How to Burn a DVD on a Mac Mini With a Combo Drive

The Mac Mini is a desktop computer designed to meet the needs of the home office or student user. In its standard configuration, the Mac Mini comes equipped with a 1.83 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 1GB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM, 80 GB hard drive, Intel GMA 950 graphics processor, 802.11g wireless capabilities and a CD-RW/DVD-ROM Combo Drive. This Combo Drive is incapable of burning DVDs; therefore, the use of a peripheral device is required. Using such a device to burn a DVD on your Mac Mini is a straightforward procedure; simply follow the directions below.

Things You'll Need

• Mac Mini
• Apple-compatible external DVD writer
• Writable DVD

Instructions

1. Connect the external DVD writer's power cord to an available electrical outlet. Connect the DVD writer to your Mac Mini via Firewire or USB cable. Ensure that the DVD writer and Mac Mini are both powered on. Install any driver software that may have come with your DVD writer and restart the computer.

2. Insert the blank DVD into your DVD writer, label side up. Locate the blank DVD icon on the desktop. Click on the text underneath. Choose a name for your DVD and input your selection into the text field. Press "Return."

3. Use the Finder to locate the files you wish to burn to DVD. Select the files and drag them onto the blank DVD icon on the desktop.

4. Double-click on the blank DVD icon. Review the files listed within. Rename and rearrange the files as desired.

5. Open the File menu. Select the option labeled "Burn Disc." Select the write speed that corresponds to your DVD writer's maximum write speed. Click the Burn button. Once the burn process is complete, the DVD is ready for use.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a DVD marker pen to label your discs after burning.

• If your DVD fails to burn properly, use a slower write speed and try again.

• Some Macintosh applications, such as iTunes and iMovie, come with specialized DVD burning functionality. Press Command + H to consult an application's built-in documentation for further information.

• Prior to use, check the underside of the DVD for smudges or scratches. If smudged, clean with a damp cloth; if scratched, discard and use a different disk.

• During the burning process, your computer will create temporary files equal in size to the data being copied. Ensure that your hard disk has enough space for these files before attempting to burn a DVD.

• To ensure that you will have enough free memory to complete the process, close all currently-active applications prior to burning.