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To put a game soundtrack CD in a computer music library, first make sure the computer can read audio CDs, then rip the disc into music files, verify the album and track information, and add those files to the library if the ripping app does not do that automatically. A copied .cda entry is only a shortcut to a track on the disc; it is not the audio file you need.
Windows Media Player can rip an audio CD directly. iTunes for Windows can import tracks directly from a CD, while Apple Music for Windows imports files or folders that have already been created. Your choice of output format affects compatibility, storage, and whether you keep a lossless archive.
Before you start
Confirm that it is an audio CD
This procedure is for a conventional audio CD containing playable tracks. A soundtrack disc may instead be a data disc with files such as WAV, MP3, or game-specific assets. If the disc opens in File Explorer as a collection of ordinary files, you can copy or import those files rather than use a CD-ripping command. If it behaves like a music CD with numbered tracks and no normal audio files, use a CD-capable ripper.
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You need a built-in optical drive or an external USB CD/DVD drive that can read audio CDs. Many current laptops have no internal drive, so an external drive is the practical requirement rather than a special music-library feature. Connect it before opening the ripping application and wait for the operating system to recognize the disc.
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Decide where the music will be used
Think about the destination before ripping. You may want the files in a Windows music folder, in Apple Music for Windows, on a phone or portable player, or in more than one application. Select an output format that the destination can play. Windows Media Player’s documented CD-ripping choices include WMA, WAV, and MP3. Microsoft separately lists FLAC as a supported playback type, but that does not establish that every Windows Media Player version can create FLAC files when ripping a CD.
Choose a ripping path
| Situation | Use this path | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| You want to rip and save tracks on Windows | Windows Media Player | Reads the CD, creates audio files, and normally saves them in the Music folder. |
| You want to bring tracks straight from a CD into iTunes on Windows | iTunes for Windows | Uses the documented Import CD command for selected tracks. |
| You already have ripped files | Apple Music for Windows | Imports a file or folder, or accepts items dragged from File Explorer. |
| You want to use Apple Music but have only the physical disc | Two-step workflow | Rip the disc with a CD-capable application first, then import the resulting files into Apple Music. |
The important distinction is that iTunes for Windows documents direct CD import, whereas Apple Music for Windows documents importing files that already exist on the computer.
Rip the soundtrack with Windows Media Player
1. Insert the disc and open the CD view
- Connect the optical drive if you are using an external one.
- Insert the soundtrack CD.
- Open Windows Media Player and select the inserted disc. The available command is Rip CD.
Microsoft defines the operation this way: “When you copy music, pictures, and videos from a CD or DVD to your PC, it’s called ‘ripping.’” The result is a set of audio files stored on the computer, not a set of links that still require the disc.
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2. Set the format, quality, and location before starting
Open Rip settings before you begin. Choose the output format, audio quality, and save location offered by your version of Windows Media Player. The documented default save location is the Music folder. These choices apply to new rips; changing them later does not convert tracks that have already been ripped.
If the music must work on several devices, check each device’s supported formats first. If you want an uncompressed archive, WAV is one of the formats named in Microsoft’s ripping instructions. If smaller files are more important and your devices accept it, MP3 is another documented choice. WMA is also listed, but support outside the Microsoft ecosystem can vary, so confirm compatibility before committing an entire disc to it.
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3. Select only the tracks you want
The CD view normally shows a selection control beside each track. Clear tracks you do not want, such as bonus material or a duplicate version, and leave the desired tracks selected. Selection is useful for soundtracks that include hidden, spoken, or otherwise non-musical tracks you do not want in the library.
4. Start the rip
Choose Rip CD and let the application read the disc. Keep the disc in the drive until the selected tracks finish. When the operation completes, open the configured save location and confirm that actual audio files were created.
5. Check the files rather than relying on the disc shortcut
A .cda item shown for a CD track is not a self-contained recording. Microsoft’s supported-file explanation says that these entries represent tracks on the CD and do not contain the PCM audio data when copied to a hard disk. Copying .cda entries to another folder therefore does not accomplish a rip. Look for the format you selected, such as .wav, .mp3, or .wma, and test one file without the CD inserted.
Import a CD directly with iTunes for Windows
1. Open the CD in iTunes
Insert the audio CD and select it in iTunes for Windows. Select the tracks you want to add.
2. Use Import CD
Choose Import CD and follow the format and quality options shown by your installation. Let the import finish before ejecting the disc, then play a few tracks from the library to verify that they were added.
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3. Treat unusually slow imports as a disc problem first
Apple’s iTunes guidance notes that a song taking more than 10 minutes to import may indicate that the CD is dirty or scratched. If one track stalls or takes far longer than the others, eject the disc, inspect it, clean it appropriately, and try again. A second attempt on a visibly damaged disc may still fail; in that case, test whether the problem follows one track or affects the whole disc.
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1. Create the files first
Apple Music for Windows is useful when the soundtrack is already on the computer as audio files. If you have only the physical CD, rip it with Windows Media Player, iTunes for Windows, or another CD-capable application before using Apple Music’s import command.
2. Import a file or an entire folder
- Open Apple Music for Windows.
- Use Import to choose an individual file or a folder of files.
- Alternatively, drag the files from File Explorer into the Apple Music window.
- Wait for the album to appear, then play several tracks.
Apple says the app adds a reference to the original file by default rather than necessarily moving or copying it into a managed library location. The file must remain where it was when you imported it. If you rename, move, or delete it afterward, the library item may stop playing. If you want the application to manage copies instead, review its storage settings before reorganizing the source folder.
Fix album information and track names
Let the application try an online lookup
Windows Media Player can try to retrieve the disc title, artist, and track titles online. This is convenient, but a game soundtrack may have multiple regional editions, reprints, bonus tracks, or different track orders. An automatic match can therefore be incomplete or wrong even when the audio itself ripped successfully.
Verify the edition against the physical disc
- Compare the album title and artist with the CD booklet or packaging.
- Check that the number of imported tracks matches the disc.
- Check the order of the tracks, especially when the release has bonus or hidden material.
- Look for region, volume, disc number, or edition wording that distinguishes this release from another soundtrack.
Do not assume that a generic game title identifies the exact release. The physical packaging is the most useful reference when an online result offers several editions.
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Correct missing or incorrect information
If Windows Media Player returns no result or the wrong one, Microsoft recommends trying different search criteria or entering the media information manually. Correct the album, artist, and track titles before you build playlists, because later changes can be harder to track across multiple copies of the files.
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| Format | Documented role in the cited Microsoft guidance | Best fit | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAV | Listed as a Windows Media Player CD-ripping output | A broadly recognized, uncompressed copy when storage is available | Large files; confirm that the target library and portable devices handle WAV metadata as you expect. |
| MP3 | Listed as a Windows Media Player CD-ripping output | Smaller files and wide device compatibility | It uses lossy compression, so it is not the same as keeping an uncompressed source. |
| WMA | Listed as a Windows Media Player CD-ripping output | A Windows-centered library where the playback devices support it | Support can be less consistent in non-Microsoft players and hardware. |
| FLAC | Listed by Microsoft as a supported playback type | A lossless library when the exact ripping application offers FLAC output | The cited Windows Media Player ripping guide does not prove that every version can rip CDs directly to FLAC. Check the format menu in your installed version first. |
There is no universally best choice. A practical approach is to keep one lossless copy if preserving the disc’s audio matters, and create a compatible listening copy only when your devices require it. Do not assume that changing a setting after the rip will improve existing files: Microsoft says Windows Media Player cannot change the format or audio quality of a track that has already been ripped. Re-rip the CD with the new settings instead.
Organize the imported soundtrack without breaking it
Use a stable folder
Give the album a folder name that identifies the game and edition, then keep its files together. A stable location makes it easier to re-import the album, repair a missing library reference, or move the collection deliberately later.
Understand references in Apple Music
When Apple Music for Windows imports a file or folder, the default reference behavior means the library points to the existing files. Moving the folder in File Explorer without updating the library can create unavailable tracks. Decide whether you want to keep a carefully organized source folder or change the app’s storage behavior before moving anything.
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Keep the original disc
The CD remains the original source if a file is damaged, metadata is accidentally changed, or you later choose a different output format. If a rip fails, re-ripping from the disc is more reliable than converting an already-compressed copy.
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Troubleshoot common failures
The computer does not show the disc
- Confirm that the external drive’s USB connection and power are secure.
- Try the drive with another known-good audio CD.
- Check whether the disc is actually a data disc rather than an audio CD.
- Close and reopen the ripping application after the operating system recognizes the drive.
The album is recognized incorrectly
Keep the ripped audio, but correct the metadata. Try a different search term in Windows Media Player, then enter the album and track information manually. Compare the result with the booklet, including edition and track order.
One track will not import or takes an unusually long time
Inspect the disc for dirt or scratches and try again. In iTunes for Windows, Apple specifically identifies an import taking more than 10 minutes as a possible sign of a dirty or scratched CD. If every other track succeeds, concentrate your inspection and retry on the failing track.
The library shows tracks but they will not play
- Test the underlying audio file directly from its folder.
- For Apple Music for Windows, confirm that the original file has not been moved, renamed, or deleted.
- Check whether the library or playback device supports the file format you selected.
- If you copied only
.cdaentries, repeat the process with a real CD rip.
You changed the quality setting but old files did not change
That is expected in Windows Media Player. Rip the CD again with the desired format and quality; the application does not convert an already-ripped track by changing the current rip settings.
Verify the finished library
- Remove the CD and play at least one imported track to prove that the file is local.
- Check the first and last tracks, where missing selections are easiest to overlook.
- Compare the library’s album title, artist, track count, and order with the physical release.
- Inspect the file extensions and confirm they match the devices on which you intend to listen.
- If Apple Music for Windows was used, leave the source folder in place and confirm that several tracks still play after closing and reopening the app.
Once those checks pass, the soundtrack is a normal digital music collection rather than a dependency on the optical disc: the audio exists as files, the metadata identifies the correct release, and the destination library can find the files it references.
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