The smallest of computers no longer come installed with CD or DVD drives. New technology has taken a swing away from this older way of storing data. This is great when it comes to making computers lightweight and small, but CD and DVD’s have not yet become obsolete. The only remaining option is to either get an external CD/DVD drive enclosure, or get a hold of the ISO image of the CD you need. But what programs are there to mount an ISO?
The answer: MacicDisc ISO (full name: MagicISO Virtual CD/DVD-ROM). http://www.magiciso.com/tutorials/miso-magicdisc-overview.htm?=mdisc_hlp106
MagicDisc from MagicISOsounds a little hokey, but it is definitely one of the best ISO
Screenshot of Magic Disc. (Thanks to Imageshack.us for image hosting)
mounting programs available that works with Windows 7. In fact, it supports Windows 98 all the way to Windows 7 and has 64 and 32 bit versions. It is fast, easy to use, lightweight and great. MagicDisc runs in the system tray and is ready when you need it, and stays out of the way.
To download, just visit their website. Please note, if you go to the homepage you may have difficulty finding out where the free MagicDisc mounting software is, they don’t advertise it well. The program for mounting discs is free, but the program for creating ISOs and doing other things is not. MagicDisc is free, with no nags or reminders asking to pay.
What about PowerToys ISO mounting? When Microsoft was still fully supporting the original PowerToys tools, it was great to use their ISO mounting program. Unfortunately, it was only compatible with XP and lack of support from Microsoft has nearly driven it off the Internet. MagicDisc works better and is less buggy than the powertoys tool, and easier to use.
Features:
- 1.28MB download size (32 bit), uses about 8.8MB RAM while running
- Capable of making images out of CD’s
- You can specify as many as 15 virtual drives, or as little as 1
- Able to compress ISO files, and decompress UIF images
Supported formats (from their website):
- 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 (Virtuo CD Manager)
- C2D (WinOnCD)
- BWI/BWT (BlinkWrite)
- CDI (DiscJuggler)
- TAO/DAO (Duplicator)
- PDI (Instant Copy)
