How to Copy a Software Install CD to a Hard Drive

By Greyson Ferguson

You can copy material from a CD into your hard drive.
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Installation CDs have a variety of important files, each just as important as the previous. If a particular file is removed, the entire installation may not function correctly. If you are looking to back up an installation CD to your system's hard drive, you need to copy the entire CD to your drive and ensure every file is there. This is not a complicated task, but it does take solid computer skills.

Step 1

Insert the installation CD into the disc drive of the computer, then exit out the installation wizard and any other AutoPlay window that loads onto the screen.

Step 2

Right-click on the desktop (or any location where you wish to store the CD). Choose "New," "Folder" and a new folder icon appears. Title the folder after the installation CD.

Step 3

Double-click the folder icon you just created, then leave the window open for the time being.

Step 4

Click "Start," "Computer" and double-click the CD icon. A window appears with all the files currently stored on the disc.

Step 5

Highlight every file in the CD. Click inside the highlighted area, then drag the files over to the open window you created. This copies every file on the CD onto the hard drive, maintaining the exact file locations, without deleting any files.

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