To copy CDs with Windows Media Player

1. Start Windows Media Player (I have WMP version 10)


2. Verify settings for copying CDs - go to Tools/Options.


3. In the "Devices" tab, make sure the system sees your CD drive and CD burner. The "Properties" box is where you can see that your CD drive will read AND write.


4. Steps 4 and 5 are necessary in order for WMP to query the Internet and retrieve CD artist, album, and song name information. If you don't do steps 4 and 5, the music will copy will show up in the media library under "Unknown Artist", "Unknown Album", and the songs will just be called "Track 01", etc.


5. In the "Player" tab, check the "Connect to Internet" box.


6. In the "Library" tab, check the "Retrieve additional information from the Internet" box.


7. Select the tab marked "Rip Music"


8. Verify the destination directory in "rip music to this location". If you have more than 1 disk drive and a drive has a lot of space, specify a directory on the drive with a lot of space.


9. Make sure "Copy protect music" is NOT checked


10. If you check "Rip CD when inserted" every audio CD will be ripped to the media library on your computer when you insert the audio CD in the CD drive. I would recommend you check this box when you wish to rip a CD, and then UNCHECK the box after you have rip the CD. Otherwise everytime you insert an audio CD it will be ripped, consuming lots of disk space and processor time. You can do other things on the computer while a CD is ripped but response will be slower.


11. Check the "Eject CD when ripping is complete" box.


12. Look at the "audio quality" slide bar and note how much space will be required for each CD. If you have a lot of disk space go for higher quality.


13. Exit WMP. Restart WMP to use the new options you have specified.


14. Insert your audio CD in the CD drive. You should see the cursor replaced by a CD symbol while the computer scans the CD. Then WMP will start and begin to rip the CD. To monitor, select the "Rip" tab in WMP. Monitor the rip process in the "Rip Status" column - depending on CD length, quality selected and your system hardware, it could take up to an hour or more.


15. The CD will eject when ripping is complete.


16. Insert a blank CD in your CD burner. The computer will scan the CD, determine that it is blank, and a dialogue box will appear. Select "Burn CD with Windows Media Player" and click on "OK".


17. WMP will start. Click on "Edit Playlist". A display of the library will appear.


18. Select "View by Album" and a list of album names will appear.


19. Click on the album you ripped. The individual tunes will appear.


20. Click on each of the tunes you wish to burn to the CD in the order you wish them to be burnt. You can drag tunes up and down in the burn list, or by right clicking on a tune you can get a menu to remove a tune from the list.


21. Click on "Start burn" and when it's done you've got a CD you betcha.


22. When your CD burn is complete, I recommend you go back to "Tools/Options" and DESELECT "Connect to Internet", "Retrieve additional information from the Internet", and "Rip Music".

Text file of these instructions...