How to Mount an ISO to a Flash Drive

.ISO disc image files are large files that contain an entire disc's worth of data. Burn these files quickly using a variety of free Internet software programs designed specifically for .ISO disc images. You may need to copy or "mount" an .ISO disc image to a USB flash drive if you wish to retain a backup copy of a CD or DVD in case of damage or theft. Create an .ISO disc image from a disc and copy it to a USB stick in about 15 minutes.

Instructions

1. Turn on your computer and open a web browser. Download an .ISO program from the list in the Resources section, then install the program. Restart the computer and run the .ISO program. Eject the disc tray and insert your CD or DVD you wish to create an .ISO disc image of.

2. Click "Copy Disc to .ISO" in the program's main menu under the ".ISO Tasks" column and select the disc drive you inserted the CD or DVD into. Give the .ISO file a title and click "OK." The program begins copying the entire CD or DVD to a single .ISO disc image file on your computer.

3. Wait for the .ISO copy process to finish, then close the .ISO program and insert your USB flash drive. Click "Start," then "My Computer," and select the USB flash drive you inserted. Locate the .ISO file you just created and drag or copy it to the USB flash drive. Wait for the file copy process to complete before removing the USB stick. You can use the .ISO file to create a backup of your original CD or DVD at any time once the file-copying process has finished.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure the USB stick you wish to use has enough free space (700 MB for a CD, 4.7 GB for a DVD) to store the .ISO disc image you wish to copy.

• Do not copy .ISO disc images you do not own an original disc for or have downloaded from the Internet. Doing so violates federal copyright laws.

Resources

• DVDDecrypter: DVD Decrypter
• Slysoft: CloneCD
• Magic ISO Maker: MagicISO Download