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How to use an ISO file
Do you have a netbook that does not have a CD ROM drive? Are you frustrated with trying to install ISO or image files?
I have 3 computers without CD drives and I spent today learning how to create a virtual CD ROM drive so I could install Office 2007 from an ISO file.
I ended up using CD Burner XP to burn an ISO image of Office 2007 to my flashdrive. That's the first thing you need to do, is create an ISO image on a flashdrive or on the hard drive of the computer without a CD Rom drive.
(This info is courtesy of Microsoft.com)
How do I download and use .ISO files?
Downloading .ISO files
There are 3 methods to download products as .ISO files:
1. Use CD-R software to download an image file and write it to a blank CD-R or DVD-R. (This won't work for us, because if your computer is without a CD ROM drive, you can't insert the CD!)
2. Open and copy .ISO image files to a local folder, much like ZIP files. (Note: This method would work.)
3. Virtually mount and access .ISO files as a device. (Note: this is the method I chose to use.)
Writing .ISO files to CD-R or DVD-R
Most CD-R/DVD-R writing software includes a feature to create a disc from an image file.
Note: you must use the special "copy image to CD" or "burn image" functionality. See your software's Help for detailed information.
When you have burned the ISO to a CD, it may run on auto-play, you may have to navigate to the CD from My Computer and click on Setup. (Again, only if you have a CD burner in the computer you're trying to install to.)
Copying the contents of .ISO files to your hard drive
Contents of .ISO files may be accessed directly using third-party tools. This will allow you to extract files from an .ISO file to a temporary folder on your hard drive, and then run Setup.
The following tools offer such .ISO file support:
• IsoBuster
• CDmage
• Daemon Tools
While other products can manipulate .ISO files and may work, they have not been tested. The products listed above have been known to work.
Mounting .ISO files virtually
The tool below is for Windows XP and allows .ISO files to be mounted virtually as CD-ROM/DVD-ROM devices. The link to this tool is provided for your convenience and is unsupported by Microsoft Product Support Services.
This is what I did then - created an ISO image on my flashdrive, installed a virtual CD drive to the computer without one, then mounted that drive, navigated to the ISO on my flashdrive and clicked Setup to install Office 2007. Cool, huh? Well, I guess you have to be there!
Virtual CD-ROM Control Panel for Windows XP
Here’s the Readme from the VCDRom tool:
Readme for Virtual CD-ROM Control Panel v2.0.1.1
THIS TOOL IS UNSUPPORT BY MICROSOFT PRODUCT SUPPORT SERVICES
System Requirements
===================
- Windows XP Home or Windows XP Professional
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.