Your computer can do a bunch of things, including burning your favorite memories, music, and data to removable media. It isn't always so easily explained though is it? There are nearly as many ways to burn a disk as there are to get from point A to point B. I will guide you through the easiest method to burn your data. Let's dive in shall we?
Luckily for us, we don't need any proprietary software to burn a disc. Windows has it built right in...AND its easy to use! You want to make sure that you have chosen the right media (CD for CD burners-DVD for DVD burners). Got it? I am about to show you the least confusing way to burn a disc. Good, let's get cracking!
Insert a blank disc into your computer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A window will pop up asking you what you want to do with the disc. This will vary based on what programs you have installed on your computer, but everyone will have the option to "Burn files to disc."
Go ahead and select that.

 

 

 

 

 

A window will pop up that asks you to Prepare this blank disc. Go ahead and type in a title for your disc and click next.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You may get a window that says that your computer is "Formatting" your disc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once this is done, a window will display showing your blank disc. If the Autoplay window pops up, go ahead and close it by clicking the red X in the upper right hand corner. You will now have a window open showing your disc with no files on it. Let's get to adding the files shall we?
Go to Start-->My Computer (Computer in Vista) and go to the folder where the files (pictures, movies, Word documents, etc.) that you want to burn are located. Select the files that you want to burn (hint: to select a series of files, click on the first one and hold down Shift key and select the last one; to select multiple files not in a series, hold down the Ctrl key and click on each file) and drag them into the window that opened earlier with our CD/DVD.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Your computer will now copy the file(s) to your CD/DVD drive. You aren't done yet though! We are almost there!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once you have all of the files that you want to burn, click the burn to disc button in the dark blue toolbar(Vista) or write these files to CD (XP).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You will be given the choice to pick a burn speed, but you should be alright with the default. If you do have problems with the disc not burning properly, try a slower speed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You will now see a progress bar, and your disc will eject from the tray when it is done.
Congratulations! You have just upped your geek credentials. If you want an alternative method, you are in luck! I happen to feel like an especially generous geek today, so I will share with you another easy method.
Insert your blank disc as above, and close the window that pops up. Now go to the files that you want to burn. Select them and right click-->send to CDRW/DVDRW drive (X). You can now go to Computer-->CD/DVD and burn as above.

Take a moment and bask in your accomplishment. Its alright, you've earned it...done yet? Ok, then don't forget to hug your favorite geek! We are people too.