The easiest way to copy an audio CD to a PC is to use Windows Media Player, which comes free with the Windows operating system. Make sure you are connected to the Internet before you begin; the Windows Media Player will access the Web to assign names to the songs on your CD automatically. Open Windows Media Player, typically done by clicking the "Start" menu and selecting Windows Media Player. Insert the audio CD you would like to copy into the computer's optical drive, then click the "Rip" tab in Windows Media Player. All the songs on the CD will be automatically checked, but you can uncheck the boxes next to any songs you do not wish to copy. Click "Rip Music." The first time you copy a CD, Windows Media Player will ask what format you would like to use for your audio copies: Choose "Keep my Current Format Setting" if you wish to burn the copies as Windows Media Audio (WMA) files or select "Change my Current Format Settings" to choose different types of files and other options. Once the files have been ripped, you can search for them on the Windows Media Player library and play them from your hard drive or transfer them to a portable media player.
Another method of copying CDs to a PC is by using Apple Computer's iTunes software, which is available for free download at www.apple.com/itunes/download. Make sure you are connected to the Internet so iTunes can automatically assign names to the CD tracks. Once the program is installed, open iTunes by double-clicking on its icon. Insert the CD you would like to copy into your computer's optical drive. The name of the CD will show up in the left pane of the iTunes window under "Devices." Highlight one of the tracks in the main window of iTunes, then drag down the "Edit" menu and choose "Select All" to highlight all the tracks of the CD. Drag down the "Advanced" menu and select "Create MP3 Version." Once iTunes is finished burning the audio tracks, you will be able to find them in the iTunes library and play them from your hard drive or transfer them onto a portable media player.
For users of PCs with the Linux operating system, there are a number of options for media players. A good list of shareware can be found at www.mp3daze.com/playunix.htm. Each one is a little different and has its own way of ripping CDs to your hard drive, so be sure to read the accompanying users manuals. A good program to start with is CD Paranoia, which is also available for free download at www.xiph.org/paranoia/down.html. The users manual offers step-by-step instructions for copying audio tracks to your PC.