How to Burn a DVD Using Your Computer

Step 1

Most computers recently purchased already come with general DVD burning software. Locate the file or files that you want to be copied on a DVD. It is advisable to sort out the files that you want to be copied inside a single folder for easier navigation.

Step 2

Open the DVD burning software on your computer. Open the disc drive and insert the blank DVD. Close the disc drive.

Step 3

Make sure that the files that you are going to burn on the DVD fit the space on the blank DVD.

Step 4

Open the files that you are going to burn. Click on the “burn” button on the interface of the DVD burning software. The burning of the DVD can take up time, depending on the size of the files that are going to be burned. Wait for the burning of the DVD to be complete.

Step 5

Eject the DVD from the disc drive. Close the disc drive.

Step 6

A computer that runs on Windows XP can also burn DVDs. Click on the “Start” button. Select “All Programs” from the menu. Click on “Accessories” and select “Windows Explorer” from the submenu.

Step 7

Insert a blank DVD on the disc drive.

Step 8

Locate the files that you want to be burned on the blank DVD. Select these files and drag them on the DVD burner icon on “Windows Explorer”.

Step 9

Click “File”. Select “Write these files to CD” on the menu. A burning wizard will be displayed on the screen. Follow the instructions on the burning wizard. Wait for the wizard to finish burning your DVD.

Step 10

Eject the DVD from the disc drive and close the disc drive.

Materials Needed :

- Computer with a DVD burning software

- files to be burned on DVD

- a blank DVD

How to Boot from the USB CD Drive

Step 1

To be able to boot from a USB CD Drive (or any external peripheral using the USB port for that matter) it is important that your motherboard has built-in support for this function. To check for the availability of this feature, reboot the machine.

Step 2

During the booting process press DEL or F1 (or whatever applicable key) to enter the BIOS settings. In the BIOS settings go to the section for boot devices. Set the primary boot device as the USB port or other external device.

Step 3

Usually hardware that supports booting from USB-based devices can detect the attached device on the USB port during boot up. So under the boot settings it should be able to detect that a CD or DVD drive is connected to the USB port. Select this option and make sure to save the changes in the BIOS settings. The machine will automatically reboot.

Step 4

If however the BIOS settings has the option to boot from the USB port but cannot detect the connected device, you may need to download an updated driver from the hardware manufacturer. Launch your Web browser and navigate to the manufacturer's website.

Step 5

Select for support based on the model of your motherboard. Download and install the driver update based on the instructions provided by your hardware manufacturer.

Step 6

Repeat step 2 to step 3 to check if the device can be properly identified. Make sure that the external device is turned on (if applicable) and the cable is firmly connected to the computer and the external device.

Step 7

Make sure to load a bootable CD media in the external drive to allow for a successful booting from the USB CD Drive.

Materials Needed:

- Computer with USB port

- External CD drive with USB connector

- Internet connection

- Web browser

- Bootable CD media

How to Back up Hard Disk to CD

Step 1
Purchase blank CDs. The common blank CD can store up to 700Mb of data. Make sure that there are enough discs to hold all of the data to back-up. Users can also choose between recordable (CD-R) and rewritable CDs (CD-RW). CD-Rs can only have data written on it once while CD-RWs can have data erased and written on it repeatedly.

Step 2
Some users simply want to back up data files. These can be burned straight to CDs using any simple burning program. Files and directories can be saved as a whole in the blank disc.

Step 3
Backup software can be used to create disk images out of the hard disk. This file format allows the configuration settings of the hard disk to be saved, along with the directory and the files stored. Most of these programs can also be used to create a recovery disk that can be booted from DOS to restore the system.
Step 4
Launch the chosen program. The application’s entry can be found in the Start Menu or via a desktop icon. Open the program window and begin configuration of the backup process.

Step 5
Choose the backup format. Most back-up programs allow users to choose the format the copied data will be saved in. Several compression methods can be used so that the information can be easily stored. Common methods include TIB and ZIP file formats. Other files can also be saved as simple data files.

Step 6
Choose data to backup. Select the parts of the hard disk to be backed up in a particular blank CD. Since this can take more than one disc, make sure to label each disc accordingly. Users can also set the title for each disk so the information can be retrieved easily.

Step 7
Create the backup. Make sure the blank CD is already placed in the disk drive. Some software allows the backups to span more than one CD. Continue inserting blank CDs until the project is complete.

Step 8
Maintain consistent backups. Data stored in a computer tends to change over time. So that the computer can be recovered properly, users need to continue updating backups. Some backup programs allow users to update backups by only copying new or changed data.

How To Operate a Laptop Computer

Step 1

The laptop computer has to be shut down whenever it is not in use to prevent it from overheating. Every laptop user must remember that laptop computers generally warm up faster than desktop computers. To help the laptop computer avoid overheating when not in use even for short durations, the user may make adjustments on the power options provided in the laptop computer. The user can program the hard drive and display to turn off after preset time duration. Another option for the user is to set the computer into hibernate or standby mode.

Step 2

The user should shut down the computer before placing the laptop in its carrying bag since the laptop can melt when left on, particularly when the notebook is placed in a container where no air or limited air is allowed to circulate.

Step 3

The laptop’s air vents must also be periodically inspected and cleaned to keep these air vents free from debris. However, the user must not force anything into the air vents to clean its inside as this may cause damage to the laptop computer. The laptop fan should also be checked since an improperly working laptop fan can be a cause for overheating. To test the laptop fan, the user may download the software from the laptop manufacturer’s website or online support. In some cases where the laptop fans are controlled through BIOS, the user may check online from the manufacturer’s website for any BIOS updates.

Step 4

The user must also ensure that the laptop is operated on a hard surface and preferably one that provides ventilation. Users are not advised to use a soft material between the user and the laptop since soft materials can block the flow of air and thus create overheating. A heat sink base could be used if the use of a soft surface is unavoidable.

Step 5

The user must also unplug any accessories whenever the laptop computer is not in use. These accessories not only consume power but they could also lead to overheating of the laptop.

Reference : liutilities.com