What are ISO files and how to use (burn) them?
You can think of an ISO file like a box that holds all the parts to something that needs built - like a child's
toy you might buy that requires assembly. The box that the toy pieces come in does you no good as an
actual toy but the contents inside of it, once taken out and put together, become what you're actually
wanting to use.
In the same way, the ISO file itself is no good unless it can be opened and assembled.
The most common way to make use of an ISO file is to burn the ISO file to a CD or DVD. It's a different
process than burning an MP3 file or a document to a disc because your CD/DVD burning software must
"assemble" the contents of the ISO file onto the disc.
ISO image files are often used to distribute large programs over the Internet due to the fact that all of
the program's files can be neatly contained as a single file - the ISO file.
As with any other archive, an ISO image includes all the data of files contained on the archived CD/DVD,
or any other disc format. They are stored in an uncompressed format.
As with any other archive, an ISO image includes all the data of files contained on the archived CD/DVD,
or any other disc format. They are stored in an uncompressed format.
ISO image is an unattached file format (like RAR and ZIP): it merges a series of files into one single file
according to a definite format.
The most important feature of an ISO image is that it can be burned to a DVD or CD by using an ISO
image burner, like ISO Maker or K3b. It can also be opened using archivers such as 7-zip file manager or
the WinRAR shareware archiver.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_image
An ISO image is an archive file (also known as a disk image) of an optical disc. ISO image files typically
have a file extension of .ISO, but an ISO image can also contain UDF file system.
http://pcsupport.about.com/od/termsi/g/isofile.htm
An ISO file, often called an ISO image, is in fact an "image" of an entire CD or DVD. The entire contents of
a disc can be perfectly represented in a single ISO file. To use it, you first need to burn it to a CD or DVD.
A byte-for-byte copy of the raw low-level data stored on a disk.
An iso file contains the image of a disk. That means it contains all the files and folders that were on
that disk, much like a zip or cab file contains a collection of files and folders.
(All the files on that disk are placed in one file. Therefore one needs a utility to make a ISO
file and one to unpack or read that file.)
http://askleo.com/what_are_iso_files_and_ho
w_do_i_open_them.html
The easiest way to think of an iso file is more like a "zip" or "cab" file, only without the
compression.
Burning the ISO image file to a CD or DVD is a bit different than just burning the file. You'll need to
choose the "burn image" or "write image" option in your burning software and then choose the file.
If your CD/DVD burning software does not have this option or you want something more simple, try
following the steps below to burn an ISO image file to a CD or DVD. Here’s how:
1. Download Free Easy CD DVD Burner and follow the on-screen directions to install the
software. Free and fully functional. Decline programs that it asks you to install.
2. Insert a blank CD or DVD in your drive. Open the Free Easy CD DVD Burner program.
3. Click on the Copy CD/DVD button on the tool bar at the top of the program window.
4. Under the Action menu on the left, click the Burn an image file link.
5. When the Select the image file that you want to burn window opens, locate and select the
ISO file you wish to burn to the empty disc and then click Open.
6. A dialog box will appear asking "Do you want to burn [your ISO file]?". Click OK.
7. When the burning is complete, the CD or DVD will automatically eject from the drive.
You can remove the disc and close Free Easy CD DVD Burner.
8. If you view the contents of the disc, you might notice many files and folders. So what
happened to the ISO file? Remember that the ISO file is just an image of what should be
on the CD or DVD. That ISO file contained the information for all of the files you see on
the disc.
http://pcsupport.about.com/od/toolsofthetrade/ht/burnisofile.htm
How To Burn an ISO Image File to a CD or DVD
(Many ISO files, like some memory testing programs and password recovery tools, are intended to be
booted from after they are burned.) Here’s how:
1. Change the BIOS boot order so the CD or DVD drive is listed first.
2. Insert your bootable CD or bootable DVD in your disc drive.
How do you know if a CD or DVD is bootable? The easiest way to find out if a disc is
bootable is to insert it in your drive and follow the remainder of these instructions. Most
operating system setup CDs and DVDs are bootable, as are many advanced diagnostic
tools like the ones I discussed above.
3. Restart your computer.
4. Watch for a Press any key to boot from CD or DVD... message.
5. Your computer should now boot from the CD or DVD disc. If not:
 Recheck the boot order in BIOS (Step 1).
 Do you have more than one CD or DVD drive? Insert the bootable CD or DVD in the other
drive and restart your computer.
 Clean the CD or DVD.
 Burn a new CD/DVD. If the DVD or CD is one you created yourself, like from an ISO file, then
burn it again. The disc may have errors on it that reburning could correct.
http://pcsupport.about.com/od/tipstricks/ht/bootcddvd.htm
How To Boot your Computer from a Bootable CD or DVD