ISO File Editor - Anyone Recommend Good (Free?) One?

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Ex_Brit

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I know I can extract the contents of an ISO file using Winrar/Winzip and suchlike and then repack it after editing using Nero, but that is such a fiddley rigmarole.

I was looking at MagicISO, seems to be something that I can do the whole thing with?

It's not free however. Anyone any recommendations?

Reason: I have to edit the Windows 7 RC ISO so that it will install as an upgrade from v7000.

I'm not interested in anything that requires a PhD in Quantum Physics to understand.
 
MagicISOs bout the only program I've seen that can do editing and such, but as you said its not free and I've never tried it so can't tell you how easy it is to use. I knows theres a few free linux alterntivies out there if you look hard enough though, but they are command line.

Edit: Never mind. Quick google search brought up a free graphical editor for Ubuntu.
 
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I can suggest PowerISO, but I don't know how good it is because I have never used it. Never had a need to edit an ISO file. There is a free Linux version on the following page:

PowerISO - Create, Edit, Extract, Mount, Compress, Encrypt, Split ISO file, ISO/BIN converter, Virtual Drive, DAA

Addendum:

Ok, I found one that may be prove to be "the one":
AVS Disk Creator | freewaregenius.com
What this program offers:


  • A straightforward design that is simple and easy to use. Working with files and folder (adding, deleting, renaming, etc.) is very intuitive.
  • A clean, compact sleek look (comes replete with a handful of skins).
  • Support for a wide variety of drives and media formats, including dual layer the next generation Blu-Ray formats. Supported media formats include: CD-R/RW, DVD+/-R, DVD+/-RW, DVD-RAM, Double/Dual Layer DVD and the latest Blu-ray technology BD-R and BD-RE.HD-DVD format support promised in future versions.
  • Data verification option upon burn completion
  • True multisession support; according to the developer’s website, you can add new files to a existing sessions that were previously created on other software, even on DVDs.
  • Works with ISO disc images (create, read, and/or edit existing images).
  • You can save projects that work on for later access.
  • Bootable CD/DVD’s support promised in a future version.
Best of all, its completely free.
 
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Looks nice cool but doesnt support working with bootable iso images without affecting the boot record:

http://www.freewaregenius.com/2006/11/21/avs-disk-creator/ said:
Bootable CD/DVD’s support promised in a future version

That one I mentioned above can do this. They have a Windows version one as well as I found on thier site, but the Windows version is not free.
 
Justin & Coolname007, thanks for the input. AVS Disk Creator would do fine I think as I really don't need another bootable disk creator, I already have Nero and ImgBurn. I notice that AVS is no longer supported yet the original page says Vista compatible so that sounds pretty good. I'll try it before thinking about forking out money.

Thanks again guys. When I finally get the darned RC I'll let you know what transpires.

Everyone is downloading what they think is RC from torrents - I'm not taking the risk.

Addendum:

By the way, if you go to the original site there is version 3.5 (as against version 2.1) which has a lot more features I think:

http://www.avs4you.com/AVS-Disc-Creator.aspx
 
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I downloaded 3.5 version to try it out, but it seems that's only a trial version, and you have to purchase a license which costs $39 for 1 year, and $59 for an unlimited version.
I believe 2.1 is still free. (Downloading it right now to find out)

EDIT: Confirmed. 2.1 is free, though they try to get you to update it (no doubt to the non-free version). As long as you don't, it should be fine.
 
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I stupidly went for the $59 as that gives you a license to use all of their software, permanently , the list is quite extensive.
Guess what? It wont even open the ISO, despite what it says in the help section. I fired off a support form.

So what's best here? As per MSFT instructions I burned the unchanged ISO to a DVD-RW. I then used IMGBURN to give me an ISO image of the CD that I could alter. However, according to a new posting in the Win 7 forums I should "extract/expand the ISO to a directory or folder where I want to run the installation from", which would makes bits of it easily editable in notepad. Not sure how to expand an ISO other than having to download something like WinRAR? Another "not free" item.


Addendum:


Addendum: Forget all the fancy software, AVSDiskCreator, ISOBuster and so forth...I didn't realise that good old 7-Zip which I've had hanging around for years, allowed me to extract all the files from the ISO and then I could edit that one file in notepad.

And yes, the setup.exe causes the installation to start but I didn't allow it to proceed as this is a practice run using a torrent I downloaded which I don't trust. I'm waiting until the actual RC appears on Technet Plus.

Thanks for all the invaluable help.
 
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Ouch, sorry to hear about that, at least no one else reading this well get avs products than.

Yes, good old 7-zip, was going to mention it but saw your addendum. That's great if you just want to perform the upgrade from within Windows, but the problem is if you want to make a modified iso that can still boot. If thats the case try the linux version of ISO Master as it is free.
 
Thanks.

Well, if they don't give me my money back I at least have access to all the following, should I ever need them:
AVS Video Converter
AVS Video to GO
AVS Video to iPod
AVS Video to PSP
AVS Video to Flash
AVS Audio Converter
AVS Video Editor
AVS Video ReMaker
AVS DVD Authoring
AVS DVD Copy
AVS Video Recorder
AVS Media Player
AVS YouTube Uploader
AVS Audio Editor
AVS Ringtone Maker
AVS Audio Recorder
AVS Music Mix
AVS Disc Creator
AVS Registry Cleaner
AVS Firewall
AVS System Info
 
I stupidly went for the $59 as that gives you a license to use all of their software, permanently , the list is quite extensive.
Guess what? It wont even open the ISO, despite what it says in the help section. I fired off a support form.
Are you sure it wont open it? I just tried opening an ISO with the 2.1 version, and it works perfectly fine. You can add or remove files as you see fit. In the 2.1 version, you have to double-click on the ISO to open it, and a dialog box will pop up giving the choices of either "Load ISO-Image (load from iso-image files/folders)" or "Add ISO-Image (add iso-image to filesystem)". So then you simply click on "Load ISO-Image" to make sure its selected, and then hit Ok. Then you haft to wait about 5-10 seconds for it to load, and display the files in the ISO.
And that's it, and you are free to edit the ISO as you please.
Try opening it again, and see if have any better luck.

Jake
 
No the 3.5 version refuses to do it. Could be that is was created by IMGBURN...?

In the attached image you see files that I did manage to extract using 7-Zip, it's the bottom .iso that refuses to open in AVS.
 

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No the 3.5 version refuses to do it. Could be that is was created by IMGBURN...?
Hold on...you created the Win7 RC .iso with ImgBurn? May I ask what you created it from? Also, I thought Win 7 RC wont be even released till April 30. So how did you obtain it already?
 
I had burned a Torrent leak version to disc which I already stated I wouldn't actually be using. I used ImgBurn's "Create Image File From Disc" feature, which is what Microsoft told us to do to go through with this modification to stop the installation failing as an upgrade option fromn a previous Win7 version.
 
I had burned a Torrent leak version to disc which I already stated I wouldn't actually be using. I used ImgBurn's "Create Image File From Disc" feature, which is what Microsoft told us to do to go through with this modification to stop the installation failing as an upgrade option fromn a previous Win7 version.
Ahh...I guessed as much. You need to verify then that the torrent, first of all, was not a fake, and second that there's no problems with the .iso it downloaded. Try booting from the disk you burned the .iso to, and see if you see the normal Vista setup program. It could be the .iso is messed up.
 
I forgot to add that it does the same with all my other legitimate MS ISO files which I've stored as backups for my installations CD's/DVD's. The only thing in common is that they are all created by ImgBurn.

I know they are legit.

Addendum:

Correction, they were created using ISO recorder.
 
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I forgot to add that it does the same with all my other legitimate MS ISO files which I've stored as backups for my installations CD's/DVD's. The only thing in common is that they are all created by ImgBurn.

I know they are legit.
Well, personally I can't testify to how good ImgBurn's "create iso" feature is. I only know that the program is mainly for burning the .iso to a disk, and that it does very well. You may want to look into using a different tool to create the .iso from the disk...
Or at most, use version 2.1 of AVS disk creator which might not have the same problem.

Jake

Addendum:

Addendum:

Correction, they were created using ISO recorder.
All of them?
 
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Well, personally I can't testify to how good ImgBurn's "create iso" feature is. I only know that the program is mainly for burning the .iso to a disk, and that it does very well. You may want to look into using a different tool to create the .iso from the disk...
Or at most, use version 2.1 of AVS disk creator which might not have the same problem.

Jake


Addendum:


All of them?


I had used ISO recorder to create ISO images of all my installation CD/DVD's and ImgBurn for this Win7 RC one.

I'll go into my spare XP boot and install 2.1 to see if it acts differently.

Addendum:

That doesn't work either. I got that choice of what to do and then it didn't do anything.
 
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Try putting the ISO you're trying to load in a directory with no spaces in the file path, and see if it loads then...
 
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