Before You BuyHardware Basics

Creating CDs and DVDs is a great way to make backup copies of your computer data for safekeeping or to send your pictures and videos to friends and relatives. Called "burning" a CD or DVD, recording your own discs is easy as long as you keep a few things in mind, which we'll tell you about in this article.

The first thing you should know is that not all CD and DVD drives can record discs, and older CD and DVD drives may not be able to even read them once you have recorded them. If your computer doesn't have a drive that can burn the kind of disc you want, you can buy separate drives that you plug into your computer using a USB cable. Ask the salesperson at your favorite electronics store to help you make sure you buy the right equipment. One thing to keep in mind is that if you buy an external CD/DVD drive that has a USB cable, you'll want to make sure your computer has a USB port.

Comparing CDs and DVDs

These days, you can store data on two kinds of plastic discs: CDs (compact discs) and DVDs (digital versatile discs). CDs are sometimes called CD-ROMs, and DVDs are sometimes called DVD-ROMs (ROM means "read-only memory"). Both are a little more than four and a half inches in diameter (about 12 cm), and the two look more or less identical.

A CD can hold 650-700 megabytes of data (enough for about 75 minutes of music), and a standard DVD holds 4.7 gigabytes (enough for about one full-length movie). Both can hold any type of computer file, from photos to word-processing documents. Dual-layer DVDs, usable by only certain DVD drives, can hold up to 8.5 gigabytes.

Alphabet Soup, Part 1: CDs

When you go to the store to buy blank CDs, here's what to pay attention to:

• CD-R (Compact Disc-Recordable). Meant to be recorded onto just once and it cannot be erased for reuse.

• CD-RW (Compact Disc-Re-Writable). Can be erased and reused hundreds of times. Note that not all CD drives can use CD-RW discs, so check your computer's documentation first.

Alphabet Soup, Part 2: DVDs

Like CDs, DVDs also use the R (recordable) and RW (re-writable) labels, but in addition, plus signs and minus signs are used between the DVD and the R or RW labels. DVD drives made in the past several years will typically work with both types of discs, although older ones may not:

• DVD-R or DVD-RW. The DVD Forum created this type of DVD technology. Older equipment is more likely to work with this type of disc than DVD+R or DVD+RW. The difference here is the "+" and "-" between "DVD" and "R" and "DVD" and "RW".
• DVD+R or DVD+RW. A different organization-the DVD+RW Alliance-created this DVD technology.
• DVD±R or DVD±RW. In the past several years, manufacturers have been making DVD discs and drives that get along with either of the above two types.

Burning Discs in Windows Vista*

Windows Vista* includes the built-in ability to burn both CDs and DVDs. Here's how to create a disc to use on a Windows XP* or Windows Vista computer.

1. Insert a blank recordable disc.
2. In the message box that appears, select the Burn files to disc option.
3. In the Burn a disc message box, type a name for the disc, and then click Next. Windows* will begin to prepare the disc. After the process completes, an empty disc folder will appear.
4. Drag the files you want into the empty disc folder; they are automatically copied onto the disc.

(To drag a file, point to it with the mouse. Press the mouse button and hold it down while you move the mouse. When the file is at its new location, release the button.)

Note: To create a disc for use in an earlier version of Windows or a different type of machine, see the Windows Vista help topic, Burn a CD or DVD.

Burning Discs in Windows XP*

Windows XP includes the built-in capability to burn CDs but not DVDs.

1. Insert a blank CD-R or CD-RW.
2. In the message box that appears, choose the Open writable CD folder option.
3. Drag the files you want into the empty disc folder that appears.
4. When you are ready to burn the CD, click the Write these files to CD link located in the upper-left corner of the window under the CD Writing Tasks section.
5. The CD Writing Wizard will appear and ask you to name the disc. Type the name you want and then click Next.
6. When the Completing the CD Writing Wizard message box appears, click Finish.

Note: To burn DVDs in Windows XP, you need an additional piece of DVD-burning software, which normally comes packaged along with drives that can burn DVDs.

Burning Discs in Mac OS* X

Mac-OS* X includes the built-in ability to burn both CDs and DVDs:

1. Insert a blank recordable disc.
2. In the message box that appears, choose the Open Finder option and click OK.
3. To name the disk, select the CD, click its current label (Untitled), and then type the new name.
4. Drag files from the Finder to the disc icon.
5. When you're ready to burn the disc, click once on the disc icon to select it, and then from the File menu, select Burn Disc.
6. In the message box that appears asking you to confirm the process, choose Burn Disc.

For more information, see Apple's Software Documentation page for the specific version of Mac OS X.