Upgraded to 64-bit XP, need virtual CD/DVD drive

[f0dder]

I've just installed 64-bit XP Pro (finally!).

I did so knowing that Daemon-Tools 3.47 doesn't have a 64-bit version, and I'm not so sure I want one of the more recent versions that do come in 64bit flavour. First of all, I don't know if it's possible to NOT install any of the adware that later versions come with, and second I don't need all the anti-game-protection stuff.

What I do need is the following:

• 64bit support - duh
• Support for both CD and DVD images
• mount as CD/DVD drive, not just image file manipulation
• .iso and .cue/.bin minimum, more formats a plus
• high stability, decent performance
• small footprint, I hate bloat

Any suggestions? Freeware preferred . Don't need tools for creating images etc., only mounting them. But I do need mounting, not simply tools for manipulating and extracting files from images.

[lanux128]

wow! hoping to hear more from you about experience with this 64-bit system.. btw, just googled this..

• http://www.start64.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=206&Itemid=73

[f0dder]

Hm, my memory of Alcohol is Alcohol 120% which is also a burner/ripping program, and also seems/seemed oriented at copying protected CDs... so, so far: alcohol and daemon-tools (seems like the adware is an install-time option, ho hum).

I'd still like something cleaner though, and wouldn't mind something that somebody has tested . I saw a reference somewhere on microsoft.com about "Virtual CD-ROM Control Panel for Windows XP", but it doesn't sound like something with a lot of support...

[Ralf Maximus]

I saw a reference somewhere on microsoft.com about "Virtual CD-ROM Control Panel for Windows XP", but it doesn't sound like something with a lot of support...

Here's an article & link to the referenced product.  It is indeed unsupported, only handles .iso files, and I'm not even sure there's a 64-bit version of it.  Never tried it myself, but all these things must be true because the internet never lies.

http://www.tech-recipes.com/rx/620/xp_small_free_way_to_use_and_mount_images_iso_files_without_burning_them

[tabletguy]

I have both Alchoholsoft 120 and Farstone (http://www.farstone.com/) VirtualDrive. Farstone (looking at the web site) also has a RAM disk available.

My version is quite old (running on a 4 year old tablet pc), so I don't know if they do 64bit or not.

[mwb1100]

MagicISO offers a Virtual CD/DVD-ROM.  I have no experience with it, so I don't know if it meets all your requirements, but it is freeware and it supports 64-bit:

http://www.magiciso.com/tutorials/miso-magicdisc-overview.htm

[f0dder]

Oh, MagicISO seems like something to check out!

Thanks for all the suggestions 

[f0dder]

Okay, so far MagicDisc/MagicISO seems to work just fine!

It's tray menu is a bit cluttered and such, and I have only tested it with a single .iso so far, but it should handle more than that, didn't come with spy/adware, and seems pretty light-weight. Thanks for finding it, mwb1100! 

[Carol Haynes]

Don't know if there is a 64-bit version but if you have Nero it comes with ISO mounting software (check your control panel for Nero ImageDrive). It supports 1 or 2 virtual drives.

[f0dder]

I've stayed clear off Nero ever since... dunno which version, but when they started adding all the crap and bloat. Never going to return, either. It's done pretty bad burns for me - this shows read speed results of three burns; two of them with Nero on two different machines (LiteOn and Plextor drives). The non-problematic curve was burned using plextools on the machine with the plextor drive.

Now it may have been a fluke with just a single Nero version, but with all the crap they added, and considering how well free alternatives like imgburn and deepburner work, well, no looking back

Sorry for the rant, and thanks for the recommendation nonetheless. I just get nervous twitches when anybody mentions nero 

[Carol Haynes]

I have to confess I still have Nero installed (just the burning rom and tools - not all the video crap etc. however I am no longer upgrading) but I hardly use it. I mostly use ImgBurn and Ashampoo.

[Deozaan]

I like Alcohol and use it for mounting disc images all the time. Though, I haven't required 64-bit, so I'm not sure it fits that requirement. I can't see why it wouldn't though.

[f0dder]

I like Alcohol and use it for mounting disc images all the time. Though, I haven't required 64-bit, so I'm not sure it fits that requirement. I can't see why it wouldn't though.

Just burning images isn't a problem, 32-bit software can still do that on a 64-bit OS. But mounting an image, as in having it show up as a fully-fledged (albeit virtual) CD/DVD drive, requires drivers. 32bit drivers don't work on a 64-bit OS... so unless there's a 64-bit version of alcohol (at least the drivers, usermode components can still be 32-bit), it won't do.

Building drivers for 64-bit should be as simple as a recompile, but many developers are ignorant and write code that isn't 64-bit clean

[SKA]

Sorry for offtopic - but anyone knows if there wil be a SP3 for XP-64bit ?  Or only for XP-32bit  ?
That may be the best reason to avoid Vista in toto<grin>

SKA

[Deozaan]

I like Alcohol and use it for mounting disc images all the time. Though, I haven't required 64-bit, so I'm not sure it fits that requirement. I can't see why it wouldn't though.

What I meant by this is that I can't see why Alcohol wouldn't have 64-bit drivers, considering how popular it is.

[Crush]

Hi, f0dder!

Why don´t you try Daemon-Tools V4.10 X64?    (http://www.daemon-tools.cc/dtcc/download.php?mode=ViewCategory&catid=5) I cannot remember that the adware has been a problem - even if I tried to install it.

[f0dder]

Crush: it seems that the adware is only installed if you choose to, but I try to steer clear of things that come with adware. Also, d-t has a bunch of code for avoiding game copy protections, I don't really need that and would rather use a product that doesn't have it...

So far MagicISO/MagicDisc seems to fit the bill, comes without spyware, doesn't have anti-protection stuff, and is freeware. Don't see much reason for d-t x64, although that might change if MagicDisc turns out to be buggy when put to more use... don't think so, though.

[mwb1100]

What I meant by this is that I can't see why Alcohol wouldn't have 64-bit drivers, considering how popular it is.

Alcohol does have 64-bit drivers.

One drawback to Alcohol is that it has an aggressive activation scheme that requires re-activation even after very minor system changes. I think that it also requires continual Internet access (it deactivates if it hasn't had an opportunity to check-in within the past few weeks or so) - but I may be confusing this with Daemon Tools Pro which definitely does this.

[Lashiec]

That is something QUITE ironic