ISO files are images of complete CDs. For example, Linux setups are distributed in this form via the Internet. Here, it would be more practical to start the set up for Linux directly from the ISO file instead of having to burn a CD first.
If you want to use ISO files from your hard disk as complete CDs by mounting them as drives, there is a tool from Microsoft that allows you to do that easily. It is even more convenient with the application ‘Daemon Tools’ but it is suspected to contain adware. You can download the Microsoft tool from: ‘download.microsoft. com/download/7/b/6/7b6abd84-7841-4978-96f5-bd58df02efa2/winxpvirtualcdcontrolpanel_21.exe’ Start the program and unzip the file. Within the unzipped folder you’ll find a file named ‘VCdControlTool.exe’ and another named ‘VCdRom.sys’. You’ll need both to run the tool.
INSTALLING THE TOOL: Copy the ‘VCdRom. sys’ driver to the directory ‘C:\Windows\system32\drivers’. Then run ‘VCdControlTool.exe’. Click on ‘Driver Control’ and then on ‘Install Driver’. In the next dialog, browse to the directory ‘C:\Windows\system32\drivers’ and find the ‘VCdRom.sys’ file in it. Now click on ‘Open’ and in the next dialog, on the ‘Start’ and ‘OK’ tabs. SETTING UP THE DRIVE: Click on ‘Add Drive’ and check that the requested drive letter is not already used by a local drive. If that is the case, click repeatedly on ‘Add Drive’ till a free drive letter is available. Now mark the relevant entry in the list and click on ‘Mount’. Then, browse to the desired ISO image and click on ‘Open’. You usually do not need to change the options of the next dialog and you can simply confirm with ‘OK’. You can now work with the mounted image just like a normal CD-ROM drive. When you are done, remove the link to the ISO file. For this, click on the ‘Eject’ tab. Then open ‘Driver Control’ once again and click on ‘Stop’ there. You have thus unblocked the drive letter again.
If you want to use ISO files from your hard disk as complete CDs by mounting them as drives, there is a tool from Microsoft that allows you to do that easily. It is even more convenient with the application ‘Daemon Tools’ but it is suspected to contain adware. You can download the Microsoft tool from: ‘download.microsoft. com/download/7/b/6/7b6abd84-7841-4978-96f5-bd58df02efa2/winxpvirtualcdcontrolpanel_21.exe’ Start the program and unzip the file. Within the unzipped folder you’ll find a file named ‘VCdControlTool.exe’ and another named ‘VCdRom.sys’. You’ll need both to run the tool.
INSTALLING THE TOOL: Copy the ‘VCdRom. sys’ driver to the directory ‘C:\Windows\system32\drivers’. Then run ‘VCdControlTool.exe’. Click on ‘Driver Control’ and then on ‘Install Driver’. In the next dialog, browse to the directory ‘C:\Windows\system32\drivers’ and find the ‘VCdRom.sys’ file in it. Now click on ‘Open’ and in the next dialog, on the ‘Start’ and ‘OK’ tabs. SETTING UP THE DRIVE: Click on ‘Add Drive’ and check that the requested drive letter is not already used by a local drive. If that is the case, click repeatedly on ‘Add Drive’ till a free drive letter is available. Now mark the relevant entry in the list and click on ‘Mount’. Then, browse to the desired ISO image and click on ‘Open’. You usually do not need to change the options of the next dialog and you can simply confirm with ‘OK’. You can now work with the mounted image just like a normal CD-ROM drive. When you are done, remove the link to the ISO file. For this, click on the ‘Eject’ tab. Then open ‘Driver Control’ once again and click on ‘Stop’ there. You have thus unblocked the drive letter again.
