Use and Mount Images (ISO files)

Source
Microsoft has an unsupported virtual CD-ROM program.
Why buy alcohol or Daemon Tools?
Alcohol and Daemon Tools are excellent software packages that allow users to mount ISO files as virtual CD-ROMs. Yes, there is a way to use that ISO without burning it to a disk.
Although I love these tools, Microsoft has a free, 60kb program that does the same thing! Of course, it is not supported… and it’s not as friendly as the software listed above; however, it works and it’s free.
Here’s the download link:
winxpvirtualcdcontrolpanel
Here’s the readme:
Readme for Virtual CD-ROM Control Panel v2.0.1.1
THIS TOOL IS UNSUPPORTED BY MICROSOFT PRODUCT SUPPORT SERVICES
System Requirements
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- Windows XP Home or Windows XP Professional
Installation instructions
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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.
READ the coments!
Now you need to copy the file named VCdRomto the C://WINDOWS/System32/driversfolder, then run the VCdControlTool(by run i mean double click), then click Driver Control. then Install. Now navigate toC://WINDOWS/System32/drivers
again and select VCdRom.sys and clickOK. Now click Start. Next clickOK; and finall click Add Drive. This should create a virtual drive in the window above the buttons. ClickMountand navigate to where your ISO's are stored to mount the image to the virtual drive.

The mounting process is fully described here:
http://www.samspublishing.com/articles/article.asp?p=406936&seqNum=2&rl=1
"Lug Around Less by Creating and Mounting ISO Images of Your DVDs/CDs"
Note:The process of making an ISO, downloading an ISO, or working with other image types (.bin, .whatever) is left as an excercise for the undergraduate student.

Some game applications ask for me to put the original CD in the drive. What can I do to avoid this? These games normally install on this OS
Here is the order in which I started...
- Build ISO file (btw is it okay-stable to have them in root c:\?
- mount drive and point to ISO
- install program from virtual drive
- test which icon will start the program
1. I have only successfully mounted 4/10 games. For the 1st two, I had installed them from the original CD in the drive and then made and mounted ISOs; then i thought of the bright idea to install them FROM the ISO in the first place and that worked also... BUT ONLY for 4/10...FYI
2. Can I rename the drive to reflect what the program is instead of "CD Drive"? How do I do this?
3. I realize this is a freebie s/w and I have successfully mounted 4/10 cds, but is there one out there for purchase that WILL do the things I have questions about?
Answer
I believe its a kind of protection used to make sure you actually own the game. The most common way I know to get around it is nocd cracks. A popular site is
http://www.gamecopyworld.com/
Also I think daemon tools and a couple other programs will work.
http://www.daemon-tools.cc/dtcc/download.php?mode=ViewCategory&catid=5
You may wana pick up these tools also, MagicISO or ISOBuster. Very versatile programs.

A really great iso recording tool for xp and Vista as well integrates into teh shell Iso Recorder
http://isorecorder.alexfeinman.com/isorecorder.htm