ISO vs. BIN
ISO and BIN are two common formats for storing disc images, or virtual copies of optical media such as CD-ROMs and DVDs. Both types of files are useful for backing up CDs and DVDs on your computer in case the physical disc is damaged or lost. The BIN file extension is also used for other types of binary files.
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ISO Files
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The ISO file format is based on the ISO-9660 standard developed by the International Organization for Standardization, dedicated to creating international standards for different subjects and purposes. ISO files contain not only the data on the original disc, but directory structures, boot code and other information on how the disc is organized. This allows you to mount the disc image on a virtual drive and access it as if it were a physical disc, rather than just accessing the data.
BIN Disc Images
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BIN disc image files contain the binary data from a CD or DVD. Unlike ISO files, they require a separate file to store disc headers and other information. This is usually a CUE file with the same file name as the BIN file, but with a CUE file extension. The need to keep track of multiple files is one disadvantage of the BIN file format versus the ISO file format.
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Creating and Opening
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Because ISO is such a widespread standard, there are many free and commercial programs that can create ISO files, mount them on a virtual drive, burn them to a disc or extract the data from them. Windows 7 even includes a utility for burning ISO files, Windows Disc Image Burner, which is located in the \Windows\System32\ directory as isoburn.exe. There are fewer programs that work with BIN disc images, although you can sometimes open them by changing the file extension from BIN to ISO.
Other BIN Files
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BIN disc images may be confused with other binary files that have the BIN file extension. These include some video files and certain game ROMs for systems such as PlayStation, Atari 2600, Sega Genesis and Nintendo DS. If you have trouble opening a BIN file, it may not be a disc image, and you may need a different program to access it.
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