Mount disc images with ImgDrive
ImgDrive is a free program for devices running Microsoft's Windows operating system that allows you to mount up to seven disc images on the PC.
Mounting disc images can be quite useful. First, it may be the only option you have if your computer does not have an optical drive.
Second, doing so speeds up operations such as reads, and it will also protect the actual discs from use.
And last but not least, you may mount multiple disc images at the same time, something that you -- usually -- cannot do as most PCs are equipped with one optical drive.
ImgDrive
ImgDrive works for the most part like any of the other programs that you may use for the purpose. You can check out our overview of virtual disk mounting programs for Windows here.
The program sits idly in the system tray area on launch after installation. You may interact with it there, or directly from Windows Explorer.
A click on the icon displays the menu that you see on the screenshot above. It lists the available virtual drives at the top and options below that.
If you move the selection over a mounted drive, options are displayed to mount another image or to unmount the current one, to browse the data on the disc, or to run the eject tray command. Also, a list of previous disc images is listed there for quick access.
Options include changing the number of available drives -- the default is one virtual drive -- and to unmount all drives that are mounted currently.
You may want to check the settings at least once. The program is set to run on start of the Windows operating system and to check for updates frequently. Both options can be disabled on the general page of the settings window.
The integration tab lists whether Windows Explorer shell integration is enabled, and if it is, the file types that are supported by it.
The application can mount iso, ccd, cue, isz, mds and nrg images. This is not as extensive as some of the other available programs out there. DVDFab Virtual Drive for instance supports several other formats, img, bin or dvd to name some, which ImgDrive does not support right now.
This does not necessarily have to be an issue depending on your requirements. If you work solely with iso images, then it does not really matter which formats the application supports besides that format.
The shell integration in Windows Explorer allows you to right-click on supported disc files to get an option to mount them to one of the available virtual drives. This may be faster depending on how you use the computer.
Closing Words
ImgDrive is an unobtrusive program to mount virtual discs on machines running Windows. It is compatible with all versions of Windows from Windows 2000 onward.
I’m a virtual clone drive guy myself, very similar to this.
Although not portable, I use OSFMount
Oh wow, I remember this program back when I was looking for a iso mounting software in the XP days. One of the biggest advantages of this is the fact that it can mount ISZ, which is basically compressed iso drives (that could be password protected). Though I think I eventually went with Slysofts offerings because I never used ISZ (too afraid it would become obsolete) and it was just easier to just double click on the ISO to mount. Nowadays windows has that implemented, though just for iso
Wincdemu portable…. Best one.
+1
This is what I use as well. Not sure it’s THE best, but it is portable and does everything most people should need.