Burning CDs using Windows Media Player

Published: February 11, 2005

Learn tips and resolve errors when burning CDs.

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Whenever I try to burn a CD, Windows Media Player stops or displays an error. What can I do?Whenever I try to burn a CD, Windows Media Player stops or displays an error. What can I do?
Why are there gaps between the songs on CDs that I burn?Why are there gaps between the songs on CDs that I burn?
How can I copy directly from one CD to another?How can I copy directly from one CD to another?
Can I use Windows Media Player to burn DVDs?Can I use Windows Media Player to burn DVDs?
Why do I receive the error "Windows Media Player does not detect any storage media in the selected device" when I try to burn a CD?Why do I receive the error "Windows Media Player does not detect any storage media in the selected device" when I try to burn a CD?
Why do I receive the error "System cannot find the path specified" when I try to burn a CD?Why do I receive the error "System cannot find the path specified" when I try to burn a CD?
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Whenever I try to burn a CD, Windows Media Player stops or displays an error. What can I do?

Unfortunately, there's no one reason for why errors occur. Try this list of troubleshooting steps to see if one of these solutions will help you:

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The recordable CD drive may not be connected. Verify that the drive is properly connected.

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There may not be a disk in the recordable CD drive or the disk in the drive may not be blank. Verify that a blank disk is inserted in the drive.

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Another program may be using the recordable CD drive. Quit other programs that may be using this drive.

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You may be trying to use the Player to create an audio CD or a data CD in an unsupported environment. Audio CDs and data CDs can only be created if you use Windows Media Player for Windows XP or later on the Windows XP operating system.

If you have an earlier version of the Player or a different operating system, or if you just can’t get the Player to create an audio CD or data CD, do the following:

1.

Insert a blank, writable CD into the CD recorder.

2.

On your computer, click the files or folders you want to burn to the CD. (To select more than one file, press the CTRL key while you click the files you want.) Then, under File and Folder Tasks, click Copy this file, Copy this folder, or Copy the selected items.

If the files are located in My Pictures, under Picture Tasks, click Copy to CD, and then skip to step 4.

3.

In the Copy Items dialog box, click the CD recording drive, and then click Copy.

4.

In My Computer, double-click the CD recording drive. Windows displays the files to be copied to the CD. Verify that the files and folders that you intend to copy to the CD appear.

5.

Under CD Writing Tasks, click Write these files to CD. Windows displays the CD Writing Wizard. Follow the instructions in the wizard.

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There may not be enough free storage space on your hard disk drive. Before the Player copies files to a recordable CD, temporary copies of those files (known collectively as a disk image), which may use up to 1 gigabyte (GB), are stored on your hard disk drive. If you don't have enough free hard disk space to store the image, Windows Media Player can't copy files to a recordable disk. Free up enough space on your hard disk drive, or store the image on another hard disk drive. To specify the hard disk drive where disk images are stored, do the following:

1.

In Windows Media Player, on the Tools menu, click Options.

2.

In the Options dialog box, on the Devices tab, click the name of the CD-R or CD-RW drive you are using and then click the Properties button.

3.

In the Properties dialog box, on the Recording tab, select a drive with adequate disk space that Windows can create the disk image on.

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The CD-R or CD-RW drive may be encountering buffering errors because of the write speed of the burn. To resolve this issue, select a slower write speed (this is especially effective on USB CD-R and CD-RW drives) by doing the following:

1.

In Windows Media Player, on the Tools menu, click Options.

2.

In the Options dialog box, on the Devices tab, click the name of the CD-R or CD-RW drive you are using, and then click the Properties button.

3.

In the Properties dialog box, on the Recording tab, select a slower write speed.

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Try selecting different content to copy to a CD. If this resolves the issue, the media files that you are unable to copy may be damaged.

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Try creating a CD using a blank CD from a different manufacturer. Sometimes certain CD-R and CD-RW drives have issues with writable CD media from a particular manufacturer.

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Make sure the CD-R or CD-RW drive has all the updated drivers from the hardware manufacturer.

If none of these solutions work, or if you are receiving a "device not detected" error message, see "Why doesn't the Player recognize my CD-R or CD-RW drive?" in the Media Advice Archive.

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Why are there gaps between the songs on CDs that I burn?

The technology used to create a CD that does not have gaps between tracks is called Disc-at-Once (DAO), which refers to how the laser writes information to the CD. Windows Media Player does not use this technology, so it inserts two-second gaps between the tracks it burns to a CD. To burn CDs that don't have gaps between tracks, you will need to use a plug-in for Windows Media Player, or use a different CD-creation program. For more information, see "How can I burn a crossfaded CD?" in the Media Advice Archive.

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How can I copy directly from one CD to another?

It's not possible to copy directly from one CD to another. You must rip tracks from the CD to your computer, and then burn the ripped tracks to a blank CD. You can rip the tracks from the CD by doing the following:

1.

Insert the CD you want to copy into the CD-ROM drive.

2.

In Windows Media Player, click Copy from CD (Rip in Windows Media Player 10). If there are any tracks that you do not want to copy, clear the check box next to each track.

3.

Click the Copy button (Rip Music button in Windows Media Player 10). By default, the tracks you rip will be displayed in your library, and are stored in the My Music folder on your computer.

For more information, see Quickly Rip CDs to Your Computer.

Now that the tracks are ripped to your computer, make sure that you have a CD burner installed on your computer, and then burn the tracks to a CD by doing the following:

1.

Insert a blank CD-R or CD-RW into your CD burner.

2.

In Windows Media Player, click Copy to CD or Device (Burn in Windows Media Player 10).

3.

In the Items to Copy pane (the left side of the Player), click the CD title in the list.

4.

If necessary, clear the check boxes for tracks you do not want to burn.

5.

In the Items on Device pane (the right side of the Player), click one of the following (available only on the Windows XP operating system):

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Audio CD. This type of CD plays in essentially any CD player (in your home stereo, your portable CD player, your car stereo, your computer, and so forth). You can store up to 74 minutes of content on an audio CD. When the Player creates an audio CD, it converts your WMA and MP3 files to the pulse code modulation (PCM) format that standard CD players can play.

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Data CD. This type of CD plays only in your computer and in some newer CD players. You can store many hours of content on a data CD. When the Player creates a data CD, it does not convert your WMA and MP3 files to another format; it simply copies the files as is to the disc. Consequently, the CD player that you use to play a data CD must be able to play WMA or MP3 files.

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HighMAT. A special type of data CD that includes a playlist, these discs play only in your computer or in newer CD players that support High-performance Media Access Technology, or HighMAT. You can store many hours of content on a HighMAT-formatted CD. Because a player that supports HighMAT can read playlists, your content plays back in the order you chose when you created the playlist in Windows Media Player.

6.

Click the Copy button (Start Burn button in Windows Media Player 10).

For more information, see Burn Your Own CDs.

  Note

When you copy music that you did not create, it may be copyrighted, and therefore, protected by U.S. and international laws. Ownership of a CD does not necessarily constitute the right to redistribute or share the content; if you intend to do so, make sure you have the necessary permissions.

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Can I use Windows Media Player to burn DVDs?

Unfortunately, no. At this time, Windows Media Player can only be used to burn CDs and copy files to portable devices. If you have a DVD burner, and you want to burn DVDs, you must use the software that came with the DVD burner.

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Why do I receive the error "Windows Media Player does not detect any storage media in the selected device" when I try to burn a CD?

A portable device is selected for burning instead of a CD-R or CD-RW drive. To fix this, do the following:

1.

In Windows Media Player, click Copy to CD or Device (Burn in Windows Media Player 10).

2.

In the Items on Device pane (the right side of the Player), click the CD drive you want to burn to, and then click one of the following (available only on the Windows XP operating system):

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Audio

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Data CD

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HighMAT

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Why do I receive the error "System cannot find the path specified" when I try to burn a CD?

It's possible that the files you are trying to copy have been deleted, moved to a different folder, or renamed. If the files have been moved or renamed, you can fix this problem by doing the following:

1.

In Windows Media Player, click Media Library (Library in Windows Media Player 10).

2.

In the Contents pane (the left side of the Player), expand My Playlists, and then click the playlist that you're trying to burn.

3.

In the Details pane (the right side of the Player), right-click each file that is displayed in orange and has an exclamation point (!) next to it, and then click Error Details.

4.

Click Browse, and then locate the file. Once you select the file, its path will be updated.

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If you don't find the answer to your question in this column, be sure to check the Archive. Media Advice is not an official Microsoft Support channel. If you need immediate help for an urgent problem, we recommend that you visit Microsoft Help and Support.


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