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I am on Windows XP and have Kodak EasyShare on my PC. I want to transfer all of my photos to CD. Can you advise me on choice of a remote burner drive, i.e. make, model number and price, preferably not expensive as I am a hard-up old pensioner!

External vs. Internal CD Burners

Sure, I’ll be happy to recommend a few different CD burners for you. The first consideration is whether to invest in an internal or external CD drive. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. An internal drive is nice because it’s built right into your system which means less clutter on the desktop while an external drive can be used on this current computer as well as on future computers should you later replace your current system. Internal CD drives are quite easy to install despite the fact that you must open up the computer case, so don’t be afraid of going that route if it makes sense for your situation.

CD/DVD Burner

The next consideration is whether to get a CD burner, DVD burner, or combo burner. I recommend getting a CD/DVD combo burner as this will give you the ability to play and create DVDs as well as CDs. DVD drives store so much more data and can also be used as a backup utility. While Blu-ray/CD/DVD combo drives are also available, Blu-ray is probably overkill for your purposes.

Suggested CD Burners

Prices vary based on features and ease of use. For example, the Sony DVDirect External CD-RW Drive is really cool in that you can connect your digital camera directly to the drive and burn your photos to disc without a computer but it’s pricey at about $200 (and that’s on sale). On the other hand, an internal Sony CD/DVD combo burner can be had for less than $65. 

CD/DVD burners have come a long way since their introduction and just about any drive from a leading manufacturer such as Sony, Phillips, Pioneer, or LG should serve you well, even when choosing a budget model.

To help you decide, ask yourself the following questions:

• Do I want to install a drive or am I willing to live with an external device?
• Does my computer have an expansion slot for an internal drive (many users simply replace their old CD drives)
• Does my computer have a free USB port for an external drive?
• Do I want DVD burning capabilities?

Once you have an idea about the basic type, such as external combo drive, then start looking at the offerings of manufacturers that you trust and watching the Sunday newspaper for sales. If you need help installing an internal drive, we can walk you through that too.

CD Burning Software

Whichever drive you choose will most likely come with some sort of CD burning software. Windows has basic burning capabilities as well.

If I add a new hard drive to my Dell PC, (replacing the current one that only plays CD’s and CD-ROM’s and doesn’t recognize DVD’s and DVD-ROM’s and will not burn CD’s) will I have to reinstall my computer programs like Microsoft Office 2007 and Windows Media Player?

Replacing Primary Hard Drive and Data Loss

If you were to replace your computer’s primary hard drive, then yes, you would need to reinstall your operating system, all programs, and data. This is because the new hard drive will be a blank slate that must be prepared and loaded. When replacing a primary hard drive, if the original drive is functional, many users create a disk image and copy that to the new drive. For example, if you were to take it to a computer shop, they would likely do that as part of the service. When the original hard drive has failed, then the operating system, programs, and data must be installed individually on the new hard drive from disks, downloads, and data backups.

However, your question indicates that you want to replace the CD-DVD drive, perhaps upgrading it to a combo drive that can burn CDs and DVDs. This type of drive is completely separate from the hard drive, so you will not need to reinstall your operating system, programs, or data.

Replacing CD-ROM Drive and Data Loss

Replacing a CD drive is incredibly easy and has very little risk involved. Your data is safe because the new CD/DVD drive is a separate component that plugs into the motherboard via a cable. You may need to install device drivers though most are self-installing these days.

Risks Associated with Installing New CD/DVD Drives

The main risk involved with installing a new CD/DVD drive is electrical shock. Make sure to power down your computer and unplug it from its power source. Use a grounding bracelet and remove any jewelry that you may be wearing. Work in a clean, low dust environment and open up your computer case. Remove the old CD drive’s connecting cables and screws and then slide it out of the computer case. Insert the new drive, connect its cables, attach the screws, and put your computer back together. When you boot up the computer, Windows should automatically detect the new drive and install the appropriate drivers for it. Once installed, you may need to reboot. From there, if any CD or DVD burning software came with the drive, install that.

Replacing a CD drive is one of the easiest do-it-yourself computer upgrades and relatively inexpensive. If you’ve been thinking of upgrading, you don’t need to worry about reinstalling your old programs because these drives are not related to the hard drive.