Tech help request: creating a virtual cd/dvd to make an ISO


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I want to mount a virtual cd or dvd drive and then copy stuff to it, so I can create an ISO without physically burning a disk. Surely this is a trivial thing, but 30 minutes on Google hasn't taught me how to do it. I guess I'm not searching for the right things. Anyone care to walk me through this? I would really appreciate it.

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Don't know if it's the best program for the job but IsoCreator | Download IsoCreator software for free at SourceForge.net claims it can create an ISO from a folder. You can make it with that and then when you need to read it mount it with your preferred program.

If you aren't intending to burn a disk why are you creating an ISO? I suppose what I'm getting at is depending on what your purposes are even if you can do something it may not be the ideal way.

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Guest FixingTheWrongs

ISO Creator is a great program but it will not let you edit files inside the ISO afterwards, so bear in mind if you want to change even one file afterwards you will need to completely recreate the ISO. Programs like MagicISO will allow you the edit an ISO but they cost.

If you are just using the ISO for storage and not buring you could do this instead. If you have access to Windows 7 Professional(or Higher) you can create and mount virtual hard disk files without the need for an additional programs.

Right click Computer on the start menu and Manage. Open the Disk Management snap-in and click the Action menu to create and mount VHD files.

Edited by FixingTheWrongs
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For windows, there are two routes to take.

1) Copy the contents of a CD onto a hard drive, create a shortcut the applications file and run.

2) If the CD will only run on the CD (or DVD) use something line MagicISO, Virtual Clone Drive or VirtualCD. *IMPORTANT* I've not used any of these but it is what has come up with a Google search. Might be malware, might not. Enjoy.

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Wait. Let me understand this... You want to make an ISO, and use a separate operating system, but without burning a new disk? I would try VM virtual Box, or any other Virtual Desktop environment. Download the desired ISO (Usually a Linux distro) and then follow the steps, and install the ISO files when it tells you to. You should be good to go.

If you're looking to dual boot your machine (have 2 OSs on the hard disk) that's not possible without first burning a CD. If you get UnetBootin, you can burn the ISO image onto a Thumb drive/USB key as well as a CD.

Also to note that most ISO creator apps are for burning a CD.

I hope that helps!

Alexis.

Edited by alexis
Wanted to add about the ISO apps. :)
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If you aren't intending to burn a disk why are you creating an ISO? I suppose what I'm getting at is depending on what your purposes are even if you can do something it may not be the ideal way.

I have a virtual machine with no USB access or "unity" mode (Win 98 -- don't ask), and I want to transfer files to it. The easiest way seemed to me to be to create a virtual CD as an ISO and attach it to the VM's drive.

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Don't know if it's the best program for the job but IsoCreator | Download IsoCreator software for free at SourceForge.net claims it can create an ISO from a folder. You can make it with that and then when you need to read it mount it with your preferred program.

Worked perfectly. Thanks, Dravin!

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I want to mount a virtual cd or dvd drive and then copy stuff to it, so I can create an ISO without physically burning a disk. Surely this is a trivial thing, but 30 minutes on Google hasn't taught me how to do it. I guess I'm not searching for the right things. Anyone care to walk me through this? I would really appreciate it.

Its not as a trivial thing as it used to be as that used to be a way to get around copy protection... So Operating systems today tend to be able to recognise that youre mounting something rather than having an actual disk (ie its harder to fool the computer now), so that software can differ between the two as well now. (but on the other hand the trend of physically requiring the cd to be in the computer to use the software is almost nonexistant now as well)

However if yore not trying to get around copy protection, macside its really simple- just open the disk utility and go to the file menu (i think) and choose create new image, then select the drive or folder you want and save it as an image.

Another program i really like thats pretty good about doing things like this is toaster (altho im not sure it can do exactly what you want), which is is pretty versatile and has both PC and mac versions as well as options for going from one format to the other

Edited by Blackmarch
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I usually use ImgBurn to create a disk image. It's really really simple: just start up the program and press the "Create Disk Image from Files/Folders" button. The menu is kinda like a CD burner (which ImgBurn also is), but that's because it just "virtually" burns a "disk" into a file.

ImgBurn can also burn an ISO, or even make an ISO from a CD/DVD. It does data CDs too.

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