Burned CDs not initialized

You cannot copy an audio CD using the contextual menu outside of iTunes and have the CD be recognized by CD players. The computer will only copy the files to the CD, not initialize it. Some CD players and DVD players will play the CD if the files are in mp3 format. You will need some type of burn app to create an audio CD playable as such.

Toast and I'm sure other burn apps have the ability to copy a CD as long it is not DRM protected.

I just want to copy an audio CD.

If you want to make a copy CD of the audio CD without importing into iTunes and then burning from iTunes do the following:

1 - insert the audio CD in your optical drive.

2 - launch Disk Utility.

3 - select the audio CD.

4 - go to the File menu and select New Image ➙ Image from "Audio CD".

5 - create a disk image.

6 - insert a new disc in the optical drive.

7 - Control (right) - click on the disk image and select "Burn Disk Image "Audio CD.img" to Disc...

As a general note if you have the option to select the burn speed I would select a slow speed around 4x so you get the best burn possible (more time over each spot for the laser).

Data CDs (and data and video DVDs) use 2,048 byte blocks, and have a directory of file names with block numbers.

Audio CDs have just a stream of bits. It starts with a TOC (Table of Contents) which contains the starting time of each track, The bits can be read in sectors of 2,352 bytes.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compact_Disc_Digital_Audio

When Finder copies tracks from a CD it converts them into Audio Interchange File Format (AIFF).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audio_Interchange_File_Format

It usually gets track names from an internet database.

A disk image file made from a Finder folder will be nothing like the bitstream on the CD. When burning a disc, Finder just copies 2,048 byte blocks. It doesn't do any reformatting.

Disk Utility can make a disk image file directly from a CD but it doesn't handle audio formats, so reads 2,048 byte blocks. The resulting disk image file is useless.

The only Apple software that can burn audio CDs is iTunes.

DVDs are different. They use 2048 byte blocks and have a directory that can be read by the Finder. If the DVD is not encrypted, Finder can copy the files to the computer and played (with the right software). DVD Player can play directly from encrypted DVDs, but not from encrypted files copied from the DVD. DVDs use UDF directories.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Disk_Format

Finder and Disk Utility can't create these, but UDF discs can be copied by Disk Utility disk images.

You can burn audio CD's in iTunes, but audio CD's only, which will play in CD players and such. To burn in any other app you must use a burn app such as Toast which will format(initialize) the CD so it will be recognizable by most players. There are also free burn apps such as Burn which should work.

You should try Old Toad's instructions and if all works well return Toast and get your money back unless you want to do more burning such as movies or Photo CD's.

Toast 8 is pretty old. I’m sure it was 32 bit and everything now is 64 bit for the OS. There might be a trial version of Toast either on the Roxio site or maybe in the App Store. Google it and see what happens.

That should be around $40 less than normal price. It is a good app and gives a lot of versatility to the Mac. I’m sure you will enjoy the ease of use and customizable options of the app.