burn DVD or CD using Windows Vista & Windows 7

2.How to burn DVD or CD using Windows Vista :

(Applies to all editions of Vista)
Preparation:

• To burn DVD with Vista you need a blank DVD disc - any of the following format - DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, or DVD-RAM.
• To burn a CD you need a blank CD-R or CD-RW format disc.
• If the files you want to burn are in a CD or DVD, first copy it to your Computer's Hard Drive.

Prep your CD/DVD Recorder settings:

burn_dvd_1

 Step 1: Go to Computer and right click on your CD Recorder Drive and choose ‘Properties’.

burn_dvd_2

Step 2: The Properties window appears. Select the ‘Recording’ Tab(see image on the right).
Step 3: In the ‘Desktop Disk Recording’ area, Choose your CD/DVD Recorder drive e.g. DVD RW Drive(H:). Click ‘Apply’ and ‘OK’ buttons.

burn_dvd_3

Burning the CD/DVD:

Step 1: Put a blank CD or DVD in the DVD burner. If your CD/DVD burner is set to Autoplay you will see a popup window like the Image on the right. If not go to step 3.

burn_dvd_4

Step 2: Choose 'Burn files to disc using windows' by clicking on it and go to Step 4.
Step 3: Open Computer. Double Click on your CD/DVD burner drive e.g. CD-RW Drive (G:) or DVD-RW Drive (H:). A window like the above image in step 1 pops up. Choose 'Burn files to disc using windows' by clicking on it.
Step 4: A window like the image above pops up. Give a name for the title of the disc and don't click 'Next' just yet! Click 'Show formatting options' button.

burn_dvd_5

Step 5: This will open up the formatting choice for the CD/DVD. There are two choices.
1.'Live File System'. If you choose this system, it will format the CD/DVD so that it can used more or less like USB/Pen Drive. Choose this format if:

• You are backing up data.
• You are using CD-RW or DVD-RW discs and will want to be able to delete,add or rewrite.
• You will be using the disc on Computers only and not on CD/DVD players.

2.'Mastered'. If you choose this, you will:

• Be able to play pictures, audio, video on CD/DVD players. Playable format depends on the CD/DVD players. The most common players available in the market today will play Pictures in JPEG format, Audio in MP3 and video in AVI formats(including DivX,Xvid encoding).
• Be able to erase entire disc and rewrite if using CD-RW or DVD-RW discs, but not be able to delete or add individual files.

burn_dvd_6

Step 6: If you choose 'Mastered', go to step 7. If you choose 'Live File System' the disc will be formatted and a dialog box appears. Wait till the formatting finishes.
Step 7: An empty CD/DVD Drive folder will appear like this image on the right appears. Now copy all the files you want to burn into this folder. If needed, you can use the procedure in Step 2 of "How to burn CD using Windows XP" below in this blog.

burn_dvd_7

Step 8: Now you should go ahead and check if your copied files exceed the capacity of your blank CD/DVD (Normal blank CD’s capacity is 700 MB & DVD is 4.7 GB. High-capacity CDs can hold up to 850 MB & DVD dual layer can hold 8.54-17.8 GB ). To do this select all the files – you can use keyboard shortcut ‘Ctrl’ A or ‘Organize’-Select All. Then go to 'Organize' and Select ‘Properties’. This will open up the ‘Properties’ window – See Image on the right. Make note of the 'Size' whether its more or less than the disc's capacity.
Step 9: Edit your files - If your files exceed the capacity of the CD/DVD, click on the file/files you want to unload and click the ‘Delete’ button. If you want to add more files go again and copy the files as in Step 2 for XP. Note: Leave a little room for the CD/DVD information area used by the programs e.g. if capacity is 4.7 GB add up to 4.5 GB of files.
Step 10: After you finish your editing, click on ‘Burn to disc’ button. You will find this on the horizontal menu on the top of the window. Now in the 'Burn to disc' window under 'Disc Title', Change the 'Recording speed' or leave it as it is and click 'Next'. The burning/writing process will start. When finished, it will give you message "You have successfully written your files to the disc". Your CD/DVD is ready!

burn_dvd_8

3.How to burn DVD or CD using Windows 7

Follow the exact same procedure as for Windows Vista. The only difference is in the formatting choice in Step 2 of burning the CD/DVD. That too, the only difference is in the label. See image below.

burn_dvd_win7