Mounting ISO images in a virtual CD-ROM drive

Thursday, January 15, 2004

From Tom's Corner

A few days ago I needed to install software from ISO images. There were two possibilies: burning the ISO images to a CD-ROM or using a virtual CD-ROM drive that can mount ISO images. My preference went out to the latter, so I decided to Google for it. And apparently Microsoft has an unsupported "Virtual CD-ROM Control Panel for Windows XP". The reason why it's unsupported became clear after downloading the product. It contains no setup (only instructions) and the interface is quite basic. But the software did its job very well.

This tool is even not searchable through the "Microsoft Download Center", but it is mentioned on the MSDN Subscribers FAQ.

You have surely other tools to do that like the excellent Iso Buster

13 Comments

Or daemon tools ! :)

Isobuster can extract files, I don't recall that they can mount an image. Daemon tools do, with a nice gui as well :)

Frans Bouma - Thursday, January 15, 2004 1:05:00 PM

ISO Buster definitely does not mount images as a drive.

Robert McLaws - Thursday, January 15, 2004 4:24:00 PM

Deamon tools rocks... Works on Win2k, XP and 2003. Has a setup, is an active and supported effort.

It's never let me down...

Greg Duncan - Thursday, January 15, 2004 4:31:00 PM

What type of images can it handle ?

Dave - Thursday, January 15, 2004 5:19:00 PM

All of them apparently like .bin .cue, etc...

Paschal - Thursday, January 15, 2004 5:27:00 PM

well, no software handles all formats, but it is true that DT is quite broad in its repertoaire. However, an even better software does exist. It's called Alcohol 120% and is sold by Alcohol software. It contains many more copyprotection emulation schemes, handles more filetypes, is generally faster, at least according to benchmark tests, and has a very good Image creation wizard.

shinmai - Thursday, January 15, 2004 6:19:00 PM

I want to find a way to lauch Virtual CD-ROM Control Panel on the startup and automatically load and start driver and mount the image. Is there a way to achieve this?

KB - Thursday, March 25, 2004 2:05:00 PM

I installed deaomon tools, it messed up my system, i unistalled everything after that..then i tryed Alcohol..it could not start its driver...then i tryed cdspace v5, and everytime i restarted my pc..it deleted its viurtal drive..., now i hope this one works...

if you know how i can get these programs to work again..like a clear all viural drives and settings... email me at>>

megazero8@msn.com

megazero - Tuesday, June 8, 2004 6:04:00 PM

Does Alcohol 120% crack the SafeDisc 3 protection?

What program does?

TimmY - Saturday, June 12, 2004 11:18:00 AM

This seems to work fine with win2kpro-sp4

It's a no brainer to install.. just follow the instructions closely...

multix - Wednesday, June 30, 2004 11:22:00 AM

Thanks, this is really useful (so much less time creating CD's of downloaded ISO's. Oddly enough, while it doesnt say it can read ISO's, if you give it one to mount it will.

GauntletWizard - Sunday, July 4, 2004 3:45:00 AM

I've just tested Virtual CD-ROM Control Panel. It does not support .cue.

kalt - Saturday, July 10, 2004 9:03:00 AM

Daemon tools is riddled with viruses. Beware.

MB - Wednesday, July 28, 2004 2:18:00 PM

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