One of the Amazing features brought by the latest version of Windows that is Windows 10 is the native ability to mount ISO and IMG files in the File Explorer with just a double click on the ‘Mount’ option available inbuilt. There is a virtual drive created by the operating system, which helps to mount the contents of a disc image file as per the requirement and helps to make it available exactly as if there is an insertion of some physical disc in the computer’s optical drive.
It has been one of the best updates received by the operating systems after Windows 7 as the ability to inbuilt mounting was introduced in the Windows 8 operating system. When there is a need for you to access or extract some content from an ISO image, one can use these steps for the mounting and unmounting of the ISO files. To know more about Open Broadcaster Software 2020, visit our page for the detailed insights.
Overview of ISO & IMG Files in Windows 10 or 8.1
The ISO and IMG files are the special disc files in the image format. They can be useful in the storage of the contents of the removable disc in the computer. One can also make an ISO image file manually by converting the ESD image to ISO file or even from any file which is available on any drive.
An ISO image has the storage of a replica of the content of the physical disc which can be a DVD, Bluray or a CD and act as a container for storage of all these types of files in the system. ISO images are also used by big software companies for the storage of software and as a medium of carrying or sharing their software. For instance, when a new Windows 10 Insider preview build ISO is being downloaded on any computer, to do a clean installation of the Operating system.
Previously for the old version of Windows, there was a need to download third-party tools to work with those images. But when running Windows 10 on the computer, it ISO file can be mounted and unmounted easily without requirement of any type of extra software or plugin in the system making it easier for the users.
Windows 8 and Windows 10 finally plans to offer a way in which the ISO disc image files will be mounted. The method will be built in these operating systems. But for other versions like Windows 10, a third-party tool will be required to mount the files.
How to Mount ISO image in Windows 10 or 8.1
Both the files, the ISO disc image file, and the VHD virtual hard drive image files can be mounted on Windows 8 and 10 by its build inability. You get is three options to mount them:
- Just double click on the ISO file to initiate the mounting of the file. This method will only occur when the ISO files are not been associated with any other program on the system. The disk image will get mounted on the virtual drive
- Right-click on the ISO file, it will give you a few options out of which you can select ‘mount’.
- In the file, the explorer box selects the file and then clicks on the mount button which is mostly under the ‘ Disk Image Tools’ tab on the ribbon.
To unmount the file as soon as the work is done, you can just right click on the drive and then select the option ‘Eject’.
Sometimes the mounting is taken from the third party software or application. Some archivers can open the ISO files like 7-Zip. If you set is as a default from the control panel, The ISO file is associated with 7-Zip and on double-clicking, the ISO file will open in that application.
The files which have been stored on an NTFS partition on the given system, Windows 10 allow the user to mount ISO and IMG files. If one tries to mount an ISO file from a network share, it would not support the mounting of the ISO file and shows a message saying ‘Sorry, there was a problem mounting the file’.
Using PowerShell
- If there is no option to mount the ISO image, you can get it done by using some command lines by using PowerShell to mount the file and access the content that is inside the image.
- Search for PowerShell in the Start panel and click on the same.
- There is a command which can be typed on the PowerShell to mount the ISO image and then press ‘Enter’.
- The command is; Mount-DiskImage -ImagePath “C:\FILE.ISO”
You always have to change the command C:\FILE.ISO and instead put the path where your ISO file has been stored on the computer. The quotations are a part of the command and hence are required for running of the command hence do not remove them.
Mount ISO & IMG Files in Windows 10 or 8
You can download the Mount ISO & IMG Files in Windows 10 or 8 by accessing the link below. Also, make sure that you have enough back up before you proceed with the same. There are a lot of duplicate ISO images on the market and it is best to download the same from a trusted source.