FS-plugin: VirtualDisk

Flint · Post by *Flint » 2004-01-23, 21:49 UTC

This plugin allows to mount disk images as additional drives. It works only under systems Windows 2000 and higher (32/64-bit).
One can mount ISO- and some of BIN- and NRG-images of CD, and arbitrary image files that are recognised by Windows (FAT and NTFS), including IMG-files - floppy images. When an image is mounted, there is a new drive appears in the system. Its letter is specified earlier, and the new drive contains all the content of the image file. Three modes
are available:
• HDD — emulation of local hard disk drive.
• FDD — emulation of floppy drive.
• CD/DVD — CD-drive emulation (there is no difference between CD and DVD in the system).
Also there is the "Read only" modifier that allows to disable modifying of the image mounted. CD-drive emulation is always performed in Read-Only mode.

IMPORTANT!!!
For the plugin to work it is needed to install the driver of the virtual drives (the Install command from the context menu of the file VD_Driver\vd_filedisk.inf).
In 64-bit Windows versions the driver installation must be performed from Windows Explorer only!

Plugin / mirror (256 Kb)

Command-line tool:
Tool / mirror (78 Kb, with sources)

djk · Post by *djk » 2004-01-24, 00:30 UTC

2Flint
It seems to be a good job. Thanks.
I've tried it and here are some of my first notes:

- It would be good if I was able to see which image is currently mounted. When I have several images copied to Virtual Disks I can't see which one is already mounted, and which is not (the icons could be different). The best it would be if I could also see to which letter of disc it's currently mounted (eg. the mounted drive letter could be added to image file name).

- It shouldn't allow to mount every file. I can copy there anything now (eg. .pdf, .txt files) and mount them. Of course I have no access for such drives but it should just say something like: "Mounting impossible".

- Can I use such mounted images for CD recording, I mean eg. just copy form new mounted Z: to CD?

Flint · Post by *Flint » 2004-01-24, 00:46 UTC

djk

- It would be good if I was able to see which image is currently mounted.

Yes, this is in my plans for future versions.

- It shouldn't allow to mount every file. I can copy there anything now (eg. .pdf, .txt files) and mount them. Of course I have no access for such drives but it should just say something like: "Mounting impossible".

This is not so easy as it seems. For example, I want to create a new empty image and work with it. To do so I can create a file with any content, mount it in RW-mode and format as FAT or NTFS. If your suggestion will be released, I will not be able to mount incorrect images and therefore - create new empty image files. It will be necessary to create files that are already properly formatted, this is difficult...
One thing that I could do: restrict copying files with extensions other than ISO, IMG or IMA, but I decided not to do it... Maybe, it will be an option in future.

- Can I use such mounted images for CD recording, I mean eg. just copy form new mounted Z: to CD?

Hmmm... I didn't understand what you mean. Explain please, what do you want to write? Change ISO-image, write it on real CD, use newly mounted image as CD-RW and write something on drive Z:, or maybe something else?

djk · Post by *djk » 2004-01-24, 00:58 UTC

Flint wrote:
- Can I use such mounted images for CD recording, I mean eg. just copy form new mounted Z: to CD?
Hmmm... I didn't understand what you mean. Explain please, what do you want to write? Change ISO-image, write it on real CD, use newly mounted image as CD-RW and write something on drive Z:, or maybe something else?

Let's suppose I have my_soft.img file. And I don't want (or I can't) use in my burning software option "Burn from image". I want to use option "Copy CD". So my question was (I can't just check it myself at the moment): If I mounted my_soft.img as for example Z: drive using your plugin, can I use "Copy CD" option in my burning software to copy from Z: to my CD (eg: E: ). Usually using eg. Demon Tools I can do it.

Another question/problem:

If I mounted an image file as a drive and removed the image form Virtual Disks - I can't dismount the drive? Is computer rebooting the only solution to dismount it?

Flint · Post by *Flint » 2004-01-24, 13:00 UTC

djk

Let's suppose I have my_soft.img file. And I don't want (or I can't) use in my burning software option "Burn from image". I want to use option "Copy CD". So my question was (I can't just check it myself at the moment): If I mounted my_soft.img as for example Z: drive using your plugin, can I use "Copy CD" option in my burning software to copy from Z: to my CD (eg: E: ). Usually using eg. Demon Tools I can do it.

Generally - yes, you can. But there is one feature: if the program that will copy one CD to another will try to get list of CD-drives in system, it can fail in getting drive Z:. The thing is that Z: is not a real system device, it is not present in Device Manager, and therefore, many programs will not find it. For example, WinISO didn't find drive Z: on my Win2003.
I will try to find out how to add new drive into the list of system drives.

If I mounted an image file as a drive and removed the image form Virtual Disks - I can't dismount the drive? Is computer rebooting the only solution to dismount it?

Oops, sorry. This is my defect. I've completely forgotten about it.

In the nearest version the plugin will ask to unmount this drive before deleting. In the current version rebooting is the only way.

Strogg · Post by *Strogg » 2004-01-24, 14:21 UTC

Flint wrote: Unfortunately plugin works only under Windows NT/2000/XP/2003.

You will be surprised but plugin operates also under Win98se!

Just for the case I tried it exactly following the instructions in readme. It works OK!
So you can easily add Win98SE for system requirements.
Great job!
Thanks a lot.

djk · Post by *djk » 2004-01-24, 14:26 UTC

2Flint
Thanks for the answers, so let's wait for new versions

Flint · Post by *Flint » 2004-01-25, 02:18 UTC

Strogg
Thank you for the test. I even have not tried it under Win9x

I'll write in system requirements, that it may work there. The thing is that author of the driver set this limitation, so I think in Win9x it must be used carefully.

JJM · Post by *JJM » 2004-01-28, 12:11 UTC

Problem :
I do not manage to up an image under Win2000 Pro
See file http://14jjm22.free.fr/Virtual_Disk.jpg

Flint · Post by *Flint » 2004-01-28, 12:24 UTC

I have written in ReadMe.txt not to use Read-only mode - it can get some errors. Use only RW and CD modes. BTW, ISO-images in RW- and RO-mode cannot be read because they use different file system - CDFS and it is not recognisable by Windows as properly RW-disk file system. You should mount CD-images only in CD-mode.
I'll write it in ReadMe.txt in next version.

JoeyHH · Post by *JoeyHH » 2004-01-29, 00:20 UTC

In WinME it does not work as you said. It says path wrong(driveletter z and others), so i could not mount.
Thats a pity

mingyan · Post by *mingyan » 2004-01-29, 10:52 UTC

Can not found server "flint.50free.org"

DNS query error !!! Download fail ......

Any other link ???

Sheepdog · Post by *Sheepdog » 2004-01-29, 11:58 UTC

2mingyan
Send me an email and I send you the plugin via email. ( For me works the link fine - I tried it just now again).

sheepdog

JJM · Post by *JJM » 2004-01-30, 09:15 UTC

Having made the necessaires modifications, new pb:
" The road of acces specifie is untraceable "

http://14jjm22.free.fr/VirtDriveRW.gif

or

http://14jjm22.free.fr/VirtDriveCD.gif

Flint · Post by *Flint » 2004-01-30, 10:04 UTC

JJM
Try to use correct DOS path to images, for example - C:\CD_EMUL\IMAGE.ISO
Maybe, plugin doesn't like $ sign in paths...

Total Commander

FS-plugin: VirtualDisk

FS-plugin: VirtualDisk

Re: New FS-plugin: VirtualDisk