 8
c) The total size for all the files you plan to burn to a disc. A typical recordable CD can hold about 650-700 megabytes (MB), whereas a typical recordable DVD can hold over six times more than that at about 4.7 gigabytes (GB). However, the total amount of disc space that you can use to burn files to the disc is less than the amount that is often listed on the disc itself. This is because the disc capacity is calculated differently when it is used in a computer. For example, a typical DVD-R that has a listed disc capacity of 4.7 GB can only store about 4.37 GB of data on the disc. The following table describes different CD or DVD burning scenarios and provides advice about which format to use. To Use this Burn any kind of file and use the disc in a Windows XP or later computer. Burn any kind of file and use the disc in any computer, including versions of Windows earlier than Windows XP. Burn any kind of file and use the disc in a Windows Vista or later computer. Burn music or pictures and use the disc in regular CD, DVD, or Blu-ray Disc players that can play MP3 files and digital pictures. Burn music or pictures and use the disc in any computer, including versions of Windows earlier than Windows XP. Be able to add and erase one file or many files over and over (like you can with a USB flash drive) and use the disc in a Windows XP or later computer. Be able to add and erase one file or many files over and over (like you can with a USB flash drive) and use the disc in a Windows 7 computer. Leave a disc in your computer s burner and copy files to it at your convenience, such as for routine backup. Disc: CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD-R DL, DVD+R, DVD+R DL, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, or DVD-RAM Format: Live File System Disc: CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD-R DL, DVD+R, DVD+R DL, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, or DVD-RAM Format: Mastered Disc: CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD-R DL, DVD+R, DVD+R DL, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, DVD-RAM, BD-R, or BD-RE Format: Live File System or Mastered Disc: CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD- RW, or DVD+RW Format: Mastered Disc: CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD- RW, or DVD+RW Format: Mastered Disc: CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD-R DL, DVD+R, DVD+R DL, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, or DVD-RAM Format: Live File System Disc: CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD-R DL, DVD+R, DVD+R DL, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, DVD-RAM, BD-R, or BD-RE Format: Live File System Disc: CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD-R DL, DVD+R, DVD+R DL, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, DVD-RAM, BD-R, or BD-RE seyaro.com Simplified Computer Programming and Application Page 9
Format: Live File System 3.1.9. Differences between the various kinds of CD and DVD discs The following table describes the different kinds of CDs and DVDs and provides information about their appropriate use. Disc General information Capacity Compatibility CD-ROM CD-R CD-RW DVD-ROM DVD-R DVD+R DVD-RW Known as a read-only disc, usually used to store commercial programs and data. You can't add or delete information on a CD-ROM. You can burn files to a CD-R more than once (each time is referred to as a session), but you cannot delete files from a Mastered disc. Each burn is permanent. You can burn files to a CD-RW more than once. You can also delete unwanted files from the disc to reclaim space and add additional files. A CD-RW can be burned and erased many times. Known as a read-only disc, usually used to store commercial programs and data. You cannot add or delete information on a DVD-ROM. You can burn files to a DVD-R more than once (each time is referred to as a session), but you cannot delete files from the disc. Each burn is permanent. You can burn files to a DVD+R more than once (each time is referred to as a session), but you cannot delete files from the disc. Each burn is permanent. You can burn files to a DVD-RW more than once (each time is referred to as a session). You can also delete unwanted files from the disc to reclaim space and add additional files. A DVD-RW can be 650 MB 650 MB 700 MB 650 MB 4.7 GB 4.7 GB 4.7 GB 4.7 GB Highly compatible with most computers and devices. You must close the session to read this disc in a different computer. Highly compatible with most computers and devices. Compatible with many computers and devices. Highly compatible with most computers and devices. You must close the session to read this disc in a different computer. Highly compatible with most computers and devices. You must close the session to read this disc in a different computer. Compatible with many computers and devices. You do not need to close the session to read this disc in another computer. Compatible with many computers and devices. seyaro.com Simplified Computer Programming and Application Page 10
DVD+RW DVD-RAM DVD-R DL DVD+R DL BD-R BD-R DL BD-RE burned and erased many times. You can burn files to a DVD+RW more than once (each time is referred to as a session). You can also delete unwanted files from the disc to reclaim space and add additional files. A DVD+RW can be burned and erased many times. You can burn files to a DVD-RAM more than once. You can also delete unwanted files from the disc to reclaim space and add additional files. A DVD-RAM can be burned and erased many times. You can burn files to a DVD-R DL more than once (each time is referred to as a session), but you cannot delete files from a Mastered disc. Each burn is permanent. You can burn files to a DVD+R DL more than once (each time is referred to as a session), but you cannot delete files from a Mastered disc. Each burn is permanent. You can burn files to a BD-R once (in one session), but you cannot delete files from the disc. Each burn is permanent. You can burn files to a BD-R DL once (in one session), but you cannot delete files from the disc. Each burn is permanent. You can burn files to a BD-RE more than once (each time is referred to as a session). You can also delete unwanted files from the disc to 4.7 GB 2.6 GB 4.7 GB 5.2 GB 9.4 GB 8.5 GB 8.5 GB 25 GB 50 GB 25 GB You do not need to close the session to read this disc in another computer. Compatible with many computers and devices. DVD-RAM discs can generally be used only in DVD-RAM drives and might not be readable by DVD players and other devices. You must close the session to read this disc in a different computer. Compatible with some computers and many newer DVD players. You must close the session to read this disc in a different computer. Compatible with some computers and many newer DVD players. You must close the session to read this disc in a different computer. Compatible with computers running Windows 7. You must close the session to read this disc in a different computer. Compatible with computers running Windows 7. You do not need to close the session to read this disc in another computer. Compatible with computers seyaro.com Simplified Computer Programming and Application Page 11
BD-RE DL reclaim space and add additional files. A BD-RE can be burned and erased many times. You can burn files to a BD-RE DL more than once (each time is referred to as a session). You can also delete unwanted files from the disc to reclaim space and add additional files. A BD-RE DL can be burned and erased many times. 50 GB running Windows 7. You do not need to close the session to read this disc in another computer. Compatible with computers running Windows 7. Note For another computer to be able to read a Blu-ray Disc, that computer must have a Blu-ray Disc burner. For another computer to be able to read a DVD disc, that computer must have a DVD or Blu-ray drive. CDs can be used in both CD and DVD drives, and in most (but not all) Blu-ray drives. 3.1.10. Frequently Asked Questions FAQ Here are answers to some common questions about using Windows to burn a disc. 1. Why are there two different ways to format a disc? 2. How much hard disk space do I need to burn a disc? 3. If I have more than one disc burner, how do I set the default for burning discs in Windows? 4. Do I need to close or finalize my disc when I am done with burning? 5. Can I make additional copies of a disc I just burned? 6. How do I make a music or a video disc that will work in a CD, DVD, or Blu-ray Disc player? 1. Why are there two different ways to format a disc? You can choose between the Live File System and Mastered formats when creating a new recordable disc because each of these formats is used for a different purpose. The Live File System is a convenient way to create a disc. When you use a Live File System disc, files are copied to the disc right away. When you use the Mastered format, files are stored in a staging area on your hard disk until you decide to burn the disc. When you use the Live File System format with rewritable discs, such as CD-RW and DVD- RW, you can also erase individual files from a disc to recover space, which is not possible with Mastered discs. Alternatively, Mastered discs can be used on a wider-variety of computers, such as those running on earlier or later versions of Windows, those running on a different operating system than Windows, as well as on other devices such as regular CD, DVD, and Blu-ray Disc players. seyaro.com Simplified Computer Programming and Application Page 12
2. How much hard disk space do I need to burn a disc? If you are using the Live File System format, you do not need to free any additional space to burn your disc, because each file is written to the disc as you go. If you are creating a Mastered disc, however, Windows might need to create a complete image, or temporary copy, of the disc before it is burned. A temporary disc image is created if the files and folders that you're burning aren't stored on the same hard disk drive volume as the temporary folder location (typically C:\), if the hard disk drive isn't formatted using the NTFS file system, or if you're burning a very large number of very small files. This temporary disc image can be as large as twice the capacity of the disc you are creating you might need as much as 1.3 gigabytes (GB) on your hard disk to burn to a CD disc that has a listed disc capacity of 650 MB, or 8.74 gigabytes (GB) to burn a DVD disc that has a listed disc capacity of 4.7 GB, or 46 GB to burn a Blu-ray Disc that has a listed capacity of 25 GB. (The listed disc capacity and amount of free hard disk space that is required are different. This is because the disc capacity is calculated differently when the disc is used in a computer.) If you have more than one hard disk drive or partition on your computer, you can specify which location to temporarily store the files you are burning for a Mastered disc. Here is how: 1. Click the Start button and then click Computer. 2. Right-click your disc burner and then click Properties. 3. Click the Recording tab, click the hard disk drive that you want to use from the hard disk drive list, and then click OK. Note You should set the temporary location to a hard disk drive volume that is formatted using the NTFS file system that also contains the majority of the files and folders you plan to burn. 3. If I have more than one disc burner, how do I set the default for burning discs in Windows? 1. Click the Start button and then click Computer. 2. Right-click your disc burner and then click Properties. 3. Click the Recording tab, click the disc-burning drive that you want to use as your default when burning discs using Windows, and then click OK. 4. Do I need to close or finalize my disc when I am done with burning? Not necessarily. Closing a disc session makes the disc compatible with other computers and consumer electronic devices, such as a CD or DVD player. However, not all discs need to be closed. You only need to close CD-R, DVD-R, and DVD+R discs. Rewritable discs (which end in RW) do not need to be closed, but they might not work in regular CD or DVD players either. In addition to this, discs that have not been closed can still be used in other seyaro.com Simplified Computer Programming and Application Page 13
disc burners. However, they cannot be used in most CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, or BD-ROM drives. Some programs might offer to finalize your disc instead of closing the current session. A disc that has been finalized is complete. You can open files from the disc, but you cannot add more files or save changes to existing files on the disc. If you close the current session, however, you can add more files later on as long as you have space on the disc. Mastered discs do not need to be closed because they are in a closed session already, which makes them compatible with other computers. Therefore, you will never see an option to close a session when burning a Mastered disc. 5. Can I make additional copies of a disc I just burned? The easiest way to make more than one copy of a disc is to copy all the files you want to burn to a temporary folder on your hard disk, and then burn these files to each disc that you want to create. 6. How do I make a music or a video disc that will work in a CD, DVD, or Blu-ray Disc player? Use a music or video burning program to make playable discs. If you use Windows to copy music files to a disc, they will be copied as files and might not play in most regular CD players. Whether some audio and video files can be played back depends on the types of audio and video files that your CD, DVD, or Blu-ray Disc player supports. 3.2. Burn a CD or DVD from an ISO file An ISO file, also called a disc image, is a single file that is a copy of an entire data CD or DVD. When you burn a CD or DVD from an ISO file, the new disc has the same folders, files, and properties as the original disc. The most common way to get an ISO file is to download it from a website. For example, you might download and then use an ISO file to update software on your computer. You can burn a disc image file, which often has either an.iso or.img file name extension, to a recordable CD or DVD by using Windows Disc Image Burner. Whether you can burn it to a recordable CD, DVD, or Blu-ray Disc depends on your disc burner and the type of discs it can burn, the size of the disc image file, as well as the device on which you plan to use the disc. 1. Insert a recordable CD, DVD, or Blu-ray Disc into your disc burner. 2. Click the Start button and then click Computer to open the Computer folder. 3. In Windows Explorer, find the disc image file, and then double-click it. 4. If you have more than one disc burner, from the Disc burner list in Windows Disc Image Burner, click the burner that you want to use. 5. (Optional) If you want to verify that the disc image was burned correctly to the disc, select the Verify disc after burning check box. seyaro.com Simplified Computer Programming and Application Page 14
If the integrity of disc image file is critical (for example, the disc image file contains a firmware update), you should select this check box. 6. Click Burn to burn the disc. Note If a third-party CD or DVD burning program is installed on your computer, that program might open when you double-click the disc image file. If this happens, and you want to use Windows Disc Image Burner to burn the CD or DVD from the disc image file instead, right-click the disc image file, and then click Burn disc image. 3.3. Burn a CD or DVD in Windows Media Player You can use Windows Media Player to copy music, pictures, and videos on your computer to a blank CD or DVD. This process is called burning. Burning a CD in Windows Media Player There are many reasons why you might want to use the Player to burn media files to a disc. For example, if you are planning a long road trip, you might want to select a mix of songs from the Player Library and burn them to audio CDs you can play in your car. The songs you choose might be favorites that you ripped from your CD collection or songs you purchased from an online store. The following sections describe the types of discs you can create in the Player, the equipment and materials you will need, and step-by-step instructions for burning different kinds of discs. 3.3.1. Types of discs you can burn seyaro.com Simplified Computer Programming and Application Page 15
Windows Media Player gives you the option of burning three kinds of discs: audio CDs, data CDs, and data DVDs. The type of disc you can use depends on what you want to copy (for example, whether it's only music or a combination of music, videos, and pictures), how much material you want to copy (for example, a single album or dozens of albums), and what type of device you want to use to play the disc (for example, a computer or a car CD player). Disc type Audio CD Data CD Data DVD Description This is ideal for making custom music CDs that you can play using any car or home stereo. Content: Music only Capacity: Up to 80 minutes Playback devices: Almost any CD player, including those found in home stereos, car stereos, and computers. This is a great option if you have lots of music and a car CD player that can play Windows Media Audio (WMA) files (the type of music file that most people have in their Player Library). It is also handy for backing up your media files. Content: Music, pictures, and videos Capacity: About 700 megabytes (MB), or roughly 8 hours of music Playback devices: Computers and some CD and DVD players. The device must support the file types that you add to the disc, such as WMA, MP3, JPEG, or Windows Media Video (WMV). Because of its larger capacity, this type of disc is used for all the same reasons you would use a data CD, but especially if you have a larger volume of files that will not fit on a single data CD. Content: Music, pictures, and videos Capacity: About 4.7 gigabytes (GB), or roughly 54 hours of music Playback devices: Computers and some DVD players. The device must support the file types that you add to the disc, such as WMA, MP3, JPEG, or WMV. 3.3.2. What you will need To get started, you will need the following: a) A CD or DVD recorder drive (also known as a CD or DVD burner). Almost all recent computers include a CD burner that lets you burn audio and data CDs. Some computers include a combination CD/DVD burner that lets you burn audio CDs, data CDs, and data DVDs. If you do not know what kind of burner you have, check the documentation that came with your computer. b) A blank CD or DVD. seyaro.com Simplified Computer Programming and Application Page 16
The type of blank disc you need depends on what kind of burner you have and what kind of disc you are trying to make. For audio CDs, your best bet is the CD-R format because it is relatively inexpensive and it is compatible with the widest range of playback devices. For data CDs, CD-R is sufficient for most people's needs. However, if you want the ability to erase the disc later and add new files to it, choose CD-RW. Just keep in mind that blank CD- RW discs are typically more expensive than blank CD-R discs, and not all CD players can play CD-RW discs. For data DVDs, choose DVD-R or DVD+R if you only need to add files to the disc once. Choose DVD-RW or DVD+RW if you want the ability to erase the disc later and add new files to it. Note that some DVD burners support all of these blank disc types and some only support certain ones. For more information, see the documentation that came with your computer. 3.3.3. Burn an audio CD If you want to make a standard music CD that will play in nearly any CD player, choose the Audio CD option. As you burn an audio CD, Windows Media Player makes temporary copies of the WMA and MP3 files in your burn list, converts the copies to another format (known as PCM), and then saves the converted copies to the disc. Here is how to burn an audio CD: 1. Click the Start button, click All Programs, and then click Windows Media Player. If the Player is currently open and you are in Now Playing mode, click the Switch to Library button in the upper-right corner of the Player. 2. In the Player Library, click the Burn tab, click the Burn options button, and then click Audio CD (this is the default choice). 3. Insert a blank CD-R disc into your CD burner. If the AutoPlay dialog box appears, close it. If your computer has more than one CD drive, click the drive you want to use in the navigation pane. 4. If necessary, click the Clear list button to remove all items from the previous burn list. 5. Find the items in your Player Library that you want to burn to the audio CD. For example, you can search for a particular album, browse for individual songs, or locate a playlist. 6. To create a burn list, drag items from the details pane (the pane in the middle of the Player Library) to the list pane (the pane on the right side of the Player Library). 7. If you want to change the order of the songs in the burn list, drag a song up or down in the list. seyaro.com Simplified Computer Programming and Application Page 17
8. If you want to remove a song from the burn list, right-click the song, and then click Remove from list. Tip Do not worry removing an item from the burn list does not delete it from your Player Library or your computer. 9. When you are satisfied with the list, click Start burn. Burning a disc might take several minutes to complete. If you have more songs in your burn list that will not fit on one audio CD, you will have the option to burn the remaining items to a second blank CD. Note Because Windows Media Player does not support the CD-Text standard, the audio CDs that you burn do not include the media information from your original WMA or MP3 files. This means that if you burn an audio CD containing songs from multiple albums and you try to play that CD on another computer, the other computer might not be able to automatically display the names of the songs on the disc. 3.3.4. Burn a data CD or data DVD If you want to make a disc that can hold several hours of music (as opposed to an audio CD that only holds about 80 minutes of music), choose the Data CD or DVD option. You can also add picture and video files to data discs. Unlike when you burn an audio CD, Windows Media Player does not convert your files to another format before it saves them to a data disc. Because the files remain in their compressed state, you can fit more items onto a disc, there is no loss of quality due to format conversion, and all media information in the files is retained. There is one significant disadvantage of burning a data CD or DVD instead of an audio CD, however. The CD or DVD player that you use to play the data CD or DVD must be capable of playing the file types you put on the disc. For example, if all of your songs are in the WMA format and your car CD player only supports MP3 files, you will need to use another program to convert them to the MP3 format, add the MP3 files to your Player Library, and then use the Player to burn them to a data CD. 1. Click the Start button, click All Programs, and then click Windows Media Player. If the Player is currently open and you are in Now Playing mode, click the Switch to Library button in the upper-right corner of the Player. 2. In the Player Library, click the Burn tab, click the Burn options button, and then click Data CD or DVD. 3. Insert a blank disc into your CD or DVD burner. If the AutoPlay dialog box appears, close it. seyaro.com Simplified Computer Programming and Application Page 18
If your computer has more than one CD or DVD drive, click the drive you want to use in the navigation pane. 4. If necessary, click the Clear list button to remove all items from the previous burn list. 5. Find the items in your Player Library that you want to copy to the disc. For example, you can search for a particular album, browse for individual songs from different albums, or locate a playlist that you previously created. 6. To create a burn list, drag items from the details pane (the pane in the middle of the Player Library) to the list pane (the pane on the right side of the Player Library). 7. If you want to change the position of an item in the burn list, drag the item up or down in the list. 8. If you want to remove an item from the burn list, right-click the item, and then click Remove from list. Tip Do not worry removing an item from the burn list does not delete it from your Player Library or your computer. 9. When you are satisfied with the list, click Start burn. Burning a disc might take several minutes to complete. If you have more items in your burn list than will fit on one disc, you will have the option to burn the remaining items to a second disc. Note A data DVD is different than a DVD-Video disc (the kind of DVD you get when you rent a movie, for example). 3.3.5. Change settings for burning a CD or DVD in Windows Media Player There are a number of settings you can customize to make burning in Windows Media Player work better for you. 1. Click the Start button, click All Programs, and then click Windows Media Player. If the Player is currently open and you are in Now Playing mode, click the Switch to Library button in the upper-right corner of the Player. 2. In the Player Library, click the Burn tab. 3. Click the Burn options button, and then click More burn options. 4. Make one or more of the following changes: a). Burn speed. It is not usually necessary to adjust the burn speed unless you are having problems burning; in that case, reducing the burn speed might correct the problem. This setting applies to all burners that you use with your computer. b). Automatically eject the disc after burning. Select this check box if you want CDs to be ejected automatically after they are burned. c). Apply volume leveling across tracks. If you are burning songs originally recorded at different volume levels, select this check box to minimize the volume differences between the songs on audio CDs that you burn. This helps avoid having to adjust the volume as you play the CD. seyaro.com Simplified Computer Programming and Application Page 19
d). Burn CD without gaps. Select this check box if you do not want two-second gaps between each song on audio CDs that you burn. e). Add a list of all burned files to the disc in this format. When burning a data disc, the Player creates a playlist that lists the files being burned and then includes the playlist on the disc. If your playback device supports playlists, the items will play back in the order in which they appeared in your burn list. By default, the playlist is saved with a.wpl extension. If you want to play your data discs in a device that does not support this extension, you can use the.m3u extension instead. f). Use media information to arrange files in folders on the disc. Select this option if you want to organize files burned to data CDs or DVDs into the following folders: Music\Artist\Album, TV, Video, and Picture. If media information, such as album and album artist attributes, is missing from the files, then the files will be stored in folders titled Unknown Artist\Unknown Album. To prevent this, make sure the files contain album and album artist information before burning. Note In this version of the Player, you cannot convert files to a smaller size before burning them onto a data CD or DVD. 3.4. Windows DVD Maker 3.4.1. What is a DVD burner and why do I need one? To use Windows DVD Maker to burn a DVD-Video disc, a DVD burner must be installed on your computer. A DVD burner, also called a recordable DVD drive, can write video and other files to a recordable DVD. It is different from a standard DVD-ROM drive, which can only read from a disc and not write files to the disc. A DVD burner might be installed internally or externally on your computer, depending on the type of DVD burner. Internal DVD burners are installed in one of the computer's drive bays. External DVD burners are standalone drives that are connected to your computer using a USB cable, or in some cases, using an IEEE 1394 cable. 3.4.2. Burn a DVD-Video disc with Windows DVD Maker Windows DVD Maker is a feature you can use to make DVDs that you can watch on a computer or on a TV using a regular DVD player. The quickest way to make a DVD is to add pictures and videos in Windows DVD Maker, and then burn your DVD. If you want to get creative, you can customize the DVD menu style and text before you burn the DVD. seyaro.com Simplified Computer Programming and Application Page 20
Play your DVD on TV a). Add and arrange videos and pictures When making a DVD, you first need to add your videos and pictures. (If you add pictures, they will play as a slide show on your DVD.) You can arrange your videos and slide show in Windows DVD Maker to change their order on your final DVD. After that, you can preview your DVD to see how it looks, customize it, or start to burn it. Videos and pictures added in Windows DVD Maker 1. To add and arrange items on a DVD 1. To open Windows DVD Maker, click the Start button, click All Programs and then click Windows DVD Maker. Another way to start Windows DVD Maker is to insert a blank recordable or rewritable DVD into your DVD burner, and then click Burn a DVD video disc using Windows DVD Maker in the AutoPlay dialog box that appears. seyaro.com Simplified Computer Programming and Application Page 21
2. On the Turn your digital memories into a DVD page, click Choose Photos and Videos. 3. Do one of the following on the Add pictures and video to the DVD page: Click Add items. Locate and select the videos and pictures that you want to add to your DVD, and then click Add. To select several pictures or videos, press and hold the Ctrl key, and then click each picture or video that you want to add. Click File, and then click Open project file. Locate the folder that contains a Windows DVD Maker project file that you want to use to create your DVD, click the project file, and then click Open. If you want to add more pictures, videos, or music to your DVD, after opening a Windows DVD Maker project file, click Add items, and then click the other pictures and video files that you want to add. 4. To change the order of your videos and slide show, click the video or slide show that you want to move, and then click Move up or Move down. You can also move items by dragging them up or down in the list. 5. To remove a video or slide show from the DVD, select the item you want to remove, and then click Remove items. 6. (Optional) To add, remove, or arrange pictures in a slide show, double-click the slide show, do one or more of the following, and then click Back to videos to go back to the list of videos on your DVD: Click Add items. Locate and select the pictures that you want to add to your slide show, and then click Add. To select several pictures, press and hold the Ctrl key, and then click each picture that you want to add. To remove a picture from the slide show, select the picture you want to remove, and then click Remove items. To change the order that pictures appear in the slide show, click the picture that you want to move, and then click Move up or Move down. You can also move pictures by dragging them up or down the list. 7. If you have more than one DVD burner, on the Add pictures and video to the DVD page, select the DVD burner that you want to use from the DVD burner list. 8. Click the DVD title box, type a title that will appear on your final DVD, and then click Next. 9. Do one of the following on the Ready to burn DVD page, depending on what you want to do: If you want to preview your disc to see what it looks like, click Preview. Go to the next procedure to learn how to preview your DVD. If you want to burn your DVD right away, click Burn. See the last section on this page for more information about burning your DVD. seyaro.com Simplified Computer Programming and Application Page 22