While ISO files provide a very useful means of distributing and storing data, most people won't need this on a daily basis. Arguably the handiest use for ISOs is to serve as virtual discs. Some software titles, notably reference titles, run entirely from CD or DVD and require the relevant disc to be in the drivetlt time of use. Unless your computer is fitted with multiple CD and DVD drives, this leads to the hassle of disc swapping and the need to track down the relevant discs whenever they are needed . But with ISO files, you could store a large number of frequently used discs on a hard disk so they are never more than a few mouse clicks away.

To make use ofISO files without burning them to disc you'll need an ISO-mounting program. We're going to use Daemon Tools, which is free and easy to use. Download the latest version from Install this program, restarting Windows to complete the process. During the second stage of the installation process, take care to untick the boxes labelled 'Daemon Tools sponsor ad module' and 'Daemon Tools default Search Provider' to prevent the installation of unwanted components. At the next screen you'll probably want to decline the option to change your web browser's home page to Daemon Search.

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If the files need to be accessible every time Windows is used, right-click on the Daemon Tools icon in the Notification Area, click on Options and ensure that both Automount and' Autostart tray icon' are ticked. Use the information in the mini Workshop on page 64 to discover how Daemon Tools can be used to load ISO files into virtual optical drives. With the option of creating up to four virtual drives, this should reduce the need to swap CDs and DVDs.