FileForums - Sims2 backup copy

Hi, I'm new to this copying with protection malarcky, so please excuse my ignorance in this field :s

I have Sims2 on cd which me and 3 of my kids use. We have 3 computers in the house, but only 1 game..I've installed sims2 on all 3 computers, but of course they can only play it with the cd in.

I tried to make a bog standard copy of the play disc on to a blank cd but it would not play.

After reading a few posts on here, I have tried to make an image?..what is one of those anyway?..using the free 30 day trial of alcohol 120..wasnt quite sure what I was doing ..just clicked on what I thought was the right options :S

Then I tried to burn that image onto a CD. When I try to use this new cd as the play disc, it comes up with the sims2 white image at the start...but thats it..it doesnt get any further than that.

Soooo...my questions are...

1. Can I run it without the cd at all?...if so...how?

2. Where did I go wrong with Alcohol120?..or was it the type of CDR I used?

3. Am I better off using a copy play disc or something that i use instead of the cd...?

Any help much appreciated, its the original game, with original serial number, I just have too many kids fighting over who gets to play it first :S...

Regards, Allegradream