How to Copy a Partition to a Bootable CD for Free

If you want to copy the contents of a partition on your hard drive to a bootable compact disc, you can do so for free using tools available in Windows. Keep in mind, however, that a standard blank CD can only hold up to 700 megabytes of data. To copy the full contents of your hard drive's partition, you will need to have a partition that is 700 MB or less in total file size.

• 1

  Place a blank CD into your computer's burner. The Windows operating system will automatically recognize this CD and display a pop-up window on the screen. Close out of this window.

• 2

  Click "Start."

• 3

  Click "Computer."

• 4

  Right-click on the icon for your hard drive partition and click "Open." This will open the contents of the CD in a new window. Highlight all of the files on the partition with your mouse and drag them over top of the icon in the "Computer" window that represents your blank CD. This will copy them to the CD's list of files "to be burned." Close out of the hard drive partition window.

• 5

  Double-click the blank CD icon in the "Computer" window. Click "Burn to Disc" in the toolbar. Type a name for your CD and click "Burn." All of the files from your hard drive partition will be copied over to your CD, which will be bootable.