SlySoft's Virtual CloneDrive is a free tool that creates up to 15 virtual CD and DVD drives in Windows. You can copy your CDs and DVDs to your hard drive as ISO disc images and run them normally.
Download and run the installer file. Click the 'install' button. Simply double-click on any disc image to get it mounted! WinCDEmu is licensed under LGPL. Of all the software on this list, WinArchiver Virtual Drive is the smallest and lightest Windows ISO mounting software. As the name implies, other than the regular image files, WinArchiver can mount archive files like RAR, ZIP, 7Z, etc. Just like with WinCDEmu, you can automount ISO files when needed.
6. WinArchiver Virtual Drive
Power Software makes WinArchiver Virtual Drive and gBurner Virtual Drive. They are both free and very similar but we’ll look at the WinArchiver version here because it has a few extra features. Power Software also makes WinArchiver, PowerISO, gBurner, and the freeware disc burning software Anyburn.
The program is able to create up to 23 virtual drives from around 25 different image formats. Each drive can have a specific letter assigned to it. A useful feature is the ability to mount just about any type of file archive as a virtual drive. Zip, 7z, RAR, WIM, CAB and many other archives can be mounted without extracting the contents of the archive first. WinArchiver Virtual Drive is from 2012 but worked without issue in Windows 10
As we’ve mentioned, gBurner Virtual Drive is slightly different and not quite as powerful. It lacks the archive mounting feature, can create 16 virtual drives instead of 23 and doesn’t have a custom Temp folder option. However, it is much newer being released in 2018, so might have better compatibility in the future.
Download WinArchiver Virtual Drive
7. ImDisk Toolkit
The Toolkit version of ImDisk takes the standard ImDisk Virtual Disk Driver and adds a more friendly user interface along with a few other tweaks and improvements. This makes it much easier to use. ImDisk can also mount and create Ramdisks but if you don’t want to use it the option can be turned off during install.
An image file can be mounted to any available drive letter. Right click on a file and select “Mount as ImDisk…” or launch the Mount Image File shortcut. Apart from drive letter selection or the ability to mount the image file on startup, the other options in the mount new window don’t need to be touched unless you know what they do. The standard ImDisk Virtual Disk Driver user interface and Control Panel applet are still there if you want access to the more advanced options.
Download ImDisk Toolkit
8. ImgDrive
Yubsoft’s ImgDrive doesn’t seem to get much mention around the internet but it’s a lightweight and useful virtual drive mounting tool to have around. In addition to an installer version, there’s also a portable version of ImgDrive. It needs to install a driver while running but the driver can be removed again before you exit the program.
ImgDrive can mount up to seven virtual drives at once and it supports six different types of image file. Files can be mounted with a double click, from the context menu, from the tray icon menu or from the GUI. A useful feature is the ability to mount a folder as a virtual drive. There’s also a couple of options to create an ISO from a folder or from a physical disc. ImgDrive supports command line options which is great for batch files or mounting from desktop shortcuts.
Download ImgDrive
9. PassMark OSFMount
OSFMount is a freeware tool which is designed to be used alongside Passmark OSForensics but can be freely used by anyone to mount virtual drives. It started out life as a version of IMDisk which was then branched into a separate tool. Note the latest version of OSFMount is 64-bit only, download a previous version if you need 32-bit.
You can pretty much mount as many virtual drives as you have available drive letters, a total of 11 image file formats are supported. OSFMount has some more advanced features such as mounting the ISO as a virtual RAM drive or creating a new RAM drive, mounting as a removable drive, writing to some image formats (not ISO) and selecting the drive emulation and type. All of those advanced options can be ignored if you don’t need them, just press Mount new, select an ISO file and click Next > Next > Mount.
Download PassMark OSFMount
10. Microsoft Virtual CDRom Control Panel
Virtual CDRom Control Panel dates back to 2001 and was re-released in 2013 with the announcement that the program does still run on XP, Vista and 7. The biggest problem with this tool is it doesn’t work on a 64-bit Windows or properly on Windows 10 32-bit. It’s now a bit of a niche tool for old OS users.
The whole package is under 60KB in size consisting of only a driver file, an executable and a Readme file. The executable is portable (needs to be run as admin) and can be used from anywhere but the driver still needs to be installed correctly. It isn’t as intuitive and easy to use as many other tools and requires some manual work to install the driver, so make sure to read the Readme.txt carefully.
Download Microsoft Virtual CDRom Control Panel
Mounting ISO Files in Windows 10
As we mentioned earlier, Windows 10 has a basic ISO mounting feature already built in. While it has no extra features or advanced options, this makes the ISO mounter very easy to use and it might be all you need.
All you have to do is locate the ISO file and double click on it or right click and select Mount. The ISO will automatically mount itself to the first available drive letter. If you want to mount another ISO file simply do the same again and it will attach to the next free drive letter. In addition to ISO files, Windows will also accept and mount IMG files.
Unmounting an ISO from the virtual drive is quite easy. Open a File Explorer window and go to This PC, find the drive in the list, right click on it and select Eject. There are also options to mount and eject ISOs from the File Explorer ribbon menu, which are in the Disc Image Tools or Drive Tools tabs.
If the right click or Explorer ribbon mount options are not visible, it’s likely a third party tool has at some point taken over the ISO file type. To reset the association back to Windows, download this ISO Mount Reset registry file. Open the Zip, double click the .REG file and import the data into your registry. The options should then become visible again.
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How To Access ISO Files Using an Archiver or Virtual DriveRecent Daemon Tools Issues and Some Free Alternatives4 Portable Tools to Make a Full Image Backup of USB DrivesCreate a Self Running Executable to Auto Burn ISO Files to Disc3 Ways to Run Bootable ISO Image Files Directly in WindowsCan any of these help me if iv locked myself out my admin password & a 2nd account i just wana restart using a laptop i got 2nd hand RESTART DISK i didt no about im learning so im kinda stuck ANY ONE ANY TIPS HELP NEEDED
ReplyYou can either reinstall whatever Windows OS you’re using or use a program to crack your password.
To reinstall Windows you will need the .iso file. You can torrent those off tpb or wherever. Then you need a usb drive and a program to install the OS onto the usb like Rufus. After you do that, plug it in, and boot from usb. Usually just keep pressing f9 right when you start computer. Yours might be different though, there’s instructions on the screen at the bottom for a second or two. You will lose all your data unless you made backups. If you have Windows 10 this is probably your best option.
The other option is to download Ophcrack and their Rainbow Tables and follow the instructions. Install the Ophcrack.iso onto usb using Rufus. If your password is simple you don’t need the huge rainbow table files, just try the smaller ones. Make sure to get the tables that match your OS. This method doesn’t work with Windows 10 yet.
Or see if your restart disc will work, I don’t know. Good Luck. And don’t give up.
Replyyeah.in all os,you double-click,you mount it.but we”re talking about virtually mounting it.
ReplyJust open with winrar (eg) :)
ReplyI’m using WinCDEmu it’s very good and simple to mount a ISO.
ReplyThank you very much, Raymond. Your article helped me out after bashing my head against the wall trying to mount an DISK image using a different program and having it fail time after time. Your #2 listing got the job done. Thank you again!
ReplyHi All,
Thanks RAY for another wonderful article. I think ‘WinCDEmu portable’ is the easiest to work with ( at least for the job ! ). thanks & regards.
Great info, thanks!
ReplyMicrosoft Virtual CDRom Control Panel
the driver is NOT signed for win 7 64 bit – can only use it with 32 bit
figure I’d try and save people the trouble of trying to use it and wasting time trying to figure it out. also have to right click the exe and run as administrator.
ReplyThanks.
ReplyI have owned and used Alcohol 120% for over ten years now. It is NOT free but worth every penny. All updates have been free. It also handles several different file formats. It comes with a program called ACID which you run when a program is requiring an actual CD/DVD be in the drive. It makes it look as if the virtual drive is a real drive. The default file format is Alcohol’s MDF file format but you can reset that to be ISO. Alcohol 120% is also smart enough to know that if you want to make a copy of a double layered DVD that it needs to switch over to using a BIN type image rather than an ISO image. Again, I felt it was worth the money to buy the full blown version and over the six hard drive crashes caused by viruses or hackers or just a bad disk – Alcohol 120% has been there every step of the way.
ReplyLinux !!!! The Best ever tool to mount iso’s
ReplyIn Windows 8 and Windows 10, there is no need for third party software. Double-clicking will mount it automatically.
ReplyDon’t post fake info, idiot. Windows 8 & 10 will ask “How would you like to open this file”. Then they show a list of programs, none of which mount .iso files. Third party is required for every version of Windows. You’ll need to set a virtual drive in the first place, otherwise Windows wouldn’t know where to mount the image!
ReplyJK, double-clicking an .iso mounts it automatically in Windows 10 (don’t know about 8 but for what I read it was already implemented then.
“otherwise Windows wouldn’t know where to […]” you obviously don’t know what “coding” means.
This is amazing for me! I just discover windows 10 can mount ISO files with just a right click!! New era…
ReplyWikipedia comparison table:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_disc_image_software
gBurner did not work for me on Win7 64-bit. As a matter of fact… when I uninstalled it and restarted my Avast AV software didn’t start! These ‘free’ versions always scare the crap out of me. Tried WinCDEmu instead. I only really need this to mount and install software from an iso. Like it thus far… and like the Windows Explorer shell integration.
ReplygBurner Virtual Drive is the best :)
ReplyI can assure it is free DT lite people must just click the blue bit at options … idiots most of you
ReplyJust installed on the 9/Nov/2015 Demon Tools offers 3 license options when installing, one is a free license, one is a personal license and the last is a commercial license.
ReplyDaemon tool is no longer free
ReplyThere is still a free version available of DT Lite, it asks you to select the paid or free version on install.
ReplyMounting/Virtual Drives are not free with DT Lite.
ReplyBefore writing this comment I was able to install DT Lite Free and mount 2 virtual SCSI devices without an issue. It certainly is still possible to mount drives in DT Lite Free.
ReplyIt is no longer free, you are only able to get free trial now.
When I install DT-Lite it offers the free version on install and in the program it says “Free license” with limited support. I’ve seen no mention of a trial version anywhere, where are you getting information it’s a trial only?
bro just try to download it again, its no longer free
How To Mount Iso Windows 7
I have just this moment downloaded it again and installed, it offers the personal license, commercial license or free license (with adware offers) on install. Running DT-Lite it tells me I have a free license with limited support. Are you saying the “free license” is really a trial or it’s telling you that you have a trial version??
I have just downloaded it and i can confirm that you get the option for free license upon installing the software.
yep
confirmed
Just downloaded November 9 2015 still free!! I think you have a serious vision problem!
ReplyOSF MOUNT is free and the best!!!
ReplyNice one pupper just tried it and it’s fantastic. My new fave iso tool.
ReplyFor all intents and purposes OSF Mount is essentially just a clone of IMDisk (I have both so I’m able to state this truthfully).
ReplyWinCDEmu – !!! (Ya – russkiy)
Replywhen im not using windows 8, i use wincdemu. it is only a small ap and can do the exact same thing. just one pop up box for the first time, you can easily remove it though by clicking automatic and ok.
ReplyPowerISO is flawless & easy
ReplyPowerISO costs 30 bucks lol, not worth it if for what most people actually do with the software
Replypoweriso.com/download.php PowerISO is free the hell are you talking about
ReplyPowerISO is a shareware product costing $29.95, the ISO mounting can be used while in trial mode so it’s sort of half and half…
Replyalso comes with free spyware and malware so awesome don’t wait!
Replythanks..
ReplyImDisk is hands down the best solution for mounting ISOs and other images.
Its lighter than any other one on the list, as its not a bloated adware ridden pile of bad codjng. It’s just a filesystem driver.
It has more features than the others, and games don’t use disc protection anymore.
Youcan also make images of any of your disks, flash drives, and cds/dvds/blurays for backups or just to access the data from a file.
Dont use that ofher garbage.
ReplyAbsolutely the best solution.
ReplyThanks Raymond,
i dont know much about IT but its nice that people actually take the trouble to write this so i know which is best to download. finally taking the emu. kind regards.
I’ve been using MagicDisс for CD emulation for almost ten years. It’s the easiest. And I tried ImageBurn also. Try it yourself. You will see how simple and good it is.
ReplyIso Mounting Software Windows 10
I have Windows 7 and NONE of the “Clone Drive” programs work, including Disc Magic.
The only one working so far is ‘Virtual CDrom Control Panel’ on Win XP but not on 7!!
Can anyone Help ???
ReplyNever mind, I finally remembered to RIGHT CLICK ! SORRY
Replyultra iso will work
ReplyPowerISO is best option for windows 7, works great.
ReplyDaemon Tool Lite is very good too
ReplyIt seems to be copping a lot of bad reviews recently, for installing browser redirects and malware. I’ve just ditched Power Iso for doing the same thing, trying to find a replacement now :(
ReplyISODisk it]s so cool and simple.
Thank you for sharing with us.
As an IT company we have been using MagicDisc for almost a decade and we use it weekly. Within the past few months it has failed more often than worked on Windows 7 computers. There seems to be a huge compatibility issue with the MagicDisc driver that it installs. Unfortunately, it is costing us time and money, so we will be using ImageBurn.
Mikey
ReplyMagicDisc is crap with larger DVD images. To test, simply copy a file that is physically near the “end” of the image. Boom “MS-DOS error” – it’s junk. Even worse is that it is the most impossible program to completely uninstall. A Big time waster.
Tested on multiple win7-x64 systems. Maybe it is better on other versions.
Guess what? IMGBurn has the same problem, only you can actually uninstall it.
ReplyImageburn is by far the best.
I have tried most of the others. Imageburn has the smallest footprint of most of these. It performs all the necessary functions that a basic user needs. It mounts ISO to DVD flawlessly. If you have a DVD with content on it, Imageburn automatically detects it and asks you if you want to clean the disc. It will do that and then begin the analysis before the burn.
I tried Alcohol 120%. Everyone says it is the best. Imageburn does everything Alcohol does for the basic user and Imageburn is free.
I felt compelled to submit this because of the headaches and pains I went through with all the other listed crapware before I stumbled upon Imageburn.
Simple and intuitive UI, no bloat, fast download, install and performance, extremely accurate after 30 or so burns (DVDs perform flawlessly… and best of all, it’s FREE!
ReplyIMGBURN doesnt create a virtual drive to mount an .iso file does it?
ReplyYou are correct, I believe Syndey has got confused between mounting ISOs and creating/burning ISOs!
ImgBurn has no facility I know of to mount ISO images as virtual drives…
ReplyThanks for the info. Failed to install Microsoft Virtual CDRom Control Panel on my Win7 x64. Installed the 2nd one and works fine.
ReplyThanks for posting this Raymond. Yes, never heard before about Microsoft Virtual CDRom Control Panel. Will give a try. I’m currently using Virtual clone drive. Its easy and doesn’t require a restart during installation unlike daemon tools.
ReplyI love gizmo
ReplyThanks a lot
ReplyI’ve had a lot of success mounting using WinCDEmu on windows 7. It’s a piece of cake. Just install, find the image, then right-click over it and choose “mount”. You can mount it with any letter too. Piece of cake!
ReplyThat’s really amazing. Thanks very much.
ReplyEveryone has their preference for a basic ISO handler. Mind is PowerISO, which is commercial, but which can be easily found for free on the torrent sites. It’s best-of-breed (yes, even better than MagicISO); and it will now handle MagicISO native files…
…that is, unless they’re compressed. Occasionally, one will encounter an ISO file that was created and then, further, compressed using MagicISO. PowerISO can’t handle that, so that’s where the little free MagicDisc utility (mentioned above) comes in.
MagicDisck can uncompress any file compressed by its parent MagicISO product. Once its uncompressed, then PowerISO (or, really, most any freeware or commercial ISO handler) can take it from there.
So, then, my point is, one should use whatever primary ISO handler that one wants to use. Most of them (including PowerISO) will mount any ISO as a virtual drive. However, because of the MagicISO compression thing, the smartest thing one can do is download and use that free little MagicDisc and let it sit in the system tray. Because it will mound multiple virtual drives, you can just let it be what you use for that purpose. But its REAL value will kick in whenever (if ever) you encounter a MagicISO-compressed ISO that you wish to use with something like PowerISO or ImgBurner or some other much more sophisticated and feature-rich ISO handler.
All of the choices in the primary article are nice and interesting, but with that free little MagicDisc utility running in one’s system tray, one need only add whatever is one’s choice of primary, feature-rich, freeware or commercial ISO handler software, and one will have all one needs… ever.
NOTE: Remember that when I say “all one needs” and “ever,” I’m referring strictly to ISO handling, not DVD or CD ripping or decoding or anything else. There are fine utilities for those things. This article just covers CD/DVD virtual drive mounting and the free utilities that will get it done. My point with this posting is to suggest that there’s only one choice from the above because of the vexing problem of how to handle ISO files (of whatever format) which are further compressed by MagicISO. Only the MagicDisc utility, above, will do that, so since one is likely to encounter MagicISO-compressed files in one’s downloading experience, one might as well just get the one tool from the above list that will not only mount virtual drives, but will also handle the vexing MagicISO-related decompression problem. From there, use whatever ISO handler you like.
Or so it is my advice, for whatever that’s worth.
ReplyI personally use Virtual Clone Drive, it’s really light weight, size and resources wise, plus it has a sheep on it! but for making my ISO’s and such I use IMGburn.
ReplyAlcohol 120 is the best in terms of overall features. Daemon Tools is the best in mounting images and virtual drives. It just lacks writing capability which Alcohol 120 has. My problem is both good programs can’t be installed in my Windows 7 system as of the moment. I think they both installs SPTD layer or something which Windows 7 Beta won’t allow for now. UltraISO works on Windows 7 and I’m using it. You should try it. You can open image files with it without mounting it to virtual drives. You also can edit the image file’s contents and save it. I’m just scouting for other programs of the like for now. Just passing by.. hehe..
Replyi’m using Alchohol 120% and MagicISO. It works great! I use 2 softwares becuase MagicISO can’t mount some files (like MDS) so I use Alchohol 120% (And the other way around)
Thanks Raymond for the info…
Replygizmo drive been excellent thanks raymond cc
ReplyI tried Gizmo drive and it rocks!Thanks for the link
Reply
Thanks raymond for the best is magicdisc..
ReplyVirtual CloneDrive for me!
ReplyGreat programs Raymond ,I use always Power ISO its very good too .
Thanks man :-)
ReplyI always use Daemon Tools for mounting disk images, I think its the best small utility. :)
ReplyPower Achiever 2009 (professional) can also mount an ISO file and it makes the mounted drive physical.
ReplyMicrosoft Virtual CDRom Control Panel is small and works nicely but it can not make a physical drive like Nero Image or StarBurn. I use StarBurn GAOTD and it works perfectly
ReplyImDisk Virtual Disk Driver is the best ;) thanks john_lennon
ReplyIs there any free portable application to mount!
Replyi needed this but in case some doesn’t work you guys should also try daemon tools
ReplyI’ve not been able to run MagicISO in Windows7! For me only POWERISO worked! :(
Replyanother one, very good and with source code is ImDisk Virtual Disk Driver. The community is active. It’s not really a program but a driver. Works on XP/Vista.
Reply