How To Run an ISO file without Burning it to Disc with Windows Virtual cd Control Tool

When Office products are downloaded from the Volume License Service Center, they come down as .ISO files. .ISO is not a file format that Windows can open natively.  An ISO file is an image of a CD/DVD. Typically you would be able to use a burning program like Nero, Daemon tools, Windows disc image burner or a host of other programs  to burn that ISO file directly to a disk.

ISO files which can also be called disc image can be run straight from your windows explorer without burning it to CD. You will need a third party disc burner to do this as windows disc image burner can only be used to burn ISO files to disc and not to run them on your system.



Note that if you are planning to install an operating system, it is best you burn the ISO file to disc for a clean install .   Go here to see how to burn iso files with windows disc image burner

 So to use ISO files directly from your PC, I will show you how to use the windows Virtual Cd control tool

1. This is a self-extracting Zip archive. Download the file and execute it. Click Unzip and select any appropriate folder to extract the contents.
   
2. Go to the folder where you saved the unzipped files, you will see 3 files inside that folder. Copy VCdRom.sys to your C:\Windows\System32\drivers folder.
3. Execute VCdControlTool.exe and click on driver control.
   
   you should have a pop up like in image below
   
   Click ok and then click on the install driver button if it is available.
   
4.  Navigate to the C:\Windows\System32\drivers folder, select VCdRom.sys, and click Open.
5. Click start >> ok.
6.  Click "Add Drive" to add a drive to the drive list. Ensure that the drive added is not a local drive. If it is, continue to click "Add Drive" until an unused drive letter is available.
7.  Select an unused drive letter from the drive list and click "Mount".
8.  Navigate to the image file, select it, and click "OK". UNC naming conventions should not be used, however mapped network drives should be OK.

You can now use your ISO files directly from your Pc without Burning