Good day everyone!
Regular CD / DVD discs, as sad as it may be, are losing their popularity from year to year (before, they were generally sold on every corner 👀). Still, the development of network technologies is doing its job ...
Meanwhile, there is another side of the coin - the so-called virtual disks - a separate file (s) made on the basis of an exact copy of a physical CD / DVD disc. They are also called images .
The most popular image formats are ISO, BIN, MDS / MDF, NRG, CCD. By the way, now a lot of files are transferred over the network in images (for example, even to create a bootable USB flash drive with Windows, you must first download the installation image with the system from the Microsoft website).
You can't just open such an image, you need (you guessed it) a special virtual floppy drive (or drive. Also called CD / DVD emulators).
In general, I decided to build this article in the form of questions and answers on working with images (of which there are always many). Along the way, I will present the programs that best cope with the task at hand. I think this will make it easier to present the basics for an inexperienced reader.
And so, let's get started ...
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Most popular questions about working with virtual disks
❶. How to create a virtual disk / ISO image, etc.
First of all, to get started, I recommend installing one program - Daemon Tools (Lite version, it is free and its capabilities for creating and emulating images are more than enough).
And in general, in my opinion, it is one of the best (and most popular, by the way) programs for working with disk images. I recommend unambiguously for installation and familiarization.
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Daemon Tools (Lite)
Official site: //www.daemon-tools.cc/rus/products/dtLite
This program allows you to mount almost all types of images, and also emulates the simultaneous operation of up to 4 drives. In addition, the program allows you to burn ready-made images to physical disks, convert from one format to another, create protected images and much more (by the way, some of the functions are paid, unfortunately).
The program has a pretty good organized storage of images: you can always find the desired disk from your collection.
What images does Daemon Tools support?
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So, let's say we have several CDs with music, games that are often used, and you are simply tired of inserting them into the drive (and over time the discs deteriorate, scratch, and make noise when inserted into the drive). Therefore, it is logical, having made images of these disks once, you can use them easily and without noise.
1) First you need to insert the CD into a real physical drive.
2) Next, you need to run Daemon Tools, go to the section "New image" and choose "Create image from disk" (see screenshot below).
Create disk image
3) After that, you need to specify the drive with the disc, specify the folder where the image will be saved, and the image format (in my example, I chose ISO). To start copying - press the "Start" button.
The settings are set - we start copying
4) Then the drive will start humming and will begin to change the progress status (1 ... 2 ... 3% ...). At this time, it is better not to load the computer with extraneous tasks.
Copying process
5) When the image is ready, you will see a message stating that the operation was completed successfully, as in the screenshot below.
The image is ready!
In general, that's all. Now you can use this image (only you must first create a virtual drive, more on that below).
👉 Addition!
Images can be created not only from CD / DVD discs, but also from regular files and folders on the HDD. More details here ->
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❷. How to create a virtual CD / DVD-Rom drive / emulator
Let's use the same Daemon Tools ...
First you need to run the program and click "Add drive" (in the left menu of the program).
DAEMON Tools Lite - Add Drive
Next, you need to set the parameters: region, drive letters, etc. - in most cases, you can leave all the default settings.
DAEMON Tools Lite - settings when creating a drive (you can leave nothing changing)
A new drive should appear at the bottom of the window: in my case, under the letter "F: (empty)".
DAEMON Tools Lite - new drive (F :)!
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❸. How to open images: ISO, MDF, NRG, etc. and run the application from them
After the virtual disk drive in Daemon Tools has been created, you can start opening and reading images in it. In general, Daemon Tools opens almost any image: ISO, BIN, MDF, NRG (even archives, format 7z, rar, zip, etc.).
At the bottom of the window - left-click on the virtual drive (which we created in the previous step). See screenshot below.
DAEMON Tools Lite - first left-click on the drive
Next, specify the folder and the image itself (in my case, this is an ISO file). See the screenshot below (the name of the image is erased so as not to create advertising ☺).
Opening (select an image)
If the automatic launch of CD / DVD drives is disabled for you (and nothing appears on the screen), go to "My Computer / This Computer": among the drives there should also be a virtual one with the disc (ie image) that we opened.
You can open the image and start installing the game
Next, open the disk and run the file "autorun.exe" (or "setup.exe" - usually, such files are present on all disks).
If you are asked whether to allow this application to make changes, answer in the affirmative (at least for familiar disks ...).
Starting the game installation
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❹. How to burn an image to a physical CD / DVD drive
Daemon Tools, of course, can write images to physical disks, but this feature is only available in the paid version of the program. Therefore, it is better to use analogs, especially since there are enough free versions in this segment.
Personally, I recommend sticking with CDBurnerXP - a "small", but quite multifunctional program for burning CD / DVD discs.
Why not Nero? Because the Nero package is paid, weighs several gigabytes, is very "slow" and unwieldy. Hardly many will use even a tenth of its functions (not to mention the fact that most just need to burn a disc and that's it ...).
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CDBurnerXP
Official site: //cdburnerxp.se/ru/home
CDBurnerXP is a free software for burning CDs and DVDs, including Blu-Ray and HD-DVD. Also, the program works great with ISO-images, allowing you not only to create them, but to burn them to physical discs. The program supports dozens of languages (including Russian). Works in Windows XP / 7/8/9/10.
Key features:
- record data (files, documents, pictures, etc.) on any type of disc;
- recording audio discs;
- creating and burning ISO images;
- creation of boot (installation) disks;
- converter BIN / NRG images → to ISO;
- the ability to print covers.
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After starting the program, press the button "Burn ISO Image to Disc" (see screenshot below).
CDBurnerXP - Burn ISO Image
Then specify the ISO image for recording, physical drive, write speed (highlighted in yellow in the screenshot below - by the way, do not set the highest speed, errors are possible) and press "Burn disc" ... In general, this is all - in 10-15 minutes. your disc will be burned!
Burn settings // CDBurnerXP
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❺. What other programs can be used to work and read images
Alcohol 120%
Official website: //trial.alcohol-soft.com/en/downloadtrial.php
Alcohol 120% - main program window
Alcohol 120% is an excellent and very powerful imaging program. It does everything: creates images, mounts them into virtual drives, writes, creates a library on your PC (for quickly searching and reading them).
Although the program is paid, there is a free trial period of 15 days (and there is also a free version, with reduced features). In general, I recommend it!
Key features:
- creation of up to 31 virtual drives;
- creating disc images (support for formats: MDF / MDS, CCD, BIN / CUE, ISO, CDI, etc.);
- burning from disc images: CD, DVD and Blu-ray;
- erasing discs: CD-RW, DVD-RW and BD-RE;
- search and creation of a library from image files on the hard disk of the PC;
- the presence of an audio converter for working with audio discs.
Ultra ISO
Official website: //www.ezbsystems.com/ultraiso/
Ultra ISO is the main window of the program. Launching the Image Capture Wizard
A very powerful program for working with ISO images. Allows you to create them from real disks, burn, emulate in a virtual drive, and, most importantly, edit on the fly.
Those.you can open the ISO image, delete the unnecessary file from it (or add) and save the image. Actually, this is done very quickly!
In addition, the program will help you create a boot (installation) disk, USB flash drive. You can also try to compress the current ISO images, etc. In general, everyone who works with ISO - I recommend that you definitely have it on your PC ...
Burn4Free
Official website: //www.burn4free.com/
Burn4Free - main program window
A very reliable and simple program for working with CD / DVD-disks. Allows you to perform almost the entire range of tasks that may be required by the average PC user. With all this, it takes up very little hard disk space (several megabytes!).
Main advantages:
- burning CD / DVD discs in a few mouse clicks;
- the program is very light and simple, the design is made in the style of minimalism;
- you can copy audio discs of various formats (WAV, FLAC, WavPack, WMA, etc.);
- SCSI support - IDE / EIDE - SATA - USB;
- Russian language support;
- creating and burning ISO images;
- the ability to record MP3 discs;
- support for all Windows versions: 10, 8, 7, Vista, 2008, 2003, XP, 2000, 98;
- support for most drive models (over 4000!).
In general, I will add on my own that this program worked even in those cases when its counterparts refused to either start or see the drive. I recommend having in your arsenal for anyone who often works with ISO or optical discs.
Virtual clone drive
Official website: //www.elby.ch/products/vcd.html
Virtual Clone Drive - drive settings window
This program is free and designed to create a virtual floppy drive. The program is very simple and reliable. Supports up to 15 virtual drives, fully integrates into Windows Explorer, for easier and faster operation.
In general, in comparison with many similar programs of this spectrum, it stands out noticeably. I recommend to review.
Key features:
- support for all popular image formats: ISO, BIN, IMG, UDF, DVD, CCD;
- emulation of up to 15 virtual drives (CD, DVD, and Blu-ray);
- there is a history of using images (for faster search and reading of the desired file);
- convenient embedding into the explorer (now any image can be opened with a couple of mouse clicks!).
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The instruction is complete ...
Happy work!
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First published: 10.12.2017
Correction: 02/10/2020
