moderator
Coaster Enthusiast
You can't convert a CD into a USB, that isn't a thing. The closest thing to that is actually something you mentioned; buying an external CD/DVD drive, which really is worth the investment if you plan on having that device long-term. Ripping CD's is legal so long as you aren't reproducing them or distributing them, although I doubt the police would come knocking on your door if you ripped a copy of RCT2 so you could play it (no one is that petty lol).
Just another option, you could always just keep the CD's as your collection, and then purchase a digital copy on Steam or GOG.
Team CoasterTech
VLC is software required to run CDs and DVDs on operating systems like Windows 8 that aren't otherwise built with programs necessary to play these types of media. Since Windows 8 was built without a disc drive, naturally they also neglected to include software that can play a disc. In other words, if you buy an external disc drive and put a disc in, but you don't have a multimedia player installed like VLC or RealPlayer, there will be no indication on your computer that there is a disc in the external drive.
This is important to know so that you don't end up blaming the external hardware if the actual problem is a lack of necessary software. I thought mine was broken the first time I put in a disc, when I really just didn't have a program required to play it. Luckily, these programs are free, and if one doesn't work, another likely will.
Well I have windows 10 on one of my computers that used to have windows 7. And it reads the disks without needing special programs.