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I want to mount a local folder as a virtual CD/DVD drive to allow me to run a program without having the CD mounted physically.

I know I could burn it to an ISO file and mount that as a virtual CD/DVD drive using Daemon Tools or similar programs, however I would prefer if I could mount it directly from a folder.

I have looked at this question, however there was no useful answers as the asker wanted to boot from the folder, which is not possible:

How to mount a folder as a virtual CD/DVD drive?

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Tyilo
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3 Answers3

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You could map the folder as a network drive.
You would need to share it out then map network drive in explorer using localhost for the machine name.

I tried it with a CD and it worked for me.

It does not work for everything though.

Jeff F.
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Ray Cathode
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  • You should write here the concrete steps for mapping the folder, APART from reference to the source. – Gangnus Jan 02 '18 at 21:34
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It is not possible to mount a folder but you can mount your iso file easily by right clicking on Virtual demon manager > Virtual CD/DVD Rom > Device > Mount Image

as you mount you will find auto run asking for installing program, open folderwise or so many choose whatever you want.

If you want this image to boot a system as you may have made an iso of bootable disk then you can use your pendrive by making pendrive bootable using this iso.

A. Prasad
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  • Why are you lying? What are you talking about? A folder IS mappable, and always was. ISO should-be mappable, but that stuff simply doesn't work at all due to MS origin. – Gangnus Jan 02 '18 at 21:33
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There is a problem with what you are trying to do.....the installation of a specific program might involve: (1) modications to the Windows system for drivers and patches, (2) the installation itself generally litters the registry landscape as well as other parts of the filesystem, and (3) keyed security on each application could be quite different and would not be contained in the folder.

So if you need to use an application, in general, you are going to have to install it from the vendor supplied item.

Thus, just burning a DVD of the folder will not work for the same reasons given above.

mdpc
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  • The folder contatins the content of the CD. – Tyilo Dec 20 '12 at 19:43
  • Should be no problem in running the installation program from the folder. – mdpc Dec 20 '12 at 19:44
  • The problem is not the installation program. The problem is running the program after installation as it requires the CD to be mounted like old games etc. – Tyilo Dec 20 '12 at 19:48
  • Then this is something that you might want to take up with the vendor of the program as this looks like some type of licensing issue. – mdpc Dec 20 '12 at 19:49
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    So you don't actually have an answer to my question... – Tyilo Dec 20 '12 at 19:50
  • However, in our exchange we have clarified the problem you are having so that others might be able to help. In the future, it would help everybody to put forth this type of information in the question. To me it now looks like perhaps you are trying to override some type of vendor licensing scheme. – mdpc Dec 20 '12 at 19:51
  • Often these types of setups are to save disk space for large programs, and unrelated (or only incidental) to any kind licensing or copy protection. – Daniel Beck Dec 20 '12 at 20:11
  • @DanielBeck - You may be right, Microsoft Office is an example, where it will request that you mount the CD if you are using a feature that is marked as such during installation. I think that the prompt does allow you to point to a directory location however. – mdpc Dec 20 '12 at 20:13
  • I had an issue like this with Gamin Maps. My laptop dvd drive broke. After a ton of research there is a way around it. But it was more trouble then it was worth and ended up just buying maps from another vendor. Garmin lost a lifelong customer that day. – NitroxDM Dec 20 '12 at 20:17
  • @Tyilo - guess the simple answer is to burn the ISO, and mount it as a virtual CD/DVD as you stated before. – mdpc Dec 20 '12 at 20:22