Very basic questions on back-up CDs inside...

[Broke]

I'm very new to this whole back-up thing. Actually, a year or so ago, I chipped my PSX with a 7-wire chip, and it worked out just fine, but my interest in it died out.
Yesterday, I bought a PS2, and I'm looking for sites to read up on things like patches, trainers, and game image files, and that sort of thing.
All I did with my chipped PSX is to get a CD burner, burn a copy of my original (burning a data CD), then I could play the back-ups. I never did anything with loading the game into my computer, getting an image file, patching it, then putting it back on a CD...I want to learn more about that.
In just the few minutes I've browsed this forum, I checked out a few sites posted by other members pertaining to NE04 vs. Messiah, and I read something about being able to rip files from a game (GTA3, in order to fit it on a CD-R) to make it smaller, like removing just music, and I read about riupping a DVD to a CD.
I want to know more about those things, and rather than bother you users with the questions, I figured you'd have links you could pass on, and I'd do my own learning/reading, then come back with questions
So, any links showing or explaining the basics of using your PC to aid in backing up games, ripping games, or ripping DVDs?
Thanks a ton in advance for any help....I can't offer any help back, but if anyone has a MK2/A2 Volkswagen, I can help with troubles with that:P
Broke