您可能遇到过术语ISO文件或ISO映像。有没有想过这意味着什么？代表任何磁盘（CD、DVD等）内容的文件称为ISO文件。它更普遍地称为ISO映像。它是光盘内容的副本。
但是，该文件不处于可以使用的状态。一个合适的类比是一盒扁平包装的家具。盒子包含所有零件。在开始使用这件家具之前，您只需要组装零件。在设置好零件之前，盒子本身没有任何作用。同样，必须先打开并组装ISO映像，然后才能使用它们。
什么是 ISO 文件？
ISO文件是包含光盘（如 CD 或DVD ）中所有数据的存档文件。它以光学介质中最常见的文件系统 ( ISO 9660 ) 命名。ISO文件如何存储光盘的所有内容？数据逐个扇区存储，无需压缩。ISO映像允许您维护光盘的存档并将其保存以供以后使用。您可以将ISO映像刻录到新光盘，以制作前一张光盘的精确副本。在一些现代操作系统中，您还可以将ISO映像挂载为虚拟磁盘。但是，所有应用程序的行为方式与安装了真实磁盘时的行为方式相同。
ISO文件在哪里使用？(Where are ISO files used?)
ISO文件最常见的用途是当您的程序包含要通过 Internet 分发的多个文件时。想要下载该程序的人可以轻松下载一个ISO文件，其中包含用户需要的所有内容。ISO文件的另一个突出用途是维护光盘的备份。使用ISO(ISO)映像的一些示例：
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Ophcrack 是一个密码恢复工具(Ophcrack is a password recovery tool)。它包含许多软件和整个操作系统。您需要的一切都在一个ISO文件中。
- 许多可启动防病毒(bootable antivirus)程序通常也使用 ISO 文件。
- 某些版本的Windows 操作系统(Windows OS)（Windows 10、Windows 8、Windows 7）也可以ISO格式购买。这样，它们可以被提取到设备或安装在虚拟设备上。
ISO格式便于下载文件。它很容易被刻录到磁盘或任何其他设备上。
在接下来的部分中，我们将讨论有关ISO文件的各种操作——如何挂载、如何将其刻录到磁盘、如何提取以及最后如何从磁盘创建ISO映像。
1.挂载ISO镜像(1. Mounting an ISO image)
挂载ISO映像是将ISO映像设置为虚拟磁盘的过程。如前所述，应用程序的行为不会发生变化。他们会将映像视为真实的物理磁盘。就好像您在仅使用ISO(ISO)映像时欺骗系统相信存在实际磁盘。这有什么用？假设您想玩需要插入物理磁盘的视频游戏。如果您之前已创建磁盘的ISO映像，则不必插入实际磁盘。
要打开文件，您需要使用磁盘模拟器。接下来，您选择一个驱动器号来表示ISO映像。Windows会将其视为代表真实磁盘的字母。您可以使用许多免费提供的第三方应用程序之一来安装ISO映像。然而，这仅适用于Windows 7用户。一些流行的免费程序是WinCDEmu和Pismo File Mount Audit Package。Windows 8 和Windows 10用户使用起来更轻松。安装软件内置于操作系统中。您可以直接右键单击ISO文件，然后单击Mount选项。无需使用第三方软件，系统会自动创建虚拟光驱。
注意：(Note:) 请记住(Remember)，ISO映像只能在操作系统运行时使用。出于操作系统之外的目的下载ISO文件将不起作用（例如某些硬盘驱动器诊断工具、内存测试程序等的文件……）
另请阅读：(Also Read:) 在 Windows 10 上挂载或卸载 ISO 文件的 3 种方法(3 Ways to Mount or Unmount ISO File on Windows 10)
2. 将 ISO 映像刻录到磁盘(2. Burning an ISO image to disk)
将ISO(ISO)文件刻录到磁盘是最常见的使用方法之一。此过程与将普通文件刻录到磁盘不同。使用的软件应先将各种软件拼装成ISO文件，然后刻录到磁盘上。
Windows 7、Windows 8 和Windows 10(Windows 10)等现代操作系统不需要第三方软件即可将ISO文件刻录到磁盘。双击(Double-click)该文件并按照后续向导进行操作。
您还可以将ISO映像刻录到USB驱动器。这是当今首选的存储设备。对于在操作系统之外运行的某些程序，将ISO映像刻录到磁盘或其他一些可移动媒体是使用它的唯一方法。
某些以ISO格式分发的程序（如Microsoft Office）无法启动。这些程序通常不需要在操作系统之外运行，因此不需要从ISO映像引导。
提示：(Tip:)如果ISO文件在双击时没有打开，请转到属性，然后选择 isoburn.exe 作为应该打开ISO文件的程序。
3.提取ISO文件(3. Extracting an ISO file)
当您不想将ISO文件刻录到磁盘或可移动设备时，首选提取。可以使用压缩/解压缩程序将ISO文件的内容提取到文件夹中。一些用于提取ISO文件的免费软件程序是7-Zip 和 WinZip(7-Zip and WinZip)。该过程会将ISO文件的内容复制到系统上的文件夹中。此文件夹就像您系统上的任何其他文件夹一样。但是，该文件夹不能直接刻录到可移动设备。使用 7-Zip，可以快速提取ISO文件。(ISO)右键单击该文件，单击 7-Zip，然后单击“提取(Extract)到”选项。
安装压缩/解压缩应用程序后，该应用程序将自动将自身与ISO文件关联。因此，在处理这些文件时，文件资源管理器(File Explorer)中的内置命令将不再出现。但是，建议使用默认选项。因此，如果您已安装压缩应用程序，请按照以下步骤将ISO(ISO)文件与文件资源管理器(File Explorer)重新关联。
- 转到设置应用默认应用。
- 向下滚动(Scroll)并在右侧查找“按文件类型选择默认应用程序”选项。单击(Click)选项。
- 您现在将看到一长串扩展名。搜索 .iso 扩展名。
- 单击(Click)当前与.iso关联的应用程序。从弹出窗口中，选择Windows Explorer。
4. 从光盘创建文件(4. Creating your file from an optical disk)
如果您想以数字方式备份光盘中的内容，您应该知道如何从光盘创建ISO文件。这些ISO文件既可以安装在系统上，也可以刻录到可移动设备上。您也可以分发ISO文件。
某些操作系统（macOS 和Linux）预装了从磁盘创建ISO文件的软件。(ISO)但是，Windows不提供此功能。如果您是Windows用户，则必须使用第三方应用程序从光盘创建ISO映像。(ISO)
推荐：(Recommended:) 什么是硬盘驱动器 (HDD)？(What is a Hard Disk Drive (HDD)?)
概括(Summary)
- ISO文件或映像包含光盘内容的未压缩副本。
- 它主要用于备份光盘上的内容，以及在互联网上分发具有多个文件的大型程序。
- 一个ISO文件可以包含许多软件甚至整个操作系统。因此，它使下载变得容易。Windows 操作系统(Windows OS)也提供ISO格式。
- ISO文件可以以多种方式使用——安装在系统上、提取或刻录到磁盘。在安装ISO映像时，您可以让系统的行为与插入真实磁盘时的行为相同。提取(Extraction)涉及将ISO文件复制到系统上的文件夹中。这可以通过压缩应用程序来完成。对于在操作系统之外运行的某些应用程序，有必要将ISO文件刻录到可移动设备。安装(Mounting)和刻录不需要任何第三方应用程序，而提取需要一个。
- 您还可以使用应用程序从光盘创建ISO文件，以维护备份/分发内容。(ISO)
What is an ISO File? And Where are ISO files used?
Yоu may have come aсross the term ISO file or ISO image. Evеr wondered what that means? A file that represents the cоntent of any disk (CD, DVD, etc…) is called an ISO file. It is more popularly referred to as an ISO image. It is a dυplicate of the content of an optical disk.
However, the file is not in a ready-to-use condition. An appropriate analogy for this would be that of a box of flat-pack furniture. The box contains all the parts. You just have to assemble the parts before you can start using the piece of furniture. The box by itself serves no purpose until the pieces are set up. Similarly, ISO images have to be opened and assembled before you can use them.
What is an ISO File?
An ISO file is an archive file containing all the data from an optical disc, like a CD or DVD. It is named after the most common file system found in optical media (ISO 9660). How does an ISO file store all the contents of an optical disk? The data is stored sector by sector without being compressed. An ISO image allows you to maintain an archive of an optical disk and preserve it for later use. You can burn the ISO image to a new disc to make an exact copy of the previous one. In several modern OS, you can also mount an ISO image as a virtual disk. All the applications will, however, behave the same way they would is a real disk was in place.
Where are ISO files used?
The most common use of ISO file is when you have a program with multiple files that you want to distribute over the internet. People who want to download the program can easily download a single ISO file which contains everything the user will require. Another prominent use of ISO file is to maintain a backup of optical disks. Some examples where ISO image is used:
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Ophcrack is a password recovery tool. It encompasses many pieces of software and a whole OS. Everything you need is within a single ISO file.
- Many programs for bootable antivirus also usually use ISO files.
- Some versions of Windows OS (Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7) can also be bought in ISO format. This way, they can be either extracted to a device or mounted on a virtual device.
The ISO format makes it convenient to download the file. It is readily available to be burned to a disk or any other device.
In the sections that follow, we will be discussing various operations regarding an ISO file – how to mount it, how to burn it to a disk, how to extract, and finally how to create your ISO image from a disk.
1. Mounting an ISO image
Mounting an ISO image is a process where you set up the ISO image as a virtual disk. Like previously mentioned, there will be no change in the behavior of the applications. They will treat the image as a real physical disk. It is as if you trick the system into believing that there is an actual disk while you are using only an ISO image. How is this useful? Consider you want to play a video game that requires a physical disk to be inserted. If you have created an ISO image of the disk previously, you do not have to insert an actual disk.
To open a file, you need to use a disk emulator. Next, you choose a drive letter to represent the ISO image. Windows will treat this like a letter representing a real disk. You can use one of the many third-party applications that are available for free, to mount an ISO image. This is however only for Windows 7 users. Some of the popular free programs are WinCDEmu and Pismo File Mount Audit Package. Windows 8 and Windows 10 users have it easier. The mounting software is built into the OS. You can directly right-click the ISO file and click on the Mount option. Without the use of third-party software, the system will automatically create a virtual drive.
Note: Remember that the ISO image can be used only when the OS is running. Downloading an ISO file for purposes outside the OS will not work (like files for some hard drive diagnostic tools, memory testing programs, etc…)
Also Read: 3 Ways to Mount or Unmount ISO File on Windows 10
2. Burning an ISO image to disk
Burning an ISO file to a disk is one of the most common ways to use it. The process for this is not similar to burning a usual file to a disk. The software used should first assemble the various pieces of software in the ISO file and then burn it to the disk.
Modern operating systems such as Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10 do not need third-party software to burn ISO files to disk. Double-click on the file and follow through the subsequent wizards.
You can also burn an ISO image to a USB drive. This is the preferred storage device these days. For some programs that work outside the operating system, burning the ISO image to a disk or some other removable media is the only way to use it.
Certain programs distributed in an ISO format (like Microsoft Office) cannot be booted from. These programs usually do not need to be run outside the OS, so they do not need to be booted from the ISO image.
Tip: If the ISO file is not opening when double-clicked, go to properties, and choose isoburn.exe as the program that should open ISO files.
3. Extracting an ISO file
Extraction is preferred when you do not want to burn the ISO file to a disk or a removable device. The contents of an ISO file can be extracted to a folder using a compression/decompression program. Some of the free software programs used to extract ISO files are 7-Zip and WinZip. The process will copy the contents of the ISO file to a folder on your system. This folder is just like any other folder on your system. However, the folder cannot be burned to a removable device directly. Using 7-Zip, the ISO files can be extracted quickly. Right-click on the file, click on 7-Zip, and then click on Extract to ‘\’ option.
After a compression/decompression application is installed, the app will automatically associate itself with ISO files. Therefore, while working with these files, built-in commands from File Explorer will no longer appear. However, having the default options is recommended. So, if you have installed a compression app, follow the procedure given below to re-associate the ISO file with File Explorer.
- Go to Settings Apps Default Apps.
- Scroll down and look for the option ‘Choose default apps by file type’ on your right. Click on the option.
- You will now see a lengthy list of extensions. Search for .iso extension.
- Click on the app that is currently associated with .iso. From the popup window, select Windows Explorer.
4. Creating your file from an optical disk
If you want to digitally back up the content in your optical disks, you should know how to create your ISO file from the disk. Those ISO files can either be mounted on a system or burned to a removable device. You may also distribute the ISO file.
Some operating systems (macOS and Linux) have pre-installed software that creates an ISO file from a disk. However, Windows does not offer this. If you are a Windows user, you have to use a third-party app to create an ISO image from an optical disk.
Recommended: What is a Hard Disk Drive (HDD)?
Summary
- An ISO file or image contains an uncompressed copy of the contents of an optical disk.
- It is mainly used for backing up the content on the optical disk and for distributing large programs with multiple files on the internet.
- A single ISO file can contain many pieces of software or even an entire OS. Thus, it makes it easy to download. Windows OS is also available in ISO format.
- An ISO file can be used in many ways – mounted on the system, extracted, or burned to a disk. While mounting an ISO image, you are getting the system to behave like it would if a real disk were inserted. Extraction involves copying an ISO file to a folder on your system. This can be accomplished with a compression application. For certain applications that work outside the OS, it is necessary to burn the ISO file to a removable device. Mounting and burning do not require any third-party applications while extraction requires one.
- You can also use an application to create your ISO file from an optical disk to maintain a backup/distribute the contents.
