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Filed under: Utilities, Windows, Windows x64

Windows 7 Edition Switcher lets you change your ISO from Home to Ultimate

Windowsby Lee Mathews Oct 28th 2009

A lot of techy types weren't too excited when Microsoft changed the Windows 7 ISO. Beta and RC versions lumped all the versions on one DVD.

Heck, this was one big thing I thought Microsoft did right with Windows Vista. I had one DVD and I could load any of the 39 different versions using the same disc. Windows 7 ISOs and DVDs? Not so much. They're single-version.

Frustrated techs are never content to sit back and deal with annoyances - like the developer behind Windows 7 ISO Edition Switcher. Download the free, portable app and you can easily convert any Windows 7 ISO to the version you need. Sure, it's pretty easy to do this by editing a text file but Switcher is about as painless as the process can get.

Pick the patch file you need from the ones included in the zip, pick your ISO, and presto! Patched ISO, ready to burn.

Big thanks to VT4000 for submitting this via our comments!!

Tags: edition, iso, patcher, windows 7, Windows7

Filed under: OS Updates, Windows, Microsoft, Windows x64

Windows 7 RTM downloads now available via TechNet and MSDN

Windowsby Lee Mathews Aug 6th 2009


Maybe you won't have the chance to get pumped and show off your gold RTM DVD like Steve Ballmer, but if you've got a TechNet/MSDN subscription your downloads are finally ready.

This means that those of you with access who have (wisely) avoided downloading anything from other sources can now get in on the action. As you can see in the screenshot of my Google Reader feed, the Windows Automated Installation Kits are also available.

If you've got a subscription, head on over and get your download on - and enjoy your shiny new Windows 7 RTM!

Tags: downloads, iso, msdn, technet, windows-7-rtm

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Filed under: Utilities, Windows, Freeware, Windows x64

Excellent free burning program ImgBurn turns 2.5

Windowsby Lee Mathews Jul 27th 2009


Last year, some of our commenters steered me toward ImgBurn as a Nero alternative, and it's been my CD and DVD recording app of choice ever since. It's an excellent lightweight program, handles just about every kind of disc-related task imaginable, and it's totally free.

Version 2.5 boasts a big list of additions, changes, and bugfixes, though the core functionality remains the same. It still burns discs and creates images as well as any program out there (if not better).

ImgBurn can also run as a portable app, perfect for carrying on your USB flash drive for burning on the go. Portable Freeware offers the following easy steps to convert the installer:
Download the installer and extract (using 7zip or similar) to a folder of your choice. Remove $PLUGINSDIR and [NSIS].nsi. Create an empty file called ImgBurn.ini in the same folder. Launch using "ImgBurn.exe /portable".
The author suggests a paltry $2 donation for those who wish to support the program. If you feel like kicking in a couple bucks, you can do it via Paypal.

Tags: blu-ray, burning, cd, dvd, imgburn, ISO, recording

Filed under: Utilities, Windows, Freeware, Windows x64

Totally Free Burner offers uncomplicated CD and DVD burning

Windowsby Lee Mathews May 26th 2009


I'm always on the lookout for good, free applications I can pass along to the customers I support. Over the years I've learned that - in general - the simplest solution is usually the best. For CD and DVD burning software, it doesn't get much more straightforward than Totally Free Burner.

As you'd expect from a minimalistic app like this, it's also tiny (under 2Mb download). Unlike Nero's popular-but-cluttered SmartStart, TFB presents only four options: audio CD, video CD, data, and image/video DVD.The interface is kept simple throughout.

Make your file/folder selections, click burn, and press start when the burning status box appears. Advanced settings are available, but they're hidden by default. One feature I particular like is that if you accidentally close a data project window, TFB remembers its contents as long as you don't close the project selector. Re-click data DVD/CD and your selections will instantly reappear.

If you're looking for other options, here are five more free apps you can download.

Note: despite reports that this app is infected, it scans clean with novirusthanks.org. Report is available here.

Tags: audio-cd, cd-burning, dvd, iso

Filed under: Utilities, Windows, Freeware

Free GizmoDrive is an excellent virtual CD, DVD, and HDD app

Windowsby Lee Mathews Jan 19th 2009

Yet another trick Windows 7 has up its sleeve is the ability to handle virtual hard drive images (.vhd) natively. If you're running an older version of Windows, GizmoDrive can provide the same functionality and more.

Apart from being able to mount .vhd files, GizmoDrive also supports .iso, .cue, .bin, .mds, .mdf, and .nrg formats. Using the create image feature you can create new image files from a disc or folder. If that's not enough, you can also use the app to burn disc images to physical media.

GizmoDrive isn't done there. Two more things its create image feature can do are set up a ram drive and create password-protected, encrypted virtual hard drives for storing sensitive data. Like most virtualization apps, you can either pre-allocate the virtual drive's full capacity or allow it to expand on-the-fly.

GizmoDrive is a free application for Windows, and adds several useful functions in a single, compact package. The developer packages several apps in one installer, so just make sure to uncheck what you don't want.

Thanks, John!

Tags: disc-image, iso, mount, vhd, virtual-hard-drive

Filed under: Utilities, Windows, Productivity, Freeware

Use Folder2Iso to declutter your hard drive

Windowsby Lee Mathews Nov 26th 2008

When I first came across Folder2Iso I wasn't convinced of its usefulness. The author proposes using it in combination with DVD Decrypter and ImgBurn to copy DVDs and CDs, but I'm guessing most of you have a more streamlined system for doing that.

Recently one of our readers wrote in looking for help in tidying up a disorganized hard drive. I thought back to that post, and figured I might be able to use this app to further my organizational efforts.

Instead of leaving multiple folders of installers that I may only require once in a blue moon on my drive, I can use Folder2Iso to quickly convert the whole lot into individual ISO files. If I need and app in a particular category later, I just mount it with Daemon Tools and share it.

My tools folder is quite a bit more streamlined now. Everything I need on a daily basis is in a common folder, and anything else has been dumped to a single ISO file and labeled appropriately.

It's a nice bonus that I can also quickly burn an entire set of tools to give to a friend if I need to using ImgBurn. Folder2Iso is freeware for Windows only.

Tags: iso, organization, virtual-cd

Filed under: Utilities, Windows, Commercial, Freeware, Troubleshooting

Help! I need a free app to convert DAA and UIF files!

Windowsby Lee Mathews Nov 18th 2008

Download Squad reader David contacted us, asking for a solution to his problem and it's one I've dealt with myself: fighting with the proprietary disc image formats of MagicISO and UltraISO.

"I've been looking through the web for some free program to do this for me and I haven't had any luck. UltraISO and MagicISO are great programs, but I just don't have the money to dish 30 bucks on each [one]."

First off, let's be honest. If you're dealing with a UIF or DAA, it's very likely a disc image of a program or game you torrented (this may or may not have been my own experience). If you're extracting, mounting, or burning something like that, you may as well just torrent MagicISO or UltraISO too and be done with it. I'm certainly not going to judge anyone for doing that.

Read more →

Tags: burning, cd-image, conversion, daa, iso, uif

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Filed under: Utilities, Windows, Freeware

Free ISO Creator creates images in three easy steps

Windowsby Lee Mathews Nov 6th 2008



I don't do a lot of ISO creation, so when I do find myself needing to compile an image I like a nice, uncomplicated app to get the job done.

Free ISO Creator's self-explanatory interface makes the process about as easy as it can get. Browse for files and folders to add, choose where you'd like your ISO to be saved, and click convert. It's speedy, compiling my test CD in about 12 seconds.

Bootable images can be created, and CD, DVD-5, and DVD-9 are supported, and you can also specify your ISO to be created as ISO 9660 or UDF. I'd get in to more detail, but this is a simple, straightforward app, and there's nothing at all tricky about using it.

Free ISO Creator is a 1mb free download for Windows only.

Tags: burning, cd, disc image, DiscImage, dvd, iso

Filed under: OS Updates, Windows, Microsoft, Beta

That took long enough: Windows 7 can burn ISO files

Windowsby Lee Mathews Nov 3rd 2008


It obviously hasn't been a priority for Microsoft in the past, but it looks like another one of Windows' minor shortcomings has finally been addressed.

Yes, at long last your Microsoft OS will know what to do with an ISO file. While I'm sure none of us are going to forsake our favorite burning applications when and if we do switch to Windows 7, it's nice to see simple, useful features like this being implemented.

The process is so simple, even novice users will be able to burn an image with no trouble. Double-click an ISO, and Windows 7 opens a minimalistic dialog: choose a burner, select whether or not to verify your burn, and burn/cancel.

It works nicely, and it's definitely the kind of simple, functional addition that is making my test drive of Windows 7 an enjoyable one. Look for more Windows 7 updates as we get more time to play work with it!

Tags: burning, iso, win7, windows 7, Windows7

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Filed under: Utilities, Windows, Freeware

Pismo File Mount turns any ZIP or ISO file into a virtual drive

Windowsby Brad Linder Jul 25th 2008

Pismo File MountThere are plenty of utilities that will let you mount a disc image as a virtual drive, allowing you to browse the contents without actually burning the image to a disc. But Pismo File Mount is one of the easiest to use that we've seen -- and it has the added benefit of also being able to mount ZIP archives.

To install the free Windows utility you just need to download and run the PFM Audit Package found on the Pismo web site. Once the program is installed, you can mount a ZIP or ISO file by right-clicking on the file and selecting Mount or Quick Mount from the context menu. You can also launch Pismo File Mount first and then browse for the files you want to mount.

Once you map the archive to a virtual drive, you can should be able to view the contents in Windows Explorer. You can also decide whether or not you want read/write or read only access to the archived files.

[via Freeware Genius]

Tags: archive, file-mount, iso, mount, pfm-audit-package, pismo, pismo-file-mount, virtual-drive, zip

TUGzip: Decompress anything

by Robert Headley Jan 22nd 2008

TUGZip Screenshot
Have no idea what an ACE file is? Got a few ISO files laying around but you have no idea what they are? Well peek inside using Freeware archival utility TUGZip. TUGZip opens every archive format you could possibly care about, and several more, you probably don't.
  • Archive formats - ZIP, 7-ZIP, A, ACE, ARC, ARJ, BH, BZ2, CAB, CPIO, DEB, GCA, GZ, IMP, JAR, LHA (LZH), LIB, RAR, RPM, SQX, TAR, TGZ, TBZ, TAZ, YZ1
  • Disc image formats - BIN, C2D, IMG, ISO and Nero's NRG
TUGZip can also create archives in most of these formats, Including self extracting archives. All the wile using a 3 pane explorer interface (or you can change it via options to a more standard one or two pane. TUGzip also includes an explorer context addon, so you can compress files into your favorite archive, without even having to open the program. All of this, and blazing fast too.

[ via Ghacks ]

Tags: Archive, Freeware, ISO, RAR, Tugzip, Utility, Windows, Zip

Filed under: Utilities

ISO utilities demystified

by Grant Robertson Jul 30th 2007

Ever wondered how you create and ISO, add files to it, or mount it without burning it to a CD or DVD? Petri IT Knowledgebase points you ISO info seekers in the correct direction with this list of ISO utilities.

Save yourself the disk and do what the pros do by mounting a live ISO filesystem that's still stored on your hard drive.

Tags: cd/DVD, ISO, utilities

Filed under: News, Windows, Microsoft

Microsoft's XML Doc format on fast-track, some cry foul

Windowsby Grant Robertson Mar 13th 2007


Nineteen nations and a flood of Open Source developers argue that Microsoft's proposed ISO standard XML Doc format is a load of rich creamery butter, so why is ISO secretariat by Lisa Rajchel putting the controversial format on the fast track? That's unclear however, what appears as clear as day is the format will see a quick five month balloting process before a near certain ratification by the all powerful International Standards Organization sometime this year.

Many states and organizations are passing laws or setting mandates to use open, documented file formats approved by international standards bodies. Currently, the worlds most popular word-processing document format, Microsoft's Word "Doc" doesn't meet that requirement. Losing MS Office customers as large as the state of California would be a huge blow to Microsoft, so there is obviously strong motivation to get the ISO on board with what MS is selling. We've reported before on potentially more sane alternatives which exist to Microsoft's bloated and unwieldy XML format; Can we help it if the ISO doesn't read Download Squad?

See Also:
Open Document Plugin for Word 97-2007 proves Microsoft wrong
Microsoft's Office Open XML spec gets final draft

Tags: EMCA, ISO, microsoft open doc, MicrosoftOpenDoc, open doc, open xml doc, OpenDoc, OpenXmlDoc, XML

Filed under: Utilities, Macintosh, Shareware

Disc burning on the easy with Disco

Macby Chris Brentano Dec 7th 2006

DiscoDisco is a relatively new Mac OS X disc burning application that strives for simplicity, functionality, and good looks. It supports common disc burning activities (creating data CDs and DVDs, disc imaging, creating audio and MP3 CDs) but also packs a ton of other handy features: CUE/BIN burning, multiple file system support (Hybrid, HFS+, UDF, Joliet, ISO 9660), disc spanning support, and more. It's unique interface is intuitive, yet minimalist - you insert a disc, it asks if you want to save it to a disc image; you insert a blank CD or DVD, it asks what you would like to burn. My favorite feature is the smoke animation it emits during disc burning. Authored by Austin Sarner (creator of AppZapper), it's currently available as a public beta, but is also available for pre-purchase at a discounted rate of $14.95.

Tags: beta, bin, burning, cd, cue, disco, dmg, dvd, iso, iso9660, joliet, macintosh

Filed under: Audio, Fun, Games, Internet, Kids, Utilities, Video, Windows, Office, Productivity, Freeware, Open Source

An amazing open source and free Windows program collection

Windowsby Grant Robertson Aug 3rd 2006

Trinidad and Tobago Computer SocietyUser groups, for all their pedantic and geeky reputation, are a source of tremendous power and motivation in some communities, and it seems the more remote the community, the more robust the local user group. The island nation of Trinidad and Tobago are no exception to this rule.

The TTCS OSS/Win CD is a user group produced and maintained disk of over 100 free and Open Source programs and utilities for the Windows platform. What separates the TTCS disk from a random collection of downloadable goodies is the web-based documentation and categorization of everything included on the burnable CD image.

The 700MB CD image includes desktop and educational applications, games, graphics programs, various server software, Internet programs and a host of sound and video applications. This is the kind of software collection that makes you (the geek) look like you (the superhero) when you burn and share it, evangelizing open source and helping less computing savvy friends and family find some really useful FOSS applications.

A full list of everything on the CD is available from the Trinidad and Tobago Computer Society's website, as is the downloadable ISO image.

Tags: FOSS, iso, Open Source, OpenSource, utility CD, UtilityCd, win32, Windows, Windows Software Collection, Windows Utilities, WindowsSoftwareCollection, WindowsUtilities

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