Burn a CD or DVD in Windows Vista

Burn a CD or DVD without using additional software in Windows Vista.

Introduction

Most people think they have to go out and buy software to burn CDs and DVDs. Windows Vista has the ability to burn CDs and DVDs without any additional software built into the operating system.

Burn A CD or DVD

There are two very different ways to burn a CD or DVD in Windows Vista.

The default is called Live File System and lets you use the disk just like you would use a USB or hard drive. You can burn files to a Live File System disk and add more files to the disk at a later time. If you’re using rewritable CD or DVDs you can even erase files from the disk. A disk burnt using the Live File System is not readable by DVD players for playing movies on TVs. Most computers (Windows XP on up) can read Live File System disks.

The second way to burn a CD or DVD is called Mastered. A mastered CD or DVD is a onetime burn that can’t be changed or erased. A mastered CD or DVD can be read by most DVD players.

Live File System

Select a batch of files to burn.
Hint: Hold down the Ctrl key on your keyboard and click each file you want to select one time. If you want to select a bunch of file that are in the same spot, click the first file and then hold down the Shift key on your keyboard and click the last file in the batch.
Click Burn in the blue bar located at the top of Windows Explorer.
Give this disk a name in the Disk title box.
Click Next to add the files to the disk. The files will be burnt to the disk.

To add additional files the disk from now on simply select the files, point at Send to and then select the drive. You can also drag and drop or copy and paste the files in the drive.

You can see how much space you have left on the disk by clicking Start and clicking Computer. It will show you how much space is left on the disk with a bar graph on that drive.

Note: Be patient when ejecting a Live File System disk. Your computer has to finalize a few things before it can eject the disk.

Mastered

Select the files you want to burn.
Click Burn in the blue bar at the top of Windows Explorer.
Give your disk a name next to Disk title.
Click Show formatting options.
Select Mastered.
A window will open showing you what is in the burn image.

If you want to add more files to this disk you can still do so at this point by following steps 1-6.
When you’re ready to burn the disk click Burn to disk in the window that pops up in step 6. If you closed that window you can always open it by double clicking the CD or DVD burner drive.
A burn to disk window will pop up. Give your disk a title, select the speed to burn the disk at and click Next to start the burn.

Hint: If you’ve added files to a Mastered disk and you have not burned them yet you can remove a few of the files by double-clicking the drive you’ll use to burn the files and delete them from there. You can also remove all the files from the image by right-clicking the drive you’ll use to burn the files and select Delete temporary files.

Music CD

If you’re trying to burn a music CD for playing in a CD player you need to use Windows Media Player to burn it. See my Burning an Audio CD guide.

Still need help? Ask Your Computer Question Now.

Andreas Says:
July 7th, 2007 at 7:23 pm
I did some mastered burns using vista basic and media player etc, but they surely did not play on most dvd players. In fact I cant play the mastered burns on any dvd player I have in the house and I have about 4 different ones. regards. Andreas.
Brent Trahan Says:
July 8th, 2007 at 6:05 am
You’re doing something wrong. You’re the first of over 100,000 people viewing this guide to tell me it doesn’t work.

Make sure you’re using the correct type of DVD media (+R or -R). Some DVD players are picky about that. What are you burning on DVD to play on DVD players? You might be burning something that most DVD players can’t read.
dan Says:
July 23rd, 2007 at 10:35 pm
make me 2nd
5dvds and only one has been read by my dvd player, and it does not have the dvd menu or files in any order. the personal dvds I did two copies and one copy did not have pictures. So Vista is no nero that is user friendly
Luis Says:
October 5th, 2007 at 12:33 am
I’ve tried to burn dvd’s in mastered format in the same way it was explained.
Although I specified mastered format, the properties of the dvd show UDF.
Looks like windows vista refuse to burn mastered format. Is there a way to set mastered as default format?.

Thank you

Luis
Bob Orr Says:
October 15th, 2007 at 6:55 am
Can you copy a folder onto more than one CD in Vista?
Brent Trahan Says:
October 15th, 2007 at 7:42 am
Sure, but you have to repeat the whole process for every CD you want to burn.
Eric Nguyen Says:
November 17th, 2007 at 8:14 pm
yeah i can burn
but then the dvd player wont read the dvd
(im using +R)
i tried like 6 dvd players and it didnt work.
were we supposed to use -R?
and maybe in those 100,000 people
only few people ever tried to comment
Jay Says:
December 3rd, 2007 at 6:56 pm
yes DVD-R is required, the DVD+R is something different and not compatible with most peoples computers
John D Says:
February 15th, 2008 at 7:23 pm
Yes Im havibg the same issues above …in fact I tried burning after selecting the video files I wanted from a home made video and the file type said it was “windows media file” ??? Anyway i did follw the steps and selected the master format and still no luck with playing in my DVD player. Lost 3 discs after trying three scenarios.
John
Martin B Says:
April 26th, 2008 at 6:55 am
Why could I burn DVD’s for years with my XP machine and havent been able to burn one DVD in 12 months with Windows Vista. This is meant to be an upgrade?
lilly Says:
May 28th, 2008 at 4:47 am
if I used this method to burn dvd am I gonna b able to play it with my dvd player
cos I’ve tried of applications but they where helpless
TQ
Brent Trahan Says:
May 28th, 2008 at 5:48 am
It depends on what’s on the DVD. If you’re trying to copy a movie DVD, this won’t work. Parts of the disk are encoded and won’t copy. You’ll need software to rip and decode the DVD to copy it.

If you’re trying to burn video you own (home videos) you need to see my guide on how to create a home video DVD.
JEN Says:
June 23rd, 2008 at 3:58 pm
I followed the directions to the tee and it did not work, would not play in my dvd player and on the computer was not in order. i have been trying for weeks to figure this out and have gone through dozens of dvds. i quit this sucks