Creating and storing ISO backups of your essential software installation discs and even operating system setup discs is a smart plan. Complement that with one of the best unlimited online backup services, and you have a near bulletproof disc backup strategy. ISO images are great because they’re self-contained, perfect representations of the data on a disc. Being single files, they’re easier to store and organize than outright copies of the folders and files on a disc would be.
Third-Party Tool Required for Windows
Windows doesn’t have a built-in way of creating ISO image files, so you’ll need to download a program to do it for you. Fortunately, several freeware tools are available that make creating ISO images a straightforward task. Time Required: Creating an ISO image file from a DVD, CD, or BD disc is easy but could take anywhere from a few minutes to over an hour, depending on the size of the disc and the speed of your computer.
Make an ISO From a DVD, BD, or CD Disc
The ISO file will be named and located where you decided in Step 7. BurnAware Free works in Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP. Both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of those operating systems are supported. The Copy to Image tool will appear in addition to the existing BurnAware Free window. You can now close the Copy to Image window and the BurnAware Free window. You can also now remove the disc you were using from your optical drive.
Create ISO Images in macOS and Linux
Making an ISO in macOS is possible with included tools. Once you have the CDR image, you can convert it to ISO via this terminal command: There are also options to change format and encryption settings. To convert the ISO to DMG, execute this from the terminal on your Mac: In either case, replace /path/originalimage with the path and filename of your CDR or ISO file, and /path/convertedimage with the path and filename of the ISO or DMG file you want to create. On Linux, open up a terminal window and execute the following, replacing /dev/dvd with the path to your optical drive and /path/image with the path and filename of the ISO you’re making: If you’d prefer to use software to create an ISO image instead of command line tools, try Roxio Toast (Mac) or Brasero (Linux).
Other Windows ISO Creation Tools
While you won’t be able to follow our tutorial above exactly, there are several other free ISO creation tools available if you don’t like BurnAware Free or if it’s not working for you. Some favorites we’ve tried over the years include InfraRecorder, ISODisk, ImgBurn, and CDBurnerXP.
