Installing a VM from ISO-Image rather than CD

[Krischu]

Rather than burning a CD from downloaded ISO-images of each OS one wants to build a VM from it would be convenient to use the ISO-image directly. How can I achieve this?

[magic-man]

Create the VM with one CD drive.

Doube click on the CD drive in properties of the VM.

Select USE ISO IMAGE

Browse to the image.

I made images of all my install cd (dvd),s to speed up installing to VM, especially when testing Vista.

[RDPetruska]

An additional comment... if the distro you are installing uses multiple CDs, then when it comes time to switch CDs, you first need to (if the guest has a button for it) eject the CD within the guest, then ctrl-alt to return focus to the host, right-click on the CD icon in the bottom right status bar area of the Workstation UI and select disconnect; repeat and click edit; select the next ISO image needed; reconnect; then click the mouse back in the Guest's window, and let it know the next CD is loaded.

[pszilard]

What is recommended working method to create ISO, say from a Win XP install CD?

I've tried Nero (Express) but it only does .nrg files and .iso is not offered in the file types drop down.

I tried ISO Buster 1.9[/b], but none of its ISO options were recognised by VMW when I tried to connect CD drive to the .iso file.

Thanks in advance,

[mikefoley]

I've used this on Windows a few times.. Works well.

http://isorecorder.alexfeinman.com/isorecorder.htm

[RDPetruska]

I've had great luck with (and purchased) UltraISO. I've also heard good reports on MagicISO. There are probably a few freeware tools out now, too.

[pszilard]

BRILLIANT! Thanks ever so much!

Have a great day.

[kingneutron]

If you use Linux, it's free:

' time dd if=/dev/cdrom of=isofile.iso bs=1M '