Booting an Iso

[Zaios]

Noob question here: How exactly do you boot from an iso DVD?

I have a bootable dvd copy of windows 7, but the problem is that when I set the priority to the disc in the BIOS< I get a black screen with a blinking " _ " symbol. When the disc is inserted into my drive while I'm in windows, it says that there are zero items within the disc; however, if I put the same disc into my mac, it shows some files.

Am I doing something wrong?

P.S. After about 45 seconds of the blinking "_", the computer just boots into regular windows, and I don't get a message prompting me to hit any key to boot from the CD or DvD.

[Demoness]

Noob question here: How exactly do you boot from an iso DVD?

I have a bootable dvd copy of windows 7, but the problem is that when I set the priority to the disc in the BIOS< I get a black screen with a blinking " _ " symbol. When the disc is inserted into my drive while I'm in windows, it says that there are zero items within the disc; however, if I put the same disc into my mac, it shows some files.

Am I doing something wrong?

P.S. After about 45 seconds of the blinking "_", the computer just boots into regular windows, and I don't get a message prompting me to hit any key to boot from the CD or DvD.

To boot from the ISO, you have to burn the image to a disc and finalize it. Most burning programs will do that, even the windows burning software will know what you are trying to do. Make sure that you do it this way, and not just copy the file to the disc. A PC does not know what to do with a writable disc that just has a *.ISO on it.

[Zaios]

Problem is that the files are already on the disc ( a friend made it for me) but windows just won't read any of them even though my mac will O_o

---------- Post added 2011-07-13 at 07:45 AM ----------

Like, I can't even see what's on the disc via start menu --> computer ---> disc drive.

[haxartus]

The idea of the iso is that you copy the entire DVD with all of it's files in to one file which can be sent over the Internet. Then someone downloads it and burns it on an empty DVD.
The software that later burns the iso on an empty disk restores the original file structures, names and everything.
If you open the disk you should not see the .iso file.

[Djinni]

Problem is that the files are already on the disc ( a friend made it for me) but windows just won't read any of them even though my mac will O_o

---------- Post added 2011-07-13 at 07:45 AM ----------

Like, I can't even see what's on the disc via start menu --> computer ---> disc drive.

And what exactly is on the disc?

[Zaios]

It's supposed to be windows 7 O_o I haven't actually ever booted from it, but my friend made it for me.. maybe he made it incorrectly? O_o

[haxartus]

Go to my computer, select the disk drive and select Open or Open in new window.

[Djinni]

It's supposed to be windows 7 O_o I haven't actually ever booted from it, but my friend made it for me.. maybe he made it incorrectly? O_o

Hence why i asked, exactly what file(s) are on the disc?

[bondgirl]

If you burn the .iso to a disc you should see a normal disc menu/structure like you would have with an original disc. If you dont see anything or only the .iso file then smth messed up. Just get you nero (there are test versions all around the webz) and burn it via recorder>burn image file to your disc.

[Zaios]

All right. Sounds good. Thanks

[Djinni]

If you burn the .iso to a disc you should see a normal disc menu/structure like you would have with an original disc. If you dont see anything or only the .iso file then smth messed up. Just get you nero (there are test versions all around the webz) and burn it via recorder>burn image file to your disc.

No need to get Nero to be honest (Nero has gone down the path of including lots of crapware now....) Windows Image Burner will work just fine.

[ispano]

So you're asking for help with, as far as we can tell, pirated software? Not allowed here you know.

[Djinni]

So you're asking for help with, as far as we can tell, pirated software? Not allowed here you know.

MS does let you download their software to burn yourself so you don't have to go into a store and buy a retail disc....(assuming we give the OP the benefit of the doubt)

[ispano]

( a friend made it for me)

This is why I said what I did.

[dicertification]

This is why I said what I did.

Doesn't matter since the iso's are available from microsoft. He didn't say anything that would imply piracy. Unless he was talking about having activation issues.

[taekvideo]

If you have a big enough flash drive you can boot from that... my most recent install though I used an external hdd and made that bootable with the windows 7 files.

[Zaios]

@ispano: No, I've bought windows 7 but I've lost my disc. I have a code and everything, but I just need a copy of it to be working so that I can do a fresh install. I know piracy isn't allowed; doh =P