Windows 7 includes built-in ISO burning for the first time.
Disc images stored as ISO files can now be burned directly to CD or DVD in Windows 7, which means you no longer have to launch a third-party application to accomplish the task. ISO files (with the extension .iso) are used extensively on the Web to store complete disc images – they represent a complete CD or DVD, though you won’t be able to access the files they contain until they are burned to disc. Some compression tools, such as WinZip, can handle and open ISO files, which can be used to hold Linux distros, for example, or bootable rescue discs.
If the Windows Disc Image Burner doesn’t open by default when you double-click on a file with the .iso extension, you can reach it by right-clicking on the file and choosing the relevant option from the Open With menu. Select Choose default program if you want to make sure the Windows Disc Image Burner is always used with ISOs. The Windows Disc Image Burner is a very straightforward tool, so you won’t find much in the way of options – simply select the CD/DVD drive to use, then click Burn to start the process. If you haven’t already loaded a compatible blank disc, then Windows 7 will prompt you to do so.
(For a full guide to the burning features in Windows 7, order the Essential Windows 7 Handbook, on sale now from newsagents and online.)
