The Download Munkey : Finder of Things …

I have been using the below-mentioned tools to handle the ISO files (CD images) made for the installation CDs for clients at work recently so hopefully they’ll prove to be useful to you as they were for me.

There are several advantages in duplicating CDs via an ISO image over repeatedly burning a collection of files and folders - burning is much faster and significantly less error prone since it eliminates the risk of human error in selecting the files to burn. Using ISOs to duplicate discs also makes it more convenient than copying from CD to CD (especially when you only have a single CD-RW drive).

As CDs burned via ISO images aren’t overwritable, ISO images are perfect for burning CDs to distribute the final versions of software to clients. Unfortunately, this also means that any space not occupied by the ISO image on a CD-R is lost permanently.

To create an ISO image, TrustFM has created a handly Folder2Iso application which will convert a specified folder into a single ISO image. Dump all the files you want to burn in that folder, select that folder in Folder2Iso and click Generate ISOM, it’s that easy!

To verify that your ISO image is created correctly, there’re 2 ways that I commonly use - burn to an actual CD or use virtual drive emulators like DaemonTools to load the ISO and test like a real CD so you can ensure that all necessary files are in the disk and that AutoRun functionality works (if the autorun.inf file is present). Besides, you can save CDs (and the Earth!) if users of your software can run ISOs directly instead of you having to burn CDs for them.

NOTE: Most copy protections on new legally-purchased boxed games will ensure that these games will refuse to start on any system with DaemonTools installed.

Now if you simply want to extract files from an ISO, use WinRAR or the freeware CDmage (above) instead.

Download Folder2Iso, DaemonTools or CDmage.

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