Putting a downloaded program on a CD

I have bought "hallmard card studio", the downloaded version. I now want to put the program on a CD in case something happens that I lose it or change computers. How do I do that? I also have an external hard drive, but I am not sure how it works. Thanks.

Assuming it is a .exe file, simply burn it as a data disk, to do this launch your burning software, needless to say connect the external DVD drive first as it will look for this to use if not built into the system, then select CD or DVD (dependent on the disk you use, and the size you need), then tell it you want to burn a data disk, it will ask where the file is, show it, then burn, simple as that really, if you need further instruction if you can say what burning software your using then we can be more precise for you.

All I see is "windows DVD maker". Is that what I need?

No, that is exactly what it says it is as far as I know, it allows you to create your own DVD film\slideshow kind of thing, often store bought systems come pre-loaded with some kind of burning software, Nero is a big name, but not often bundled, Roxio is a common one, and one other I can't recall offhand, but if you don't have any such programs, then you can either use the built in burner within windows, or get a 3rd party application, ImgBurn is pretty much everything you will ever need, but I must admit at first look it can be scary, but they had a great sense of humour when doing it, and have great tutorials to help you achieve pretty much anything.

Windows own burning, not sure if how it works varies within windows versions, never used it personally, but I think I'm right in saying you simply drag and drop the file(s) to be burnt onto the burner drive, it's handy for simple tasks but I have no idea how it can handle more complex burns, IMHO ImgBurn is probably the best free way to go, it will also serve all future burning requirements as well.

ImgBurn, simply install and launch, select Write Files/Folders to Disc, add the file(s) to be burnt, then burn, pretty sure that should do what you need.

Hope something here helps.

I downloaded ImgBurn. Now I have the downloaded version of hallmark cards. How do I get all the installation and everything of that disk. So that I could put it on another computer or this one if it goes nuts.

You don't, you can not copy an installation to a disk to use to put it back if the worst happens, not the way it sounds like your hoping anyway, you can only save the install file to disk, along with any key\licence you bought with it, then if the worst happens you have to reinstall the program from these files, once a program is installed it creates possibly thousands of entries in the registry, and these can't be simply backed up the way the install file can. The only way to copy a program is to create an image of the entire drive, this will copy the entire contents including the OS and installed programs, then if the worst happens you can restore the entire system to that state using the disk created to do this, this is good practise to create a restoreable image, it means if the worst happens you can restore to the state it was creates at, I have not really done this, others are far more able to assist in this area if you wish to go this route, but as far as the initial query about saving an install file then the above is what you have to do there, hope it helps a bit.

It helps a lot. I just couldn't get an answer. Do you know when I do an image of the drive, which I have done, can I just pull out the one file, which is a hallmark card studio program, and reinstall that or do I have to reinstall the whole drive if I were to lose just that one program?

I don't have a lot of experience with back up's, the times i have tried my daughter always found a way to break them lol, so I gave up, but my gut feeling is No, you can not just choose what bit to put back from a back up, I could be wrong, but when you image a drive, then it is the drive image that can be put back, I don't believe you can pick and choose from such an image what you put back, but that's where keeping such an image up to date comes in, that way the image will only be missing the data since the previous creation, so if done regularly you may only lose a few weeks stuff at worst. Any file(s) that are that important should be backed up daily, but an installed program is nothing special, with the install file and activation code\key you got when buying (assuming it's a paid for item) can be put back in a minute with ease, there is no need I can think of to need to be able to put back a single installation the way it sounds like your trying to do, an installed program is simply that, the data (eg items you create using it) can be saved to any source you like, and be put back into the program should you ever need to reinstall that program, it's installation has no effect on it's file(s), as long as these are saved they can be put back after a reinstall, hope this makes sense lol.