Free Windows ISO Toys

About two years ago I wrote a little article mentioning a pair of free Microsoft tools that are useful when working with ISO images.  Since that time, I’ve repeatedly searched that article out as I have built or reloaded my machines. 

Since I find these so useful, and a few more people visit now than 2 years ago, I thought I’d have my first “re-run” and present them again.  Enjoy!

1. Isorecorder
   

   ISO Recorder is a tool (power toy) for Windows XP, 2003 and now Windows Vista, that allows (depending on the Windows version) to burn CD and DVD images, copy disks, make images of the existing data CDs and DVDs and create ISO images from a content of a disk folder.

   Yep, a “burn ISO to CD” Power Toy. How cool is that?
   No need to buy and install software to burn an ISO to a disk, just right-click and go.

2. Win XP Virtual CD ROM Control Panel: (that’s a direct download from Microsoft, there really is no web page). Just as you might surmise, it’ll mount an ISO and treat it as a CD. A bit primitive, but the price is right. Here is the install info:
   

   Installation instructions
   =========================
   1. Copy VCdRom.sys to your %systemroot%\system32\drivers folder.
   2. Execute VCdControlTool.exe
   3. Click “Driver control”
   4. If the “Install Driver” button is available, click it. Navigate to the %systemroot%\system32\drivers folder, select VCdRom.sys, and click Open.
   5. Click “Start”
   6. Click OK
   7. Click “Add Drive” to add a drive to the drive list. Ensure that the drive added is not a local drive. If it is, continue to click “Add Drive” until an unused drive letter is available.
   8. Select an unused drive letter from the drive list and click “Mount”.
   9. Navigate to the image file, select it, and click “OK”. UNC naming conventions should not be used, however mapped network drives should be OK.

   You may now use the drive letter as if it were a local CD-ROM device. When you are finished you may unmount, stop, and remove the driver from memory using the driver control.

It may seem a bit complex, but you can have this installed and an ISO mounted to a drive letter in about a minute.

This is awesome when working with our MSDN subscription — I just download the ISO files, rarely do I actually burn them to a physical CD/DVD.

Are there other great (and free) utilities for working with ISO images in Windows?  Share!

Possibly Related posts:

1. ISO toys
2. Windows 7 Beta
3. StExBar – Cool Windows Utility
4. Windows XP SP3
5. Three Options for Virtual Desktops on Windows