So, you’re stuck with the ISO file and burning it on a CD seems to be a humongous task? Well, fret not, help is at hand! ISO files are nothing but images of the entire CD compiles put together as one whole image- something similar to what the Ghost does with partitions and hard disks.

ISO images can be copied on CDs by loading it into myriad CD recording software packages. Now, you need a program to help you accomplish this. Here’s how you can burn ISO files on CDs using the different options below.

1.    ISO Recorder Power Toy: This is a Windows XP freeware utility and employs the Windows XP functions to rip images on to a CD. Now, after you’ve installed this program, it gets automatically aligned with the ISO file extension in the Windows Explorer vehicle. All you have to do is to download the ISO CD image on to a folder in your desktop, insert a blank CD and start the Windows Explorer. Find the respective file, right click on the file name and choose the Copy image to CD option which would instantly open the ISO Record Wizard and initiate the process. Now, all you have to do is to follow the steps spewed by the Wizard and burn the image on the CD. The only hitch with this program is that it supports only on files with the ISO extension while the other ISO files with IMG extension are conveniently ignored.

2.    Nero – Burning ROM: Now, who hasn’t heard of Nero? No, we’re not speaking about the Roman emperor but of the famous burning software. Copying an ISO file to a CD is literally child’s play, if Nero’s on your computer. All you have to do is download the ISO CD image to a folder, insert a blank CD, start the Nero Burning and follow the instructions given by the Wizard to select the Data CD option. Now, all you have to do is click Burn Image on the File Menu (once the Wizard closes) and when the Open Dialog box pops up on your screen, select the ISO file and click Open. Finally, hit the Burn option and we’re done!

3.    EasyCD Creator (Roxio): Here’s yet another way to get those troublesome ISO files on to a CD! The EasyCD Creator courtesy Roxio is your best bet! All you have to do is download the ISO file on to a folder, insert the CD, start the Windows Explorer, search for the ISO file, right click on the file name and hit the Open to start the EasyCD. Now, in the section called Write Method of the CD Creation Setup dialog box, click on the Disk at Once option for optimal recording performance. At last, click OK to copy the image on to the CD. Phew!

4.    CDBurn.exe courtesy XP Support Tools: This is yet another useful tool and comes as a part of the Windows Server 2003 Support Tools. The CDBurn tool is a command line program which makes it possible to burn the data images from image files on the hard drive to recordable and rewritable CDs. Data of any kind, including raw data can be ripped on to a CD. Moreover, this program can also be employed to erase the CD-RW media.

To burn using this tool, key in the following command line: cdburn.exe d: c:\dotnet_usa_3678.IDS_x86fre_srv.iso

Click the Enter and an output flashes across your screen. This indicates that the file is being burnt on to the CD. By default, the burning speed is 4x and the maximum speed is limited to the speed of the burner. The speed parameter allows you to set the speed which you are comfortable with.

We’ve shown you the way. So, the next time you come across an ISO file to be copied on a CD, you know how to do it!