Trying to understand the "virtual drive"

[reducha]

I've been downloading some programs lately,, and i'm told they need to be burnt to a disc before they are viewable, or alternatively,using a "virtual drive" to save from burning up discs all the time. I have "elaborate byte's " virtual clone drive" I don't quite understand it though. According to their manual" i go to my computer, right click on the virtual drive's icon, and click "mount". That opens another window,asking me to pick which files i want to mount. I click on the program i downloaded. After that all i get is a window opening asking which of my burning programs i want to use. I picked nero's data. It then proceeds to ask me to insert a blank cd into my d drive so it can burn it.. what gives???? am i missing something here????

any help is greatly appreciated.. sign me..confused

[platinumsword]

Virtual DVD or CD drives are often mounted disk images via disk image emulator ( IE - Daemon Tools ) software. This allows one to read a CD or DVD from the disk image that is usually located on the hard drive, rather than from the disc drive. This allows users to run software requiring the CD or DVD without having to swap discs, or even possess it.

This means that the file that you want to open has to been in a image form like a iso or a bin and cue. Opening the bin file via the cue file. Mounting images would be just like placing disks in the drive. So if you had a pc game that was four images you would go through in order mounting each image one after the other just like if you were changing disks in the drive. The Image would install as normal.

That's about the basics, once you learn that you can start figuring out other tricks.

[HoosierDaddy]

If you are using Windows XP, you might want to try Microsoft's free CD emulator. I'm just suggesting that in case Microsoft's documentation and user interface is easier to understand than the product you are using.

I lost the direct link at microsoft's site but you can get it at various other sites such as: http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4402.html

[sikoone]

When you get that window asking what program you want to use you don't have to click burn.The reason you get that window is Nero is probably associated with that image type (probably .iso). If you go to "My Computer" you will see an extra cd drive. If you click on that drive you should be able to run the program without burning the disc. After installing you can unmount the image unless the program needs the cd in the drive