Open ISO Files

An ISO image file (one with an ".iso" extension) is a type of disc image file used to replicate the contents of an optical disc, such as a CD. The ISO file for a given disc contains every piece of information written to the disc. The file can therefore be used to create an exact copy of a disc even when the user does not have a physical copy of the disc. Generally, it is unnecessary to open ISO files and view their contents, because they can be written to a disc without doing so. However, knowing how to open ISO files will allow you to troubleshoot any problems with the disc image or locate specific data within the image.

Steps

1. Download and install an archive utility. By default, most operating systems will not know how to handle ISO files. You will need to install an archive utility (also called a compression utility) to allow you to open ISO images. The simplest for this purpose is WinRAR, which is licensed as shareware.
   • Begin by downloading WinRAR. It can be found in numerous locations on the Internet, including the main website at www.win-rar.com.
   • Double-click on the WinRAR setup icon to begin the installation process. During the installation, you will see a box titled "Associate WinRAR with." Make sure the "ISO" box is checked, so that your computer will automatically associate ISO files with WinRAR.
2. Find the ISO file on your computer. Navigate your browser to the folder containing the ISO image. The file should now have the WinRAR logo, depicting 3 stacked books, as it is associated with WinRAR.
3. Open the ISO file. Double-click on the file's icon to open it. WinRAR will display the contents of the ISO file in a new folder. Note that altering these contents may cause the ISO image to be unusable when mapping it to a CD. If you need to use a certain file inside the image, make a copy of it rather than moving it out of the image.
4. Close the window when you are finished. After viewing the image's contents, close the window. You do not have to close WinRAR separately; it runs only when being used.

Tips

• Note that mounting the ISO image (burning it to an optical disc) will require a different piece of software. Once an image is mounted to a disc, its contents can be viewed from the disc, but not edited.
• There are several other archive utilities that can be used in this process, some of which are designed specifically for handling disc images. The process with any program will be similar; some will require you to navigate to the ISO file using a "virtual optical drive" to read its contents.

Things You'll Need

• Computer
• WinRAR software
• ISO file

Related Articles

• Create an ISO File in Linux
• Mount an ISO Image
• Burn ISO Files to DVD
• Burn an ISO File on Windows 7

Sources and Citations

• http://techie-buzz.com/tips-and-tricks/how-to-open-iso-file.html
• http://www.simplehelp.net/2007/09/24/how-to-extract-or-access-the-contents-of-an-iso-file-in-windows/

See also

• Delete Files That Cannot Be Deleted
• Delete Undeletable Files in Windows
• Delete a File in Microsoft Windows Using Batch Files
• Delete a File or Folder Showing Error "Access Is Denied"
• Completely Hide a File or Folder
• Hide Files in Windows
• Make a New File in Windows
• Block an Application or .EXE from Running in Windows
• Make an Installation File

What links here

• Burn ISO Files to DVD
• Burn an ISO File on Windows
• Convert a CD or DVD to ISO Image Files
• Open Exe Files in Ubuntu