How to Mount and Open ISO, BIN, IMG, MDS and Other CD or DVD Image File in Windows Vista

Other than burn an ISO image to CD or DVD in Vista, users may also want to mount the ISO, CUE/BIN, IMG, VCD (FarStone Virtual Drive), NRG (Nero Burning ROM), CCD (CloneCD), CIF (Easy CD Creator), DVD, UDF, MDS (Media Descriptor File), CDI (DiscJuggler), BWT (BlindWrite), PID (Instant CD/DVD Copy), B5T (BlindWrite 5) and other CD or DVD image file and open the data content in Vista itself without actually need to write the image to physical CD or DVD disc. There are plenty of free and paid CD and DVD emulation software applications that create virtual CD and DVD drives to mount and play CDs and DVDs via software simulation.

DAEMON Tools

Daemon Tools / Daemon Tools Pro is CD and DVD emulation software which allows users to make CD/DVD disc images, create a virtual CD-ROM / DVD-ROM drives and play CDs and DVDs without the need for the physical disc or burning the image to disc. Daemon Tools program is famous as advanced application for multiprotection emulation, which emulate Generic Safedisc to allow running backup copies of SafeDisc (C-Dilla), Securom or Laserlock protected games. DAEMON Tools supports the most variety of popular image files including .cue, .bin, .iso, .ccd, .bwt, .mds, .cdi, .nrg, .pdi, .b5t.

Daemon Tools has free or paid version. Note that the free version (and even paid version) comes with an advertising software (aka spyware). You should try not to install the adware while installing. But most importantly, DAEMON Tools has full support and compatibility with all editions of Windows Vista, together with Win 2000, XP and 2003.

Download DAEMON Tools v4.10 with SPTD (CSI Pass Through Direct Layer) 1.50 for x86 32 bits version (daemon410-x86.exe) from here (build 128 only) or here (latest build of 4.10), and x64 64 bits version (daemon410-x64.exe) from here (build 128 only) or here (latest build of 4.10).

Latest version of Daemon Tools can be downloaded from its homepage. Once downloaded, simply run the installer to setup the virtual optical drive.

Virtual CloneDrive

Virtual Clone Drive is a free, small and lightweight virtual CD-ROM and DVD-ROM emulator that let users mount .iso, .ccd, .dvd, .img, .udf and .bin/.cue image files just like a physical CD/DVD drive.

Download VirtualCloneDrive Version 5.1.4.5 (SetupVirtualCloneDrive5.exe)

Officially Virtual Clone Drive only supports Windows 98, Windows ME, Windows 2000 and Windows XP. However, it’s tested to work on 32-bit Windows Vista. But it’s free, so you’re using x86 Vista, and just want a virtual drive only without any crap to mount your disc image, Virtual CloneDrive is perfect alternative.

Simply download the installer to setup up to 8 virtual drives. You may need to restart the computer. If you choose to associate the supported image file formats and extensions with Virtual CloneDrive, you can then simply double-click on an image file to mount as a drive. The usual way to mount an image still work, i.e. right click on virtual drive to select mount image option. To differentiate the virtual drives from physical drives, Virtual CloneDrive also has Virtual Sheep logo as icon, which can be turned off at settings.

MagicISO MagicDisc

MagicDisc is freeware virtual CD/DVD-ROM from MagicISO which allows users to use almost all CD/DVD image without burning them onto CD or DVD in order to easily access your favorite games, music, or software programs. MagicDisk works like a real CD/DVD-ROM, where users can run programs, play games, or listen to music from your virtual CD-ROM. By using virtual CD/DVD-ROM, users have the added advantage of runnuing game images at over 200x faster than from a conventional CD/DVD-ROM.

MagicDisc supports the following CD/DVD image formats: .bin (CDRWin), .ima/.img (generic disk images), .cif (Easy CD Creator), .nrg (Nero – Burning ROM), .img/.ccd (CloneCD), .mdf/.mds (Fantom CD), .vcd (Farstone Virtual Drive), .VaporCD (Noum Vapor CDROM), .p01/.md1/.xa (Gear), .vc4/.000 (Virtual CD), .vdi (Virtual CD Manager), .c2d (WinOnCD), .bwi/.bwt (BlinkWrite), .cdi (DiscJuggler), .tao/.dao (Duplicator), .pdi (Instant Copy) and many more. Best of all, it supports Windows Vista, both 32 and 64 bits edition.

Download MagicDisc for Windows 9x/Me/2000/XP/2003/Vista (setup_magicdisc.exe)
Download MagicDisc for Windows XP/2003/Vista x64 Edition (setup_magicdisc79.exe)

For update, visit MagicDisc homepage.

Alcohol 52%

Alcohol 52% is the sibling of Alcohol 120%, and is a CD and DVD emulation software that can create up to 31 virtual CD/DVD-ROM drives, allowing the user to play CDs & DVDs without the need for the original disc. Free version of Alcohol 52% can handle up to 6 virtual CD DVD-ROM drives, all at once with the reading speed of 200X. Alcohol 52% supports normal CD DVD and CD RAW sub-channel reading methods: RAW reading method enables to emulate all CDs. CD formats supported: CD-DA, CD+G, CD-ROM, CD-XA, Video CD, Photo CD, Mixed Mode, Multi-session CD, while DVD formats supported: DVD-ROM, DVD-Video, DVD-Audio Support for all current (ATAPI SCSI) drives: CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-RAM, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW. It also includes full support for IEEE-1394 (Firewire) and USB protocols.

Download Alcohol 52% 1.9.6.5429 (Alcohol52_FE_1.9.6.5429.exe). Note that Free Edition includes Protection Database Search Toolbar, a spyware or adware. For latest version visit Alcohol website.

Fantom DVD Virtual C/DVD-ROM

Fantom DVD Virtual C/DVD-ROM simulation driver and C/DVD image file mount software is a program from Taiwan which supports x86 and x64 of Windows Vista, XP and 2003, and 32-bit Windows 2K and Tablet PC 2005. It’s a component of Fantom DVD Professional which has both C/DVD-simulation function and the function to record the C/DVD image file to a blank C/DVD if you have a C/DVD recorder.

Download Fantom DVD Virtual C/DVD-ROM (FantomDVD-20070724.zip). Updated release can be found at Fantom DVD homepage.

Other Possible Alternatives

In fact, other than the above listing of free virtual CD-ROM and DVD-ROM drive emulator which can be used to mount ISO and other image files in Windows Vista, there are a lot more paid software utilities which require payment or license free such as Alcohol 120%. Another possible alternative is to simply open up the ISO or image file to extract the contents directly. This workaround will work on most data CD/DVD except Audio CD, Video CD and DVD movie. In fact, if you have popular CD and DVD image file processing tool such as PowerISO, UltraISO, and even compression and extraction utility such as WinRAR, you can already unpack and extract the contents of ISO image file easily.

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This entry was posted on Monday, October 1st, 2007 at 2:11 pm and is filed under Windows Vista. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.