Articles in Category: Optical Drives and Media – CDs

Thumb Drive Inserted.

How Do I Boot From a USB Thumb Drive?

UEFI has made booting from something other than the hard drive more complex. I’ll review why, and what steps to take.

ImgBurn main window

How Do I Burn ISO Files?

ISO files are often used to distribute images of CD and DVD data discs. I’ll walk through how to burn ISO files to optical media using ImgBurn.

Mom with Dog

How should I store scans of old photographs?

Long term storage of something as precious as photographs warrants some thought. It’s something I care about, and have thought about a lot.

BIOS Boot Order

How Do I Boot from CD/DVD?

Most computers with a CD or DVD drive can boot from that drive, but it frequently takes a small configuration change in the computer’s BIOS.

Insert Disc

My machine has no optical drive. What if I need one?

It’s probably safe to say that the days of the optical drive are coming to a close. Not this week, not this year, perhaps not even this decade but I think the writing is on the wall. But not to worry.

External DVD

What Do I Do If I Can’t Boot from a CD or DVD Drive?

Many computers are now built without DVD drives. This can cause big problems when you need to restore your computer.

Windows Explorer Hidden Files Option

Why can’t I see the files on a CD I created?

When you can’t see the files on a data disc you’ve created the causes can vary from exactly how you created that disc in the first place, to media quality, drive problems and even Windows Explorer settings.

Why can't I add files to my CD-R?

We’ll look at why you might not be able to add files to a CD-R.

How do I backup to DVD? How can I copy video DVDs?

Backing up to DVD is easy with a backup program or a DVD burner. Copying a video DVD, however, requires a different tool, and may be illegal.

What Does the ‘X’ in a 48X Speed CD-ROM Mean?

CD-ROMs and now DVDs have become common components in computer equipment. But what does it mean when someone says the speed is 48X? We’ll explain.