In this article we will talk about how you can create a disk image. Many computer users now and then need to get an exact copy of the CD.
Some want to replenish the home collection of good distributions, while rationally using the free disk space on the media; others - get rid of a noisy compact in the drive; Well, others want to create a disk image for subsequent placement on the Web (for example, on a torrent tracker). In addition, in this way you can independently compose a full-fledged CD-ROM, including an autorun file and a shell with applications. It remains only to distribute it to people.
How to create a disk image? This problem is solved using special software. We’ll immediately warn some initiative users: simply copying the contents of the disk to a folder on the hard drive may not produce the desired results.
With such a transfer, the correspondence between the file paths written in the shell and their real location is broken.
One of the most famous programs in this area is Ultra ISO from EZB Systems. Using it, you can make an ISO image in just a couple of minutes (depending on the speed of the drive). First you need to download the distribution kit and install it on the system. After starting, the main window appears. Here you should open the “File” menu item and select “New”. In the drop-down list, you must specify the desired type - simple, loadable or UDF. This is for data. Here you can select Video DVD or exotic such as XBOX. Next, to create a disk image, you must specify the size of the resulting image. To do this, just click on the percent sign and put a checkmark in front of the desired volume. Obviously, it makes no sense to create an ISO file of 4.7 GB for later burning to a simple CD with its modest 700 MB.
Now you need to form the structure of the future image. To do this, drag and drop files and folders from the open next to Explorer into the upper right window using Drag & Drop. By the way, you can use the built-in solution in the bottom window - to whom it is more convenient. At the same time, you need to follow the indicator of fullness - the total file size should be less than the previously selected one.
It remains to open the "File" menu again and select "Save As ...". By specifying the path and name, you can pick up a freshly collected image file.
Sometimes you may need a program to write the image to disk. The aforementioned application, Ultra ISO, does an excellent job of this task. First, open the image by following the path “File - Open”, and then press F7. Another method involves following the “Tools - Burn CD Image”. In the window that appears, you need to select the recording speed, mode and target device.
The creators of this wonderful program took care of user convenience and duplicated some basic functions by placing icons in the header of the main window to quickly call up the necessary procedures. So, to start recording, you can simply click on the image of a CD enveloped in fire.
So simple. And the last thing you should pay attention to: it is recommended to use the latest version, as errors are fixed in it and new features are added.