We have covered virtual CD / DVD drive applications before here at Ghacks. Among them popular applications such as Virtual CloneDrive which was able to create up to eight virtual CD drives that made it possible to mount image formats such as iso, img or dvd on a computer system.
ISODisk is another software that can create virtual CD drives. It is limited to the ISO format but can mount up to 20 images on virtual CD drives which might be interesting for users who need more than the usual 4-8 virtual drives that the other applications provide.
The interface if ISODisk is one of the cleanest in the field. All of the software’s functions can be configured in two tabs. The first tab displays the 20 possible virtual drives including their drive letters. The same window provides access to a file browser that can be used to locate an ISO image on the computer’s hard drive or local area network and mount it to one of the available drive letters.
The fact that the drive letters are displayed makes it very easy to select specific drive letters for the ISO images and provides a great overview of the currently mounted images.
The second tab contains an application to create an ISO image from a CD or DVD. A test with the original Fallout 3 DVD and the Fallout 3 Bonus CD lead to an error message. Could be a very nice and handy feature if it would be working. If you try it let me know if it works on your computer or if it throws an error message.
The biggest advantage if ISODisk is that it can mount up to 20 images in an easy to manage program interface. Support for additional image formats and a better explanation of the ISO creation are much needed features though.
Related posts:
- Mount Iso Images
- Gizmo Drive Mounting With New Features
- Virtual DVD Drive CloneDrive
- Virtual CD Drive Software
- TotalMounter Virtual DVD Drive Software
- Create Virtual Images Of Physical Drives With Disk2vhd
- Virtual Floppy Drives
- Rip Mount Burn Blu-Ray DVDs
I use the MagicDisc program, which is in itself freeware but requires the MagicIso shareware, and I must say that installing for instance Microsoft Encarta with the “on-dvd” option, and having that dvd mounted as a virtual drive, allows not only very fast access but also prevents the hard disk from being cluttered with hundreds of files, not to mention removal which is as well highly simplified.
Small and simple and just plain works:
http://download.microsoft.com/download/7/b/6/7b6abd84-7841-4978-96f5-bd58df02efa2/winxpvirtualcdcontrolpanel_21.exe
That’s Microsoft’s program for this purpose. A .exe, a .sys, and a .txt with instructions. Portable. Just Plain Works.
Mirror, anyone?
ISODisk.com seems to have fallen victim to the GHacks Effect (like a baby Slashdot effect, I suppose)