Windows 7 supports Blu-ray discs and ISO image files (of the kind used by most distributions of the free open-source Linux operating system). You download the ISO image file and burn it to a recordable disc to create a boot disc. Direct-disc burning, which allows you to use an optical disc in the same way as a USB flash drive, is also supported.

A suitable CD/DVD/Blu-ray writer/rewriter disc-burning optical drive is required. The following steps work with recordable CDs, DVDs and Blu-ray discs.

Insert a blank disc into the computer's optical drive. The AutoPlay menu should appear. Select Burn files to disc to burn files. On the next menu, choose the disc you want to create.

The Like a USB flash drive option allows extra files to be added at a later date and existing files on the disc to be deleted. (The files are not really deleted, they are just removed from the index of files and rewritten, so no disc-space is recovered.) However, you can only use this feature with other computers running Windows XP or later versions. You have to finalise a disc if you want it to be able to work on computers running non-Windows operating systems, such as Linux or Apple's OS X. After a record-once-only disc has been finalised, it cannot be used for further file burning. A rewritable disc can be wiped and reformatted. To finalise a disc, click the Close Session button.

The With a CD/DVD player option is a standard way to burn files to discs. When the selected files are burned to the disc, it is finalised and files cannot be added or deleted. Discs written using this option can be used on any computer that has a drive that is compatible with those discs. (Remember that optical drives can be fussy about the discs that they can read and/or write to, so only but brand-named discs that the manufacturer of the drive recommends.)

If you select Like a USB flash drive option, the disc will be formatted and then a new Windows Explorer window appears. If you drag-and-drop files into this window, they will be written to the disc.

If you selected the With a CD/DVD player option, just a Windows Explorer window opens (no formatting takes place). You can also drag-and-drop files into this window to have them burned to the disc. Just click on Burn to disc and the files will be burned.

To burn an ISO image file to a disc, right-click the image file in Windows Explorer and select Open With => Windows Disc Image Burner. In the next window, click Burn and the image will be written to a blank disc. Windows won't burn an ISO image to a disc that contains files. If you click Verify disc after burning before clicking the Burn button, Windows will check that the files have been correctly written to the disc.

The safest way to upgrade RAM memory: Use the UK and US Crucial Memory Advisors

Paul Mullen, who was the highly-respected computer guru of the Helpfile at ComputerShopper.co.uk - "I have recently been buying my memory only from Crucial Technology. I would rather pay the extra cost than waste time trying to track down the obscure program faults that bad memory can cause."

The best way to choose RAM memory for a brand-name desktop or laptop computer, or memory for a paricular make/model of PC motherboard is to make use of the Crucial Memory Advisors (provided under the brief guideline on the minimum memory requirements for Windws XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7). If the Crucial memory you receive does not work, you are guaranteed a refund and standard shipping is free.

The memory requirements of the versions of Windows Vista and Windows 7

Most of the versions of Windows Vista require more RAM memory to run optimally on a computer that doesn't use memory-hungry applications than Windows XP. A video-editing application is an example of memory-intensive software. Only Windows Vista Home Basic has a recommended minimum amount of memory of 512MB, which is the same amount recommended for Windows XP. Windows Vista Home Premium, the most popular version, and Windows Vista Ultimate require a recommended minimum of 1GB (1024MB) of memory, which is twice the amount of minimum memory recommended to run Windows XP. Note that if you are using a 64-bit version of Windows, up to 4.0GB, it requires twice the amount of memory as a 32-bit version, which can only use a maximum of about 3.5GB. For more information on computer memory, read the RAM pages of this site, which includes information on the lower memory requirements of Windows 7.

UK - Crucial Memory Advisor - UK

USA - Crucial Memory Advisor - USA

How to Use the Crucial Memory Advisor

For example, if your computer has an Asus motherboard, open the menu, scroll down to ASUS, and click GO. If, say, you have a Dell computer, scroll down to DELL, and do likewise. You will be taken to the relevant information on Crucial's website.

If you don't know the make and model of the motherboard installed in your computer, here is a good free utility - Belarc Advisor - that creates an analysis of the hardware and software on a personal computer. Look under FREE DOWNLOAD - http://www.belarc.com/. Another utility that also provides detailed information on the memory itself is CPU-Z.

Further information on Windows 7

Windows 7 home -

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/products/home?os=winxp

Windows 7 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_7

Windows 7 features -

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/products/features

Windows 7: How low can you go? -

"Rejuvenating your 7-year-old PC with Windows, not Linux, can now make technical and fiscal sense." - http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9136192/...

Windows 7: The complete guide -

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/features/262021/windows-7-the-complete-guide.html

How To Install Microsoft Windows 7 -

"Say goodbye to Vista and XP, and let us walk you through the installation of your new operating system, step-by-step." -

http://www.informationweek.com/news/hardware/desktop/...

FAQ: How to upgrade XP to Windows 7 -

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9135440/...

Google searches

You can find additional information on any of the terms, programs, utilities or features mentioned above by making use of the Google search box at the top of this page (with its Web radio button enabled).