entranceCreate a virtual cd dvd drive. Virtual hard disk
Daemon Tools Lite is a tool for emulating CD / DVD / Blu-ray drives, a free program for reading and creating virtual images of laser optical discs. Using Daemon Tools Lite, you can create up to 4 virtual CD / DVD / Blu-ray drives in the system and use them like ordinary optical drives, with the only difference being that you need to insert electronic casts and images of optical storage media into them. Utility Daemon Tools Lite is a great solution for a computer that does not have a laser drive. Install Daemon Tools Lite and you can create * .iso, * .mdx and * .mds disk images, as well as mount * .iso, * .nrg, * .cue, * .vhd, * .ccd images into a virtual drive * .bwt, * .b5t, * .b6t, * .cdi, * .isz, * .dmg.
Reading images
Using a virtual disk image allows you to more reliably store information, because the disk image file is not scratched, and the reading speed from the virtual drive is several times faster than the reading of a conventional drive, and besides, when accessing the virtual drive, there is no noise at all when the laser disk rotates. It is also convenient to store information in the form of image files on a disk, because it does not take up space on shelves. Mounting disks is possible directly from the Explorer window, the program is embedded in its context menu during installation. Daemon Tools Lite implements algorithms for bypassing copy protection Laserlock, CDCOPS, Protect CD, SafeDisc, Securom, StarForce and others, thanks to this, you can emulate both regular and protected disks.
Screenshots of Daemon Tools Lite
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Virtualdvd - a small program, as the name of the application implies, creates a virtual drive in the Windows operating system. It is distributed by the authors absolutely free of charge without restrictions, both in terms of functionality and time. This emulator has support for the Russian language, both during installation and in the interface, if I may say so, since there is no interface as such.
DAEMON Tools Lite - Lightweight on features and some functions, a free edition of the program, the purpose of which is to create virtual drives in the operating system. One of the main features of the application is the ability to create disks, or rather, emulate virtual disk images. An application can safely create CD images as well as DVDs. DAEMON Tools support of many modern or popular, in general, widespread image formats allows this software to be maximized ...
Alcohol 52% - One of the most famous emulators of drives, the program creates a virtual CD / DVD drive in the system. Later, you can insert either the created disk image, or the previously created one, into the virtual drive. The use of virtual devices has a number of significant advantages over the physical one. The main advantages include reading speed and reliability. When used at home, the user can fully appreciate the benefits of a virtual drive.
Wincdemu - a free emulator of a CD, DVD or BD drive; the program is distributed freely, without restrictions, moreover, it is open source. With this small tool, the user can mount a CD image of such popular formats as ISO, CUE, NRG, MDS / MDF, CCD, IMG into a virtual CD ROM. This is one of the easiest ways to quickly and explorer mount a disk image into a virtual drive.
Virtual clone drive - Creates a virtual CD / DVD drive, which behaves in the system in the same way as a physical CD / DVD drive, supports up to 8 virtual CD-ROMs, however it exists only virtually. Image files generated from CloneDVD and CloneCD can be mounted on a virtual disk from a hard disk or from a network drive and are used in the same order as if you were inserting them into a normal CD / DVD drive.
DVDFab Virtual Drive - A free virtual disk, is a virtual DVD / Blu-ray emulator drive. The program can emulate up to 18 discs for working with DVD / Blu-ray images created by DVDFab and other programs. For example, to play a Blu-ray backup on a computer with PowerDVD 8 or higher, you need to use DVDFab to create a backup of the Blu-ray ISO image file, and use DVDFab Virtual Drive to mount the image into the drive created by the program, and after that PowerDVD will play yours, for example a movie. DVDFab Virtual Drive is a free program that does not require any costs.
Disk2vhd - A small program that will make it very simple to make a virtual disk format VHD from real. You can use this virtual disk in Hyper-V or Virtual PC. The utility was created by experts in the field of system tools, Mark Rusinovich and Bryce Cogswell, programmers at NirSoft. This small tool can be a very useful tool for administering Windows systems. Why do I need this utility? If you are an administrator of the aforementioned operating systems, then, probably, you have more than once encountered problems that led to a support call ...
Last week we asked you to share your favorite disk image tools, then we rounded up the five most popular responses for a vote. Now we "re back to highlight your favorite. DAEMON Tools led the pack by a comfortable margin with 40% of the vote.
Softpedia.com DAEMON Tools Lite is a software solution that will impress you, especially thanks to its advanced features that can deal with virtually all image formats on the market. Reliable application that creates virtual drives on your computer, providing you with the possiblity to emulate CDs and DVDs for instant access.
PCWorld.com If you spend a lot of time swapping and hence waiting on CDs or DVDs to mount, Daemon Tools Lite is worth its weight in gold. Even if you don "t, it" s a program you should download to keep in your bag of tricks - you "ll find a use for it eventually.
Download.com The advantage is that you can burn the images you "re using with DAEMON Tools Lite right away or just test an image before burning it to see if it was created correctly. DAEMON Tools Lite works with most image formats.
Filecluster.com pros
- Small and highly stable program.
- Low resource requirements.
- Simple and functional interface ...
Software.Informer.com DAEMON Tools Lite manages to be more comprehensive and feature-rich than many of its competitors. And that "s quite remarkable, especially considering that DAEMON Tools Lite is free while many of its competitors are not.
downloads.tomsguide.com As a disc imaging tool, Daemon Tools Lite "s free nature automatically makes it a lot better than many competing applications simply because it offers most of what they offer at the vastly reduced price of free.
www.techadvisor.co.uk When you have a disc that you know you "ll need to access regularly, then, DAEMON Tools Lite allows you to create an image in just a couple of clicks. This then shows up in its Image Catalog for speedy reloading later, and you can put the real disc away.
techgyd.com Daemon Tools Lite is one of the best software for emulating and organizing your disc images. The software is very easy to use and fulfills all your disc related requirements. The virtual drives support is amazing.
maddownload.com If you are looking for the best software to work with ISO, MDX, MDS, and MDX files? Well, you have come to the right place. DAEMON Tools Lite is an easy and ready to use downloadable software compatible with Windows. It is well known reputable software that gives you the power of having a DVD-ROM emulator right into the comfort of your own home.
GIGA.de Mit dem Daemon Tools Lite Download könnt ihr virtuelle Images erstellen, speichern und einbinden sowie virtuelle Laufwerke emulieren.
Sometimes PC users are urgently asked how to create a virtual hard disk or CD-ROM. We will learn the procedure for completing these tasks in Windows 7.
Methods of creating a virtual disk, first of all, depend on which option you want to get as a result: an image of a hard drive or CD / DVD. Typically, hard drive files have a .vhd extension, and ISO images are used to mount a CD or DVD. In order to carry out these operations, you can use the built-in Windows tools or seek the help of third-party programs.
Method 1: DAEMON Tools Ultra
First of all, consider the option of creating a virtual hard disk using a third-party program for working with drives -.
- Run the application with administrator privileges. Go to the tab "Instruments".
- A window opens with a list of available program tools. Choose item "Add VHD".
- The window for adding VHD, that is, creating a conditional hard media, opens. First of all, you need to register the directory where this object will be placed. To do this, click on the button to the right of the field "Save as".
- The save window opens. Enter it in the directory where you want to place the virtual drive. In field "File name" You can change the name of the object. By default it is "NewVHD". Next click "Save".
- As you can see, the selected path is now displayed in the field "Save as" in the shell of DAEMON Tools Ultra. Now you need to specify the size of the object. To do this, by switching the radio buttons, set one of two types:
- Fixed size;
- Dynamic expansion.
In the first case, the disk volume will be exactly set by you, and when you select the second item, the object will expand as it fills. Its actual limit will be the size of the empty space in the HDD section where the VHD file will be placed. But even when choosing this option, it’s still in the field "The size" initial volume required. Just a number is entered, and the unit is selected to the right of the field in the drop-down list. The following units are available:
- megabytes (default);
- gigabytes;
- terabytes.
Carefully consider the choice of the desired item, because with an error, the difference in size in comparison with the desired volume will be an order of magnitude more or less. Further, if necessary, you can change the name of the disk in the field "Label". But this is not a prerequisite. After performing the above steps, to start the formation of the VHD file, click "Start".
- The process of generating a VHD file is in progress. Its dynamics are displayed using an indicator.
- After the procedure is completed, the following inscription will be displayed in the DAEMON Tools Ultra shell: “The VHD creation process has completed successfully!”. Click Done.
- Thus, a virtual hard drive using DAEMON Tools Ultra has been created.
Method 2: Disk2vhd
If DAEMON Tools Ultra is a universal tool for working with media, then Disk2vhd is a highly specialized utility designed only for creating VHD and VHDX files, i.e. virtual hard disks. Unlike the previous method, using this option, you cannot make an empty virtual media, but only create a cast of an existing disk.
Method 3: Windows Tools
Conditional hard media can also be formed using standard system tools.
- Click "Start". Right click ( RMB) click on the name "A computer". A list opens, where to choose "Control".
- The system control window appears. In his left menu in the block "Storage Devices" go through the position Disk Management.
- The drive management tool shell starts. Click on the position "Act" and select an option Create Virtual Hard Disk.
- The creation window opens, where you should specify in which directory the disk will be placed. Click "Overview".
- The window for viewing objects opens. Move to the directory where you plan to place the drive file in VHD format. It is desirable that this directory is not located on the HDD partition on which the system is installed. A prerequisite is that the partition is not compressed, otherwise the operation will fail. In field "File name" Be sure to indicate the name by which you will identify this element. Then press "Save".
- Returns to the create virtual disk window. In field "Location" we see the path to the directory selected in the previous step. Next, you need to assign the size of the object. This is done in much the same way as in the DAEMON Tools Ultra program. First of all, choose one of the formats:
- Fixed size (set by default);
- Dynamic expansion.
The values \u200b\u200bof these formats correspond to the values \u200b\u200bof the types of disks that we previously examined in DAEMON Tools.
- megabytes (default);
- gigabytes;
- terabytes.
After performing these manipulations, press OK.
- Returning to the main partition management window, in its lower area you can observe that an unallocated drive has now appeared. Click RMB by its name. Sample template for this item "Disk No.". In the menu that appears, select Initialize Disk.
- The disk initialization window opens. Here you just have to click OK.
- After that, the status of our item will display the status "Online". Click RMB on an empty place in the block "Not distributed". Choose "Create a simple volume ...".
- Welcome window starts “Volume Creation Wizards”. Click "Further".
- The next window indicates the size of the volume. It is automatically calculated from the data that we laid down when creating the virtual disk. So there’s no need to change anything, just click "Further".
- But in the next window you need to select the letter of the volume name from the drop-down list. It is important that the computer does not have a volume with the same designation. After the letter is selected, press "Further".
- In the next window, it is not necessary to make changes. But in the field Volume Label you can replace the standard name The New Volume to any other, for example Virtual disk. After that in "Explorer" this item will be called "Virtual disk K" or with another letter that you selected in the previous step. Click "Further".
- Then a window opens with the total data that you entered in the fields "Masters". If you want to change something, then click "Back" and make changes. If everything suits you, then click Done.
- After that, the created virtual drive will be displayed in the computer control window.
- You can go to it using "Explorer" In chapter "A computer"where is a list of all drives connected to the PC.
- But on some computer devices, after a reboot, this virtual disk may not appear in the indicated section. Then run the tool "Computer Management" and again go to the department Disk Management. Click on the menu "Act" and choose a position .
- The drive attachment window starts. Click "Overview…".
- A file viewer appears. Change to the directory where you previously saved the VHD object. Select it and press "Open".
- The path to the selected object is displayed in the field "Location" window "Attach a virtual hard disk". Click OK.
- The selected drive will be available again. Unfortunately, on some computers you have to perform this operation after each restart.
Method 4: UltraISO
Sometimes you need to create not a virtual hard disk, but a virtual CD-drive and run the ISO image file in it. Unlike the previous one, this task cannot be performed solely using the tools of the operating system. To solve it, you need to use third-party software, for example,.
We figured out that virtual disks can be of two types: hard drives (VHD) and CD / DVD images (ISO). If the first category of objects can be created using third-party software or using the internal tools of Windows, then the task of mounting an ISO can be dealt with only by using third-party software products.
Good day to all!
Regular CD / DVD-ROMs, no matter how sad it is, lose their popularity from year to year (before they were generally sold at every corner ☻). Still, the development of network technologies is doing its job ...
Meanwhile, there is another side to the coin - the so-called virtual disks - A separate file (s) made on the basis of an exact copy of a physical CD / DVD. They are also called images. The most popular image formats: ISO, BIN, MDS / MDF, NRG, CCD. By the way, now a lot of files are transmitted over the network in images (for example, even to create a bootable USB flash drive from Windows, you must first download the installation image from the Microsoft website).
It’s just that you can’t open such an image, you need (you guessed it) a special virtual drive (or drive. They are also called CD / DVD emulators).
In general, I decided to build this article in the form of questions and answers on working with images (of which there are always a lot). Along the way, I will present the programs that best cope with the task. I think it will be easier to present the basics for an inexperienced reader. And so, let's get started ...
Most popular questions about working with virtual disks
❶. How to create a virtual disk / ISO image, etc.
First of all, to start work, I recommend installing one program - Daemon Tools (Lite version, it is free and its capabilities for creating and emulating images are more than enough). And indeed, in my opinion, it is one of the best (and most popular, by the way) programs for working with disk images. I definitely recommend installation and familiarization.
Daemon Tools (Lite)
This program allows you to mount almost all types of images, and also emulates the work of up to 4 drives simultaneously. In addition, the program allows you to write ready-made images to physical disks, convert from one format to another, create protected images and much more (by the way, some functions are paid, unfortunately). The program has pretty good storage of images: you can always find the right drive from your collection.
And so, let's say we have several CD-ROMs with music, games, which are often used, and you just get tired of inserting them into the drive (and over time, the discs deteriorate, scratch, make noise when inserted into the drive). Therefore, it is logical to make once the images of these disks - you can easily and without noise use them.
1) First you need to insert the CD into a real physical drive.
3) After you need to specify the drive with the disk, specify the folder where the image will be saved, and the image format (in my example, I chose ISO). To start copying, click the "Start" button.
5) When the image is ready, you will see a message stating that the operation was completed successfully, as in the screenshot below.
In general, that's all. Now you can use this image (just first you need to create a virtual drive, more on that below).
❷. How to create a virtual CD / DVD-Rom drive / emulator
Let's use the same Daemon Tools ...
First you need to run the program and click "Add Drive" (in the left menu of the program).
A new drive should appear at the bottom of the window: in my case, under the letter "F: (empty)".
DAEMON Tools Lite - a new drive (F :)!
❸. How to open images: ISO, MDF, NRG, etc. and launch the application from them
After the virtual drive in Daemon Tools has been created - you can start opening and reading images in it. In general, Daemon Tools opens almost any image: ISO, BIN, MDF, NRG (even archives, 7z, rar, zip, etc.).
In the lower part of the window - left-click on the virtual drive (which we created in the previous step). See screenshot below.
DAEMON Tools Lite - first click on the drive with the left mouse button
If the automatic launch of your CD / DVD discs is disabled (and nothing appears on the screen), go to "My Computer / This Computer": among the drives there should be a virtual one, with the disk (i.e. image) that we opened.
If the question arises as to whether to allow this application to make changes - answer in the affirmative (at least for familiar disks ...).
❹. How to burn an image to a physical CD / DVD
Daemon Tools, of course, can write images to physical disks, but this function is available only in the paid version of the program. Therefore, it is better to use analogues, especially since there are enough free versions in this segment.
Why not Nero? Because the Nero package is paid, it weighs several gigabytes, it is very "nerdy" and slow. Hardly many will use at least a tenth of its functions (not to mention the fact that most just need to burn a disc and that's it ...).
CDBurnerXP
CDBurnerXP is a free program for burning CDs and DVDs, including Blu-ray and HD-DVD. The program also works great with ISO-images, allowing you to not only create them, but from burn to physical disks. The program supports dozens of languages \u200b\u200b(including Russian). Works in Windows XP / 7/8/9/10.
Key features:
- record data (files, documents, pictures, etc.) on any type of disk;
- record audio discs;
- creation and recording of ISO images;
- creation of boot (installation) disks;
- bIN / NRG image converter → to ISO;
- the ability to print covers.
After starting the program, click "Burn ISO image to disk" (see screen below).
Then specify the ISO-image for recording, physical drive, recording speed (highlighted in yellow on the screen below - by the way, do not set the highest speed, errors are possible) and click "Burn Disc". In general, this is all - in 10-15 minutes. your disc will be burned!
Burn Settings // CDBurnerXP
❺. What other programs can be used to work and read images
Alcohol 120%
Alcohol 120% is an excellent and very powerful program for working with images. Does everything: creates images, mounts them in virtual drives, writes, creates a library on your PC (for quick search and reading).
The program, although paid, but there is a free trial period of 15 days (and there is also a free version with reduced capabilities). In general, I recommend you to familiarize yourself!
Key features:
- creation of up to 31 virtual drives;
- creation of disk images (support for formats: MDF / MDS, CCD, BIN / CUE, ISO, CDI, etc.);
- burning from disc images: CD, DVD and Blu-ray;
- erasing discs: CD-RW, DVD-RW and BD-RE;
- search and create a library of image files on the PC hard drive;
- the presence of an audio converter for working with audio discs.
Ultra ISO
Official website: https://www.ezbsystems.com/ultraiso/
Very powerful program for working with ISO-images. Allows you to create them from real disks, burn, emulate in a virtual drive, and, most importantly - edit on the fly. Those. you can open an ISO image, delete an unnecessary file from it (or add it) and save the image. Actually, this is done very quickly!
In addition, the program will help create a boot (installation) disk, flash drive. You can also try to compress the current ISO-images, etc. In general, to everyone who works with ISO - I recommend that you definitely have it on your PC ...
Burn4free
Very reliable and simple program for working with CD / DVD-ROM drive. Allows you to perform almost the entire range of tasks that may be required by an average PC user. With all this, it takes up very little hard disk space (several megabytes!).
Main advantages:
- burn CD / DVD discs with a few mouse clicks;
- the program is very light and simple, the design is made in the style of minimalism;
- you can copy audio discs of various formats (WAV, FLAC, WavPack, WMA, etc.);
- support for SCSI - IDE / EIDE - SATA - USB;
- russian language support;
- creating and recording ISO images;
- the ability to record MP3 discs;
- support for all versions of Windows: 10, 8, 7, Vista, 2008, 2003, XP, 2000, 98;
- support for most drive models (over 4000!).
In general, I’ll add from myself that this program worked even in those cases when its analogues refused to either start or see the drive. I recommend having those who often work with ISO or with optical disks in their arsenal.
Virtual clone drive
This program is free and designed to create a virtual drive. The program is very simple and reliable. Supports up to 15 virtual drives, fully integrated into Windows Explorer, for easier and faster work.
In general, in comparison with many similar programs in this spectrum, it stands out noticeably. I recommend you to familiarize yourself.
Key features:
- support for all popular image formats: ISO, BIN, IMG, UDF, DVD, CCD;
- emulation of up to 15 virtual drives (CD, DVD, and Blu-ray);
- there is a history of the use of images (for faster searching and reading the desired file);
- convenient embedding in the explorer (now any image can be opened with a couple of mouse clicks!).
The instruction is complete ...
Have a good work!