Copying data files to a CD
If you need more space than a floppy can hold, and you don't own a USB Flash drive, you may use a writable Compact Disc. A CD can store up to 800 MB. If you forget to bring your own, you may purchase one at the Retrieval Desk of the Main branch, for $1.50. You will need to bring your own if you are using a branch library. You can locate a computer with a CD burner yourself, or ask library staff to point one out. Finding one yourself is just a matter of looking at the desktop. If a computer has CD burning capabilities, it will have 3 icons that look like this:
Once you have located a PC to use, you are ready to begin.
Save downloaded files from the Internet, or documents you create in Open Office in the FILE_STORAGE folder (C:\FILE_STORAGE). there is a shortcut on the desktop to reach this folder. This is the only space on GRPL's computers that patrons are allowed to save files to, regardless of what program you use.
Once you have the files you want, you can begin the process by using Nero, the CD burning software we have installed on the PCs for your use. After inserting a writable CD into the CD-ROM drive, start by double-clicking on the icon labelled "Nero - Burning Rom".
A wizard will guide you through the process by asking you a series of questions.
- First, it will ask you to choose the kind of medium that you would like to write with your recorder. Since the only option available to you is a CD, simply take the default option by choosing the Next button. [See screenshot]
- Next, you wil be asked "How would you like to continue?" Since we are creating a new CD (we will cover copying entire CDs and burning music CDs in other blog entries), we will choose "Compile a new CD" and hit the Next button. [See screenshot]
- You will then be asked to choose a format with the question "Which kind of CD would you like to compile?" Choose Data CD, followed by the Next button. [See screenshot]
- You will see a screen with two options. You either Create a new data CD or continue with an existing data CD. If you are using a CD that does not contain ANY other data, choose the first option, to create a new data CD. If you are using a CD that already contains other files, and you have left the previous burning session open for other files (called multisession), choose the second option. [See screenshot]
- Final Step. You'll see an informative screen telling you which button you'll need to hit to actually start the burn process. Hit the Finish button to get there. [See screenshot]
- After hitting finish, you will see a screen divided into two sections. On the left, you see the contents of the CD. It will be blank if it is a new CD.If there are files on the disc, you'll see them listed there. On the right, you see the contents of the computer. This includes the different drives (floppy drive (A:), the windows partition (C:), the CD Drive (D:), etc... It should look very similiar to this. Locate the FILE_STORAGE folder where you saved your files, and double-click it to see its contents. Once you see the files inside FILE_STORAGE, highlight the files you wish to copy, and drag them over to the left, inside the CD file section. They files you have dragged will show up like this.
- Finally, hit the burn button icon in the toolbar. Hint: when your cursor is over the burn button icon, it will display "Opens the Write CD Dialog." You'll see one last window asking you to select the desired burning parameters. Take the default selection (Burn), choose your Write speed: and hit the Burn button. [See screenshot]
Once it completes, you'll see a box stating "Burn process completed successfully at....". Hit the OK button. Choose the Discard button. The CD drive door should pop open to hand you your disc. If you want to burn another copy of the same files, hit the burn button icon again, or close the program to exit.
To protect your privacy, double-click on the "Delete File Contents.bat" icon on the desktop. You will see the contents of the folder deleted. Press any key to close the program.