How to Burn CDs or DVDs Using Only One CD Recorder

People usually encounter the problem of not being able to burn a CD directly into another CD because there is only one recorder available, which is usually the case for laptops. But this is still possible, even if the process takes a little bit longer. All you need is one CD/DVD recorder, a virtual drive and a burning application.

The steps, however, may vary depending on the type of CD being burned.
1.
Step 1

For a Data CD:
- Insert the data CD into the CD-ROM.
- Open the contents of the CD and copy them and paste them into a folder in the hard drive.
- Remove the data CD and insert a writeable Disc into the CD-ROM.
- Using your respective burning application, simple burn the data into the blank CD as you would when backing up files straight from the hard drive.
2.
Step 2

Take note, however, that this only works on data CDs. Other CD types may have encrypted files in them that need the alternative stapes below.
3.
Step 3

For audio, video, etc. CDs:
- Insert the data into the CD-ROM.
- Using the burning application you have, burn an image of that CD into your hard drive. Follow the steps on how to create an image file as your burning application instructs. Save that image to a specific folder in your computer.
- Remove the original CD from the CD-ROM and replace it with the writeable CD.
- Mount the image file into the virtual drive. This can be automatically done by right clicking the image file and selecting to "mount" or "load" it into the virtual drive.
- Use the burning application again to burn the image file into the CD. - Set the virtual drive as the source and the CD-ROM as the destination.
- From here the burning process will occur as it usually does. Once the process is complete the CD should now be the duplicate of the image.