On this page...

Page overview

• Before we begin
• Media Choice

• 1:1 Copy
  - Using the Wizard
  - Using the "New Compilation" Window

Introduction

NOTE: Before recording a CD, make sure the source CD is CLEAN! If not, this might be a source of errors and failures. If you need to clean your CD (yesterday's pizza is still stuck on it) then use a dry cloth and move it gently from the center of the CD to the outerring of the CD. Do NOT move it in circles or up and down! Always be careful, and after each stroke always check the result!

If the pizza is not to be removed with this technique, consider using water.
NEVER use alcohol or other chemicals!!!!!!

Media Choice

What media type should I use? CD-Recordable or a CD-Rewriteable?

Tip: if you want to know more about CD's then you might want to read the page "How do CD's work?". On the page "How do I create my own CD?" you will find a bit of text explaining the difference between CD-recordables and regular CD's.

Well, when you are creating you first CD's, then I'd suggest you should use CD-Rewriteable if you think it's a shame to toss yet another $0.50 down the drain because you screwed up a CD. CD-Rewriteables can be erased and reused. CD-Recordables are write once, so reuse (except for decoration purposes maybe) is not possible.

Please note: some CD-players cannot handle CD-Recordables and even worse most normal CD-players cannot handle CD-Rewriteables. In particular Sony CD-players are known for their lack of CD-Recordable and CD-Rewriteable compatibility. Most Philips players are capable of handling CD-Recordables, even the very old CD-players.

Tip: When using a DVD-player for audio playback, and CD-Recordables are not read, then consider a test with a CD-Rewriteable since the surface of these CD's resemble the surface of a regular DVD (It worked with my Toshiba).

1:1 copy

Use this to copy a CD completely to a CD-Recordable.

There are basically 2 ways to do this.

• Directly from CD to CD: On the fly.
  If you have a CD-Writer and a fast enough regular CD-ROM or DVD-Rom player then one can copy on the fly. Meaning: one CD-ROM player plays the CD while the other one is directly recording the output. Usually this can be done at higher speeds as normally used for playback. For example, I use a Plextor 16 speed writer and a Hitachi 4 speed DVD-Rom player. It takes about 7 minutes to copy an entire music CD (74 minutes) to a CD-Recordable. CD-Rewriteables are in general slower ...
  
  

• Indirectly by usign your computers' harddrive.
  Suppose you have only a CD-Writer in you PC, or your CD-ROM player is very slow, then you might consider copying the CD to harddisk first. The resulting image can, once finished, be used to burn your Music CD.

I suggest you try to use on the fly since it's less complicated. If this fails (buffer underrun or other error) you can always try the second solution. Both solutions will be explained here!

Besides this differnce in technique, one can make a second choice:

Method 1: Using the Wizard
Method 2: Using the "New Compilation"

Method 1: Using the Wizard

STEP 1: Start Nero Burning Rom

Nero will start and the Wizard popup will appear. If the wizard does not appear, click the "Wizard" button from the "New Compilation" window. If the "New Compilation" window did not open, then click the "New Compilation" button ( ) and click the "Wizard" button.

STEP 2: Select "Copy a CD" and click "Next"

STEP 3: Select the Source CD-ROM/DVD-Rom player

In this window you can check "Fast Copy (on the fly)" if you have a CD-Writer AND a CD-ROM/DVD-Rom. If you selected the CD-Writer, and you don't have a second CD-Writer, this option will not be available either. This is NOT a problem! Nero will first read the entire CD and when done ask you to insert a blank CD-Recordable.

WARNING: When not copying on the fly, Nero needs to store the ripped copy on your harddisk! This can take app. 800 Mb of data, make sure you have that much space!

STEP 4: Insert the original CD in the selected CD-ROM/DVD-Rom/CD-Writer chosen at step 3.

STEP 5: Check "Burn" and set the copy speed ("Write Speed")

If you want to be 100000% save, you can start with the lowest available speed (single speed). This usually works perfectly, it's just awfully slow.

STEP 6: Click the "Burn" button and be patient ...

Nero will prompt you to insert the blank CD-Recordable or rewriteable when needed.

Method 2: Using the "New Compilation" window

STEP 1: Start Nero Burning Rom

Nero will start and the "New Compilation" window will open. If the "New Compilation" window did not open, then click the "New Compilation" button ( ). If Nero started with the Wizard, click "Close Wizard" and you'll be back at the "New Compilation" window.

STEP 2: Select "CD-Copy"-Icon

STEP 3: At the tab "Image" you can do additional settings

In particular important for those of us that cannot copy on the fly: here you can set the drive where Nero should store the temporary file. Make sure this drive has plenty of space left ... with the button "Test all drive speeds" you can see if the disk is fast enough (most likely it is fast enough).

WARNING: DO NOT USE NETWORK DRIVES! They are TOO slow!

STEP 4: Click the tab "Copy Options"

In this window you can check "On the fly" if you have a CD-Writer AND a CD-ROM/DVD-Rom. If you selected the CD-Writer, and you don't have a second CD-Writer, this option will not be available either. This is NOT a problem! Nero will first read the entire CD and when done ask you to insert a blank CD-Recordable.

Set "Read Speed" to maximum ... I never had problems with that.

WARNING: When not copying on the fly, Nero needs to store the ripped copy on your harddisk! This can take app. 800 Mb of data, make sure you have that much space!

STEP 5: Insert the original CD in the selected CD-ROM/DVD-Rom/CD-Writer chosen at step 3.

STEP 6: Click the "Burn" tab

Here you can check (not always) options like "test burning". During the test a burn will be simulated - nothing will be written on the blank CD-Recordable. If you checked the "Write" option, Nero will automatically start burning the CD for real after a succesfull test.

I usually simply use the highest writing speed, in "Disk at once" (check it) mode. Not all CD-Writers support "Disk at once" - which is not a real problem.

If your drive supports technology like "Burnproof" (or something similar like "Seamless link" etc) you might consider using it too. I usually do.

STEP 7: Click the "Copy CD" button and be patient ...

Nero will prompt you to insert the blank CD-Recordable or rewriteable when needed.