Content

• To step
• Tips
• Necessities

An ISO image file (a file with an .iso extension) is a type of file used to replicate the contents of an optical disc, such as a CD. The ISO file for a disc contains every piece of information that is on the disc. The file can therefore be used to make an exact copy of a disk, even if you don't have a physical copy of the disk. In general, it is unnecessary to open an ISO file and view its contents, as it can be burned to a disc without doing this. Knowing how to open ISO files can help you troubleshoot the disc file or look up specific information within the disc file.

To step

1. Download and install a compression program. By default, most operating systems will know how to handle ISO files. You will need to install a compression program (also called archiving software) to open ISO images. The simplest one for this purpose is WinRAR, which has a shareware license.
   • Start by downloading WinRAR. These can be found at various locations on the internet, including the official website at www.win-rar.com.
   • Double click the WinRAR setup icon to start the installation process. During installation, you will see a box titled "Associate WinRAR With". Make sure the "ISO" box is checked so that your computer automatically associates 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 a WinRAR logo, which looks like 3 stacked books, as it is associated with WinRAR.
3. Open the ISO file. Double-click the file's icon to open it. WinRAR will show the contents of the ISO file in a new folder. Note that changing this content may render the ISO image unusable for burning to a CD. If you need to change a particular file in the image, make a copy of it rather than delete it from the image.
4. Close the window when you are done. After viewing the contents of the image, close the window. You don't have to close WinRAR separately; it only runs when used.

Tips

• Note that mounting an ISO image (burning to an optical disc) requires different software. Once the image has been burned to a disc, its contents can be viewed from the disc, but cannot be edited.
• There are several other compression programs that can be used for this, some of which are specifically designed for handling disk files. With each program this process will be approximately the same as the previous one; some require you to navigate to the ISO file using a "virtual drive" to view the content.

Necessities

• Computer
• WinRAR
• ISO file