ISO Images - Mount or Unmount

**ie9** · 04-07-2011

How to Mount or Unmount ISO images in Windows 8

Information

Windows 8 supports native ISO mounting and unmounting.

This tutorial will show you how to mount or unmount an ISO image in Windows 8.

Note

You are unable to edit an ISO image using Windows 8

OPTION ONE

To Mount a ISO Image in Windows 8

1. Navigate to the ISO image that you would like to mount.

2. Right-click on the ISO image, and click on Mount.

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3. A new window will pop-up showing the mounted ISO image.

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4. Double-click on the mounted image to see the contents of the ISO

OPTION TWO

To Unmount a ISO Image in Windows 8

1. Right-click on the mounted ISO drive, and click on Eject.

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**Dave76** · 06-05-2011

Nice tut, thanks.

**kbronski** · 06-06-2011

Native mounting? Sweet, love it!

**Darryl Licht** · 08-27-2011

What a cool new feature! Im happy with Win7, but looking forward to Win8!

**raine369** · 03-01-2012

Can you unmount from the command line? I mounted an iso from a network drive and must have lost connection for a moment. Now everytime I right or left click explorer stops responding.

**raine369** · 03-01-2012

had to cold boot the tablet to get it to let go of the mount.

**fafhrd** · 03-12-2012

I find mounting an iso as simple as double-clicking the iso file in Explorer, and the new virtual CD/DVD drive opens in the Explorer window. Right click the virtual CD/DVD drive and select eject to unmount it. The mount is not persistent and will not remain on the next reboot.

If you need to reconnect to the iso regularly, a shortcut to the iso file on the desktop will work, but pinning the mounted virtual CD/DVD drive to the taskbar will not.

If you wish the virtual CD/DVD to be available when Windows opens, copy the shortcut to the iso file to your startup folder:
C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

You can then pin the Virtual CD/DVD to Start if you wish.

What is more, VHD files mount with a double-click too!, which makes playing with virtual drives easier than ever. Here again, Eject on the right-click menu unmounts the VHD. The VHD can also be automatically mounted from the Startup folder when Windows 8 opens.

**loquacious** · 03-16-2012

Is there a way to mount "bin" files?

**fafhrd** · 03-22-2012

I think "bin files" cover so many types of binary data you wouldn't have a hope of safely opening them except by the program that is specifically intended to handle it's own "bin files".

In the context you mean, Magic Iso I believe does open these DVD images. Google bin files and there's plenty of relevant stuff.

Windows does not handle missing source image files for the mounted volumes very gracefully yet - it needs to be as clean as removing a removable disk or usb device, not hang your system searching for it. It's the same with missing network shares sometimes. We've used floppy drives in PCs, and the subst command for nearly 30 years, it's about time Microsoft got this right.

**GMan** · 03-22-2012

Originally Posted by fafhrd

It's the same with missing network shares sometimes. ...it's about time Microsoft got this right.

Hallelujah, praise the truth. Preach. Church. Amen and all the other feel good stuff that people say when there's an epiphany.

And here I thought the issue was something senseless only applicable to my administrating. I have found registry edits at times that helped but no solid perfect/reliable way.

Windows 8 here has Windows Explorer hang issues when a mapped drive to a turned off laptop is not available. Even just opening Winrar takes about a full minute. Once I rid the unavailable share, issues resolve immediately.

I should Wireshark it to see if anything I can figure out is going on.

Tutorial: ISO Images - Mount or Unmount

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