Skip to Content

Need a little good news today? We've got plenty!
Holidash Blog
AOL Tech

Posts with tag iso

Filed under: Utilities, Windows, Productivity, Freeware

Use Folder2Iso to declutter your hard drive

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.

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

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

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 →

Filed under: Utilities, Windows, Freeware

Free ISO Creator creates images in three easy steps



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.

Filed under: OS Updates, Windows, Microsoft, Beta

That took long enough: Windows 7 can burn ISO files


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!

Filed under: Utilities, Windows, Freeware

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

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]

TUGzip: Decompress anything

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 ]

Filed under: Utilities

ISO utilities demystified

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.

Filed under: News, Windows, Microsoft

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


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

Filed under: Utilities, Macintosh, Shareware

Disc burning on the easy with Disco

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.

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

An amazing open source and free Windows program collection

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.

Filed under: Business, Developer, Text, News, Windows, Macintosh, Linux, Office, OpenOffice.org

OpenDocument format finally gets ISO certification

opendocument format gains ISO certificationIt's taken two years for this to happen, but ODF has finally been approved as a standard format by the International Organization for Standardization. The OpenDocument Format is now poised to be readily adopted throughout Europe, as the EU recognizes the formats recognized by the ISO. BetaNews has the story, plus a great quote from ODF Alliance executive Director Mario Marcich, "We believe access to public records and essential services should never be restricted to users of a particular brand of software or computer platform." Word to that.

Filed under: OS Updates, Utilities, Windows, Freeware

ISO Recorder: Native ISO burning in Windows

Blank CDWindows XP has reasonably good, if basic, CD burning support, but one thing it conspicuously cannot do is burn ISO images. ISO Recorder fixes that. It's an extension for Windows that adds native ISO image burning support. If you're running SP2 it'll also let you create ISO images and, in Vista it adds DVD ISO burning. The author also has a tool called CreateCD that'll let you burn CDs from the command line. Both are free.

Featured Time Waster

Forumwarz - a potentially offensive time waster

I pwn UAfter spending the better part of an hour on Forumwarz I still can't decide if it's just sick or if it's kind of fun. It's a bit like a car wreck on the highway. I know I shouldn't be looking but I can't quite turn away.

It's sick, it's twisted, it's the internet on it's worst level and darn it, it's kind of fun. At least for a little while.

Forumwarz is a parody role-playing game that takes place on the internet - or at least the Forumwarz version of it. Your goal is to complete missions that are given to you through a mock up of GoogleTalk called Sentrillion.

Your first "friend" is ShallowEsophagus who begins giving you missions to pwn various forums by being a troll. Depending on the character type you are assigned at start up, you have tools like drooling on the keyboard or bashing your head on the keyboard that you can use to destroy forum threads and eventually, pwn a forum.

Future missions involve buying illegal software from the Russians, pwning more difficult forums and other internet oddness.

Completing missions gives you cash, called Flezz in game, and items that you can pawn or use in other missions. The game is NOT for those easily offended. It's crass, coarse and there are frequent f-bombs in the fake chat sessions.

This is also a game for a more mature audience as it requires you to shop at the Drugs R Fun store to get various concoctions to improve your playing, engage in certain cyber activities to get more Flezz and just generally use a more adult perspective.

If you can get past that, here are the more enjoyable and time-wasting aspects.

View more Time Wasters

Featured Galleries

Defective by Design, London: Protest Pictures
Cooking Mama: Mama Kills Animals
Android First-look: Amazon.com MP3 Store
Android First-look: Twitroid
Google Reader Android
Android Hands-On
Twine 1.0
Photoshop Express Beta
SXSWi 2008 Schwag Unboxing
SXSWi 2008 Day 1
Mozilla Birthday Cake
Palm stuff
Adobe Lightroom 1.1

 


Follow us on Twitter!

Flickr Pool

www.flickr.com

BloggingStocks Tech Coverage

More Tech Coverage

Joystiq

TUAW

BloggingStocks

Autoblog

Xbox 360 Fanboy

Engadget

WOW Insider

Switched.com

FanHouse