An ISO image file is an exact representation of a CD or DVD, including the content and the logical format.
Writing ISO files
Common utilities for writing an ISO file to recordable media such as CD-R include ISORecorder, Nero, and Roxio.
Reading ISO files
The contents of images files can be used as virtual discs using utilities such as Virtual CD-ROM Control Panel for Windows XP, ISObuster, or DaemonTools, or Virtual CloneDrive for Windows Vista.
Many products are posted as ISO-9660 image files.
An ISO-9660 image file is an exact representation of a CD or DVD, including the content and the logical format.
The most common use of an image file is to write it to a blank CD-R or DVD-R, resulting in an identical copy of the original disc including file name and volume label information. ISO image files may also be opened and their contents copied to a local folder, much like ZIP files.
ISO files may also be virtually mounted and accessed as a device.
These three methods of using ISO images are described below.
Note: you may have to rename the file extension from .IMG or .UDF to .ISO, depending on your software.
Writing ISO files to CD-R or DVD-R
* Most CD-R/DVD-R writing software includes a feature to create a disc from an image file. Note: you must use the special "copy image to CD" or "burn image" functionality. See your software’s Help for detailed information.
* The Windows Server 2003 Resource Kit includes the DVDBURN.EXE command line tool.
Testing CD-Rs and DVD-Rs
After a CD/DVD-R has been written, you can use the CRC tool to verify that the file was successfully written.
1. The CRC305.exe tool can be downloaded from MSDN Subscriber Downloads in the Tools, SDKs, DDKs folder.
2. From a command prompt, run CRC305 filename (where filename is the image file name.)
3. Run CRC305 x: (where x is the drive letter of the drive containing the CD/DVD-R). The CRC values should match.
Alternatively, there are many freeware programs available for calculating an SHA-1 hash value. Use your favorite Internet search engine to look for sha1 hash to find them.
Copying the contents of ISO files
The contents of image files may be accessed directly using third-party tools.
Using this method you can extract the files from an image file to a temporary folder on your hard drive, then run setup.
The following tools offer such image file support:
* IsoBuster
* CDmage
* Daemon Tools
Mounting ISO files virtually
The following tool for Windows XP allows image files to be mounted virtually as CD-ROM/DVD-ROM devices.
This tool is provided here for your convenience and is unsupported by Microsoft Product Support Services.
* Virtual CD-ROM Control Panel for Windows XP
This is an unsupported application from Microsoft that allows you to mount and view .iso image files in Windows XP Windows Explorer as if it were another drive.
Here is the self extracting zip file. Extract the files then follow the instructions below.
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Readme for Virtual CD-ROM Control Panel v2.0.1.1
THIS TOOL IS UNSUPPORT BY MICROSOFT PRODUCT SUPPORT SERVICES
System Requirements
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- Windows XP Home or Windows XP Professional
Installation instructions
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1. Copy VCdRom.sys to your %systemroot%\system32\drivers folder.
2. Execute VCdControlTool.exe
3. Click "Driver control"
4. If the "Install Driver" button is available, click it. Navigate to the
%systemroot%\system32\drivers folder, select VCdRom.sys, and click Open.
5. Click "Start"
6. Click OK
7. Click "Add Drive" to add a drive to the drive list. Ensure that the drive added is not a local
drive. If it is, continue to click "Add Drive" until an unused drive letter is available.
8. Select an unused drive letter from the drive list and click "Mount".
9. Navigate to the image file, select it, and click "OK". UNC naming conventions should not be used,
however mapped network drives should be OK.
You may now use the drive letter as if it were a local CD-ROM device. When you are finished you may
unmount, stop, and remove the driver from memory using the driver control.
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