A disc image is a complete, “photographic” copy of an optical disc (such as a CD or DVD). Unlike a simple copy of a disk, its image is not just a set of folders, but a file that contains information about the disk format, boot data, its structure and the data itself.

Disk image files very often have the extension .iso. Typically, images of boot disks or computer games circulate on the Internet in this format. Let's look at how you can create an iso disk image.

To create an iso disk image, emulator programs are used that create virtual disk drives on the user's machine, which, however, are perceived by the computer's operating system as completely real. There are several such programs, but we will look at how to create an iso disk image using two of them: Daemon Tools and UltraISO.

How to create an iso disk image, Daemon Tools

The program is a simple and free version that allows you to create an iso disk image from any optical disc placed in the drive of your computer.

After installing the program on your computer, the Daemon Tools program icon will appear in the lower right corner of the Desktop. By right-clicking on it, we will see the following picture:

Using the tooltip, look for the “Image Creation” icon (second from the left). After clicking on this icon, a window with the same name will open:

In this window, after we insert the disk into the computer drive, we will mark the save folder and the format of the future disk image file (iso), decide whether we will compress it or not, and whether we will use or refuse to protect the iso file with a password.

Click “Start” and at the end of the processing operation we find the created iso disk image in specified folder.

How to create an iso disk image, UltraISO

The UltraISO program is more functional than the free version of Daemon Tools and allows you to create an iso disk image from files stored in computer folders.

The UltraISO interface window consists of two parts, each of which has a conductor structure.

We find in the lower part the file or folder from which we want to create an iso disk image and drag it to the upper part.

Then open the “Properties” window by clicking on the button next to the “Image” field, set in this window the type-size of the desired disk image and the file name format to “standard”. Click OK in the “Properties” window, and “Save As” in the main program window.

In the window that opens, select the file format (ISO file), give it a name, specify the save folder and click “Save”. That’s it, after the processing operation we find the created iso disk image in the specified folder.

Today, many are interested in how to create an ISO disk image of the Windows 10 operating system. Let us immediately say that this is quite simple to do, but to create an image you will need a special utility developed by Microsoft. Moreover, this program allows you not only to update the current system, but also to burn it to removable media (CD or).

You should start by preparing a removable drive - it is important that its volume is at least 8 gigabytes; creating such a drive is available for the following versions of the described OS:

• Windows 10 Pro;
• Windows 10 Home.

Now let's proceed directly to the process. Below is an algorithm of the required actions.

Step-by-step guide to creating an ISO disc in Windows 10 using the installer

First, connect a disk (obviously, it should be a DVD-R) or a removable drive to the computer, and then check whether the storage medium has the required amount of memory. Then follow the instructions.

Step one. Click on the "Windows 10 Setup" icon. Then a window will appear in which you need to select the second option (“Create installation media...”) as shown in the image below. After that, click the “Next” button.

Step two. In the next window, this utility will prompt you to set the required parameters, including architecture, language, etc. Having selected everything you need, click the “Next” button again.

Note! It is extremely important that the selected ISO image architecture matches the parameters of the computer itself where it is planned to be installed. Typically, the program allows you to select not only a 32/64-core system, but also both options at once.

If you chose the first option, then you will have two options:

• burn to DVD;
• first create a disk.

In the second option, accordingly, recording is possible exclusively directly to a removable storage device.

Step four. When you select the appropriate item, click “Next”. If recording occurs directly to a flash drive, the operating system will demonstrate the available media.

Note! For those who don’t know, during recording, all information on the flash drive will be deleted.

Step five. When you click Next again, the installation or recording will continue.

Step six. In the first option, that is, when it comes to selecting the “ISO file” item, several folders will be attached at once where the image or drive will be saved. It is quite obvious that there should already be a DVD-R disc containing the required amount of memory. Once saved, you can subsequently record it on any convenient medium.

Note! Such operations are possible only on computers running Windows 7 or higher.

Features of installing Windows 10 from an image

Installing the operating system is quite simple; it does not require any special skills or knowledge. To begin the installation, insert a flash drive or disk, and then, when the computer restarts, press any button after the corresponding message appears (“Press any button to boot...” or something similar, it all depends on the specific type of system). Before this, you need to click boot from disk or flash drive in the BIOS settings.

The next step is that the system will ask you to enter your product key. You will find this key on the package or, if you are just updating the OS, select the “I don’t have a key” option.

Accept the user agreement and decide on the installation type. If you are not an “advanced” user, then it is better not to use a custom installation.

Then you will find yourself in a window for selecting a partition where the operating system will be installed.

When all the required actions are completed, the system will install, after which it will ask you to configure it “for yourself.” More specifically, these settings include:

• installation/configuration of standard programs;
• creating your account.

Here you can decide for yourself whether to leave the basic settings or configure the settings again. That's all, now you know how to create ISO image Windows 10. For more detailed information, we recommend watching the thematic video below. Good luck!

Video - Create a Windows 10 boot disk

Any operating system is not one hundred percent protected from unexpected crashes, breakdowns, or malfunctions. Windows 7 is no exception. In order not to lose valuable system settings that you have been customizing for a long time, it is recommended to create a disk image with the iso extension at least once every six months. In this way, you will protect yourself from long and tedious recovery after failures or failure of the operating system. You can burn the resulting file to a DVD disc, memory card, or any other digital media. And at the right time, just download it back. If you decide to do this, follow the instructions in this article.

Creating an ISO image for Windows 7 through the official Microsoft website

Not long ago, a software developer company made it possible for users to independently generate image files directly through the official website. To do this, follow the link: https://www.microsoft.com/ru-ru/software

Before you start, make sure that your storage device has more than 4 GB of memory, as well as a stable Internet connection:

• follow the link above and check out a number of tips and instructions,
• scroll down the page and you will see the input field for your Windows 7 product key,

• now minimize the browser and go to the control panel,
• select the "System and Security" tab,

• in the window that appears, click on the “System” section,

• you will be immediately redirected to a page where at the very bottom is the activation key for your product. Carefully rewrite it in the browser line and click “Check”

• wait until the system checks your Windows 7 and the relevance of its license. The process will take from a minute to five. If everything is in order with the key, then the utility in the browser will immediately begin creating an ISO image of your entire system. If there is something wrong with the key or this method does not suit you for other reasons, proceed to the second step of the instructions.

Creating an ISO image of Windows 7 without third-party programs

• You can create an image inside your computer without installing unnecessary software. To do this, go to the control panel again and find the “Backup and Restore” section.

• In the window that appears on the left, find the “Create a system image” link. Click on it.

• Wait a few minutes while Windows finds all the ways to create and burn the image.

• The system will automatically open before you all possible options for recording the image on media. Most likely, you will have three options: “hard drive”, “ dvd media" and "network placement". If you have a DVD, insert it and select the second method.

• If your computer only has one disk, as in the screenshot below, then you won’t have to select it. If there are several disks, then you can select one of them or all of them. Click on the “Archive” button to start burning the ISO image to disk.

• If you chose the third option: online hosting, then the process will be slightly different. Please note that the file may not be protected in a network location.

• Enter the network location address.

After pressing the “ok” button, copying will begin. It is also possible to manually record the image through programs such as Daemon Tools. The process is very similar, but takes a little longer. To do this, you need to download the program, mount the image in it and burn it to a digital medium.

If you were unable to create an image of Windows 7 after all the above points, then perhaps it will be easier for you to download ready-made ISO images from the Internet.

You can learn a few interesting words about Windows 7 images from the video below:

A disk image is a file containing full copy structure and content of data located on the disk. It stores all the information, with the help of which the location and content are duplicated specific device data storage. The order of data sectors is repeated on the image, but the structure built on it is ignored.

The original purpose of creation was backup disk data, where the exact original structure was preserved. Nowadays, due to the spread of optical media, images in as ISO files, which can be used instead of CDs. ISO has less data - no service information.

Using archive programs that support opening this type of data, you can extract and view the contents of this file. How and with what tools you can reproduce a disk image will be discussed further.

Creating an image using ultraISO

One of the most accessible methods for creating an ISO is to use the UltraISO utility. The program is paid, but you can use the trial version, which you download from the official website.

The essence of use is as follows: yes two main fields– the directory tree of the mounted image on the left and the data stored in them on the right. Below are the directories and files stored on the computer.

Set the name future copy, for which we left-click on it, property – Rename. Introducing a new name.

Then we drag folders and files from the storage area on the computer to the image file area. To find the ones you need, use the directory explorer presented below.

Please note that at the top it is displayed overall size documents.

Actually, to complete the operation, all that remains is to save: File – Save as.

From the proposed formats we take ISO and save.

The saving process will appear, after which you will find a copy in the location you specified.

In this article we will tell you how to correctly create an ISO disk image. Major difficulties usually do not arise during this process, although many people do not have the slightest idea what an ISO image is and how to create it correctly. In addition, they are afraid of doing something wrong and damaging their computer. These are the reasons that prompted us to write detailed instructions to steps that will help you create an ISO disk image quickly and without problems.

It is worth saying that an ISO image is much more convenient to use in your work than interacting with files and folders copied from an optical disc. Moreover, thanks to the creation of an image, the necessary operating systems and diagnostic programs contained on the original optical disk will always be stored on your PC. You just need to write all the information onto a blank medium or mount it using virtual drive.But about everything in detail.

Create an ISO image using the CDBurnerXP program

Let's first define what is meant by ISO image?

ISO image is a slang, even "jargon" term for an optical disk image. He keeps everything within himself file system(ISO 9660 standard), and therefore this term can be attributed to absolutely any such image. In other words, it is a simple file, just like the usual Word file, only it has a more complex structure and is mounted using special programs.

Imagine: you have a disk with notes on it program files. However, you cannot simply copy information from it to your computer and then write it to another disk. Or rather, this can be done, but most likely this program will not be able to work without failures or will not start at all, especially since some files in it are protected from emulation. The created ISO image will exactly repeat the structure of the desired disk.

Or imagine another situation: you borrowed a disc with a game from a friend for a while, but the hour of “reckoning” has come: you need to give the game back, but you haven’t opened all the locations yet. What to do? I can't copy the game to my computer because after transferring it from the disk it doesn't want to start. The computer urgently requires you to provide “optics”, which must be inserted into the drive. This is where a program that helps you create a virtual CD/DVD/BD drive will come to your aid. You play for fun and don’t worry about anything!

You are also familiar with the situation in which optical discs, to the great regret of PC users, cannot be stored for a long time. Creating an exact copy of the disk in the form of an ISO image helps to extend their life and insure yourself against unexpected loss of all data. To do this, you will need a special program designed to create an ISO image. We have already written to you about one of them, which is called Daemon Tools Lite. It not only records the image, but also helps you protect it with a password later.

Such programs are both paid and free. Now we will look at the most affordable option - the multifunctional free program CDBurnerXP, which creates and burns ISO files. She knows how to record boot disks and check all folders after creation, if necessary, converts nrg and bin files into iso, can independently separate data from disks into parts and “scatter” them across several media. In addition, using CDBurnerXP you can burn both CD and DVDs, even if they are two-layer. For a program that is provided to the user free of charge, it has rich functionality and dozens of well-deserved awards.

The latest version of this program is available for download on the official website of the developer: http://cdburnerxp.se

First, we need to take a closer look at how you can create an ISO image from files and folders in this program.

When the program starts, select the first menu item that appears on the screen: Data disk. Click OK.

Search and then add everything necessary files to the created project. This is necessary in order to mount the ISO image.

Select a team by clicking the button File from the top menu. Then click along the chain Save project as ISO image. All that remains is to name the ISO image and then click on the button Save. As we promised, there are no difficulties in this process.

Let us consider in detail how the program we have chosen copes with this process.

Launch the program, then select a function Copy disc and press OK.

To create an ISO disk image V in the required format, you need to select the settings necessary for this in a new window. If your PC has multiple drives, mark the one where optical disk Was installed.

In Read Attempts, the optimal number of them is selected by default, so there is no need to change anything here. The checkboxes located below, or scientifically called “checkboxes” - Ignore unreadable data, Disable hardware error correction - are not currently activated. Do not change this condition because otherwise the resulting image will not work. It is necessary to activate checkboxes only when absolutely necessary, when it is impossible to create an image without their participation.

Decide for yourself where exactly you want to record a copy of the disc: on another optic or on HDD as an ISO image. If your computer has only one disk drive, you can select it as Source, and in quality Receiver. When these conditions are met, CDBurnerXP creates a temporary image file directly on your hard drive. When the original media is created, it will eject from the drive automatically. Simply insert a blank disc into the drive to write information to it.

As an example, let's try to create an ISO image of a disk by saving it on the hard drive. Just switch it to Hard Drive, then select a folder and name your file, simply checking the type you want. In our case, it is worth noting the ISO type.

Click: Copy disc.

As soon as the computer completes the received task, an ISO image of the disk will appear on the PC’s hard drive in the specified folder. If necessary, you can burn it to disk using the CDBurnerXP program.

Unfortunately, despite all the advantages of CDBurnerXP, it is not able to equip an ISO image into a virtual drive. However, even this small drawback cannot overshadow the rich functionality of this free application, especially considering that there are a large number of such programs on the Internet.

Create an ISO image using the UltraISO program

In order to be honest in our “investigation”, let’s look at paid utilities that allow you to create ISO images. UltraISO in this regard will be an excellent choice, since it can work with other types of files, edits their “internals” (both from CD and DVD images), creates a virtual drive and even writes these images to real media.

This miracle utility understands and identifies images created in other programs, such as: Alcohol 120% or; independently emulates disks for loading information, edits files and folders contained within the images, and also creates images both with USB drives, and from hard and optical disks.

You can download the latest version of the program on its official website.

If you doubt the versatility of this program or are afraid to buy it, just work with it in the test version. Decide whether UltraISO is suitable for your computer and whether it is convenient for you to work with it. The only limitation for the trial period is the inability to create an image larger than 300 MB.

After downloading the program, you will need to install it on your PC. Then click on the shortcut created on the computer desktop, and then working application will “show” you its welcome window.

The screenshot shows that now manufacturers are offering you to buy this program by entering a registration code. You can also, as mentioned above, run the utility in a trial period.

We suggest for starters create ISO image from files. It's simple: find, select and add the necessary files to your project using the button Add(or by dragging and dropping the desired files and folders).

Save the process as an ISO image: select File, located in top menu, and then in the list that appears, click on the line Save as...Name the project, specify the ISO type, and then save it.

When the computer completes the process, the desired ISO image created from files and folders will be saved on your PC.

You can also create an ISO image from laser disk. To begin, insert into the drive the disk from which you want to make it. Click Create CD Image. In the window that appears, select the area in which it will be saved. By the way, in the same window you can select the extension you need (.NRG, .MDF/.MDS, .IMG/.CCD/.SUB)

Press the button Do, thereby starting the workflow.

At the end of its work, the UltraISO utility will offer to open the file that you just created.

That's all, dear PC users. The technology for creating an ISO image is not as scary as frightened users say it is. We hope that this article was able to debunk the myths and overcome your fears associated with programs that help create virtual images of optical disks. Good luck with your work!

An operating system (OS) or some types of software (software) that were downloaded from the Internet.

Read about how to create and work with disk images, as well as what programs you use in our article today.

Disk image. Areas of application

A disk image is a file containing a complete copy of the content and structure of the data located on the drive.

In this case, a disk should be understood as any hard disk (HDD), floppy disk (FDD) or optical disk (CD/DVD) or Flash drive.

Advice! The main advantage of a virtual image is the fact that the disk image contains absolutely all the information to duplicate the structure, content and location of data on the storage medium, repeating its set of sectors and ignoring the file system.

Virtual disks are used for the following purposes:

1. Reserve copy.
   Unlike regular programs Reserve copy, which copy only those files to which there is access; if an image is created, in addition to the data itself, the bootloader and files that could be blocked by the OS will also be copied.
2. Distributions software. For distribution (including via the Internet) operating systems(OS) and software (software) having a large size (for example, BSD, Linux OS distributions).
3. Create virtual hard disks in virtual machines. Before you start working with a virtual machine, you need to create a virtual hard disk on which the operating system will subsequently be installed.
4. Replication of similar systems.
   If it is necessary to install the operating system and software on computers that have the same hardware configuration.
   A more rational step would be to install and configure the OS and software on one computer, after which an image is created along with all system settings and installed on other computers.

The .ISO format is the most popular disk image format, but has the disadvantage of lacking support for multi-session data.

Other popular formats are .DMG and .IMG formats, as well as proprietary .MDS/.MDF (Alcohol, ), NRG (Nero Burning ROM), .VCD (VirtualCD) and others.

Overview of programs for creating a disk image

Alcohol 52%

The program settings allow you to:

check the accuracy of reading data from physical devices;

improve the quality of scanning bad sectors;

simultaneous operation with 6 virtual drives;

work with formats: BIN, BWA, BWI, BWS, BWT, CCD, CDI, CUE, ISO, ISZ, NRG, MDS;

Helpful information:

Transferring many small files over the Internet is not very convenient. It is for this reason that various assemblies of operating systems can be downloaded from the Internet in the form of an image saved in ISO format. The downloaded image can be stored on a computer or written to any device, so you can make a bootable Windows flash drive or disk.

If you have a disc, for example, with a game or various programs, you can create an image from an ISO disk in which the files and its structure are completely preserved. Then using special programs, for example Alcohol 120% or Daemon Tools, you can run the created image through . If over time you need to burn a disc from the image you created, read the article on this topic by following the link.

In this article we will look at how you can make an ISO image from files and folders. In this form, it is more convenient to transfer them over the network, and the image transfer speed will be higher than each file separately.

First, let's look at creating an ISO image using the Alcohol 120% program. You can read the description on our website by following the link.

In the menu on the left, click on the button "Image Mastering".

To create an image from files, click on the “Add files” button. If you need to create an ISO image from a folder, click "Add folder".

Select the desired files or folders on your computer and click Open.

You can create folders in the program itself, and then add files to them. To do this, right-click in the program window and select “New Folder” from the menu. You can also use the corresponding button located on the right side.

Once you have added all the files, click Next.

Next, specify the location on your hard drive where you want to save the created ISO image. In the "Image format" field, select "ISO image" from the drop-down list. You can change the "Image name". Click Start. I'll name the image "MyPhoto" and save it to my desktop.

Wait for the process to complete. In the same window you can see how much space the created ISO image takes up on your computer. Click Done.

Now I have the created image in ISO format on my desktop.

By double-clicking on it, you can mount the image into a virtual drive and view the files stored in it. Please note that the amount of memory in the virtual drive corresponds to the size of the created image.

Now let's take a look, how to make an ISO image using the UltraISO program. It is the most popular program that is used to create images, edit them and burn them to disk.

Launch UltraISO. At the bottom of the program window, find the files and folders you need on your computer and drag them to the top area. You can also select them and click on the “Add” button.

The image will be saved in the specified location. It can also be mounted into a virtual drive.

I think now you understand how, using the programs described, you can create an ISO image from files and folders that are stored on your computer.

Watch the video

Good afternoon.

Let me make a reservation right away that this article is in no way aimed at distributing illegal copies of disks.

I think that every experienced user has dozens, or even hundreds of CDs and DVDs. Now storing all of them next to a computer or laptop is not so important - after all, one HDD, the size of a small notepad, can accommodate hundreds of such disks! Therefore, it’s not a bad idea to create images from your disk collections and transfer them to a hard drive (for example, to an external HDD).

The topic of creating images when Windows installation(for example, to copy the installation Windows disk to an ISO image and then create from it bootable USB flash drive). Especially if you don’t have a disk drive on your laptop or netbook!

Creating images can also often be useful for game lovers: discs become scratched over time and become difficult to read. As a result of intensive use, the disc with your favorite game may simply become unreadable, and the disc will need to be purchased again. To avoid this, it’s easier to read the game into the image once, and then launch the game from this image. In addition, the disk in the drive makes a lot of noise during operation, which annoys many users.

And so, let’s get down to the main thing...

An image of such a disk is usually created from disks that are not copy-protected. For example, discs with MP3 files, discs with documents, etc. To do this, there is no need to copy the “structure” of the disc’s tracks and any service information, which means the image of such a disc will take up less space than the image of a protected disc. Usually an ISO image is used for such purposes...

CDBurnerXP

A very simple and multifunctional program. Allows you to create data discs (MP3, document discs, audio and video discs), in addition, it can create images and burn ISO images. This is what we will do...

1) First, in the main program window, you need to select the “Copy disk” option.

The main window of the CDBurnerXP program.

Drive: CD-Rom where the CD/DVD disc was inserted;

A place to save the image;

Image type (in our case ISO).

Configure copy settings.

3) Actually, all that remains is to wait until the ISO image is created. The copying time depends on the speed of your drive, the size of the copied disc and its quality (if the disc is scratched, the copying speed will be lower).

Disc copying process...

Alcohol 120%

This is one of the best programs for creating and emulating images. By the way, it supports all the most popular disk images: iso, mds/mdf, ccd, bin, etc. The program supports the Russian language, and its only drawback, perhaps, is that it is not free.

1) To create an ISO image in Alcohol 120%, in the main program window, click on the “ Creating images«.

Alcohol 120% - creating an image.

2) Then you need to specify the CD/DVD drive (where the disc to be copied is inserted) and click the “next” button.

Select drive and copy settings.

3) And the last step... Select the location where the image will be saved, as well as indicate the type of image itself (in our case - ISO).

Alcohol 120% is a place to save your image.

After clicking the “Start” button, the program will begin creating the image. Copy times can vary greatly. For a CD, this time is approximately 5-10 minutes, for a DVD - 10-20 minutes.

Ultra ISO

I couldn’t help but mention this program, because it is one of the most popular programs for working with ISO images. As a rule, one cannot do without it when:

Installing Windows and creating bootable flash drives and disks;

When editing ISO images (and it can do this quite easily and quickly).

In addition, UltraISO allows you to create an image of any disk in 2 mouse clicks!

1) After starting the program, you need to go to the “Tools” section and select the option “ Create CD image...«.

2) Then all that remains is to select the CD/DVD drive, the location where the image will be saved and the type of the image itself. What is noteworthy, in addition to creating an ISO image, the program can create: bin, nrg, compressed iso, mdf, ccd images.

2) Creating an image from a protected disk

Such images are usually created from game discs. The fact is that many game manufacturers, protecting their products from pirates, make it so that you can’t play without the original disc... That is. To start the game, the disc must be inserted into the drive. If you don't have a real disk, then you won't run the game...

Now imagine a situation: several people are working at a computer and each has their own favorite game. Disks are constantly rearranged and over time they wear out: scratches appear on them, reading speed deteriorates, and then they may no longer be readable at all. To do this, you can create an image and use it. Just to create such an image, you will need to enable some options (if you create a regular ISO image, then when you start the game, it will simply give an error that there is no real disk...).

Alcohol 120%

1) As in the first part of the article, first of all, launch the option to create a disk image (in the menu on the left, first tab).

2) Then you need to select the disk drive and set the copy settings:

Ignores read errors;

Advanced Sector Scanning (A.S.S.) factor 100;

Read subchannel data from the current disk.

3) In this case, the image format will be MDS - the Alcohol 120% program will read the subchannel data of the disk into it, which will subsequently help launch a protected game without a real disk.

By the way, the size of the image during such copying will be larger than the actual disk space. For example, based on a game CD of 700 MB in size, an image of ~800 MB in size will be created.

Nero

Nero is not just one program for burning discs, it is a whole range of programs for working with discs. With Nero you can: create any discs (audio and video, with documents, etc.), convert videos, create covers for discs, edit audio and video, etc.

Using NERO 2015 as an example, I’ll show you how an image is created in this program. By the way, for images it uses its own format: nrg (everyone reads it popular programs for working with images).

1) Launch Nero Express and select the “Image, project ...” section, then the “Copy disk” function.

2) In the settings window, pay attention to the following:

On the left of the window there is an arrow with additional settings- turn on the checkbox " Read subchannel data«;

Then select the drive from which the data will be read (in this case, the drive into which a real CD/DVD disc is inserted);

And the last thing you need to specify is the drive source. If you are copying a disc to an image, then you need to select Image Recorder.

Setting up copying of a protected disc in Nero Express.

3) When you start copying, Nero will prompt you to select a location to save the image, as well as its type: ISO or NRG (for protected disks, select the NRG format).