Very often when you download something big from the internet like a program, an operating system or a video game, it has the ISO format which is the most common type of file used to indicate disk images . By image of a disc is meant the exact copy, including all data and metadata, of a CD-ROM or DVD.
The files inside the image are opened by simulating on the computer the presence of a virtual cd player, that is, that it does not really and physically exist.
It is therefore, in essence, a software that allows you to open these ISO and IMG files, as if they were folders, without being forced to copy the files to a disk, CD or DVD, true.
ISO is not the only file format that indicates a disk image and files of the type img, bin, mdf, mds and others less common could also be encountered.
To open an ISO IMG file or similar, the options are:
- With Windows 10 and Windows 8, no additional programs are needed and just click on it with the right mouse button and then press on the Mount option.
This way you will find the contents of the ISO as if it were a CD inserted in the computer's reader, in Windows Explorer.
To unmount it, right click on the virtual CD icon created then on Eject .
- Burn the image on a CD or DVD and then install the program using the normal reader that each computer has (no the tray that comes out of the computer is not a cup holder);
- Open the ISO or IMG file as if it were an archive using WinRar even if, in this case, if there was a program or a video game to be installed inside, simply extracting the files will not be useful.
- Without buying and using disks that are then ruined, you keep the copy of this ISO file on the hard disk and open it, if necessary with a simple free program that acts as a virtual drive and emulator of a cd / dvd player.
This operation is called "mount" a virtual cd or dvd and for any of these programs it is indicated with the english word "mount".
On Windows 8 this program is already integrated and in fact if you right-click on an ISO file, the word "Mount" appears which means
A very popular program for editing ISO images is called Alcohol 120, which is not free but it is also very heavy.
Since here I always prefer lightness and speed compared to the power and the possible presence of options that are used once in a lifetime, we mention the best free programs that are used to mount an ISO file and to create a virtual CD ROM .
All of these work with any version of Windows, XP, Vista and 7 .
1) Microsoft Virtual CD-ROM Control Panel is the official program, the one already integrated in Windows 8, to mount ISO images on Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows Vista and other versions.
2) Daemon Tools Lite is one of the most popular programs for mounting ISO images.
There are various versions, but the free one, a bit hidden on the site, is called Daemon Tools Lite.
This software is often updated and is one of the favorite programs of video game crackers to manage to emulate the protections of the original discs (laserlock, securerom and others).
Using Daemon Tools is very easy because the program installs a virtual driver and when you start it, it explores resources and signals a new cd / dvd player that does not actually exist.
To mount the image just right click on the icon that appears at the bottom next to the clock and then select "Mount".
With Daemon Tools you can mount image files of type IMG, B5T, B6T, BWT, CCD, CDI, CUE, ISO, mds, nrg, pdi, ISZ.
Up to four simultaneous virtual drive units can be installed.
The Imaging utility does the reverse operation, which is to create image files in MDS or ISO format from physical disks.
The data can also be compressed or encrypted with a password.
I don't know if it is the best program, for sure it is one of the oldest and most tested but it is also the heaviest and largest on this list.
During installation, be careful not to put even the boring management bar that is useless.
3) Virtual CloneDrive is a program of just 1.5 MB which supports all the most common image formats such as ISO, BIN, IMG, CCD, UDF, DVD, and so on.
During the installation you are asked to associate all these types of files to CloneDrive so that, when you download one of these images, to mount it on the virtual CD just double click on the file icon.
Virtual CloneDrive can mount up to 15 virtual drives simultaneously.
Note: During the installation the warning appears that Virtual CloneDrive has not passed the test of the drivers compatible with Windows but it is a warning to be ignored that does not give any future problems.
4) MagicDisc is another free software to create a virtual cd and supports a large number of image formats, such as BIN, IMA / IMG, CIF, NRG, IMG / CCD, MDF / MDS, VCD, VaporCD, P01 / MD1 / XA, VC4 / 000, VDI, C2D, BWI / BWT, CDI, TAO / DAO and PDI.
MagicDisc allows the creation of 15 virtual units and images can also be mounted on a networked computer.
Here too, opening the image file is very simple and also supported by the program that automatically detects the CD or DVD images present on the computer.
Optional is the function to auto-mount the images every time you download a new one.
MagicDisc, among other things, can also create ISO images from a physical disk and can compress and password protect them.
5) The only portable program and also the lightest ever in this category is called Virtual CD-ROM Control Panel, developed by Microsoft and free.
The software can be copied to a USB stick and can be used on any PC even if you must have administrator privileges.
The problem is that, to make it work, you have to press the "Install Driver" button and then on "Start".
At the end, after having disassembled all the images with the "Eject" key, you must press on "Stop" and then on "Remove Driver" to make their tracks disappear.
6) Pismo File Mount allows you to mount ZIP files as well as CD images, making them appear as normal folders.
You can then access the contents of an archive or image, without having to burn any CD or extract the zip file to a separate folder.
7) WinCdEmu is considered, for simplicity and effectiveness, the best program that emulates a CD or DVD player and that is used to mount ISO image files.
Very similar to Daemon Tools but much less heavy and capable of never failing any reading.
8) An excellent program for mounting ISO on a virtual CD is also ISO Toolkit, a tool mentioned in another article.
9) OSF Mount is an excellent and simple program to mount ISO or IMG disc images so that you can browse the files and be able to run them as if there was really a disc in your computer's DVD player.
On another page there are the best free programs to create ISO images from CDs, DVDs and folders.
