We don’t get a lot of software on discs anymore, but it does still happen. What do you do when you need to install that software on a computer without a DVD drive? You could buy a USB DVD drive but that’s a pain to hook up. Instead, consider turning that DVD disc into an “ISO” file. It’s a single file that fully represents the disc. With modern versions of Windows, you can “mount” the ISO file and Windows treats that file just like it would if you had put the actual disc into the computer. If your computer doesn’t have this mounting feature, there are plenty of free software solutions. Virtual Clone Drive is a great one.
How do you make an ISO? Grab a free copy of ImgBurn. It has tons of options including making an ISO from a disc and burning an ISO back to a disc.
This might seem slightly geeky but it’s a great way to get rid of all those discs sitting in the closet. Just rip them to ISO files and then toss the discs. You can easily access them from any computer in your house and if you really need a disc again, you can burn it.