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An ISO image is a container format used for optical discs to store multimedia content. It can be stored on a hard drive and used as a backup or to install an operating system. Gamers can also use it to play games from their hard drive. Various software tools can extract the contents of an ISO image, and many burning tools are available as shareware or freeware.
In computing, an image refers to a single file used as a container to hold a digital replica of an existing file system. A disk image is an image of an entire disk drive, used for backup purposes. An ISO image or .iso file is a container format that contains the file system used on optical discs (CDs or DVDs) to store programs, movies, and other multimedia content. ISO is a formatting standard established by the International Standards Organization. The ISO format is not used with audio CDs.
ISO images will be familiar to anyone who has made copies of software CDs or DVDs. DVD burning software is used to extract the contents of a CD or DVD, creating a single .iso file. This file can be burned to a new disc, or it can be archived and used directly from your hard drive.
It can be very convenient to store an Operating System (OS) CD on a computer as an ISO image. If you need to make changes to your operating system, such as installing additional features or repairing your system, you won’t have to search for the original CD. When the operating system asks for the CD, point it to the stored ISO image instead. A hard drive works much faster than a CD/DVD ROM, taking a fraction of the time to find and install required files. This also means that the original CD can be stored safely where it is least likely to be lost or damaged.
Gamers could choose to store ISO images of their favorite games, playing from the hard drive rather than the CD drive. The only downside is the space required, but with hard drives getting cheaper and bigger and bigger, that’s less of an issue than it once was.
If you want to see what’s inside an ISO image, you can use software tools designed to extract the contents. If the ISO image contains a movie, two folders will be extracted: VIDEO_TS and AUDIO_TS. The latter folder is always empty, while the former contains video files, subtitle files, language and menu information, and other metadata. Some DVD burning software will allow you to exclude files you don’t want included in the reburn, such as alternate languages or “bonus features” like comments, thus saving space.
While a file manager can browse a program CD and open any file, an ISO image on a hard drive is not “opened” but “mounted,” just like a drive is mounted. An ISO image is essentially viewed by the system as a self-contained pseudo-drive.
Many software burning tools that work with ISO images are available as shareware and freeware. Two of the most popular commercial packs are made by Nero® and Roxio®. Freeware alternatives include programs like InfraRecorder©, CDBurnerXP©, ImgBurn© and DeepBurner©, but there are many others. Look for a program that meets your needs, balancing functionality, usability, and value.
