You can mount an ISO file to make it available as a virtual CD or DVD, allowing you to convert physical discs to virtual ones.

Although, you should note that some DRM copy protection schemes wont work with ISO files, unless you jump through additional hoops.

ISO files are also great for things like providing a disc to a virtual machine program, or just saving a copy of a disc so that you can recreate it in the future if you need to.

There are lots of tools that can do this, but you need to be careful because many of them are packed with junkware.

On the ISO front, Ninite includes tools like InfraRecorder, ImgBurn, and CDBurnerXP.

Some of these programslike ImgBurndo include junkware in their installers if you get them from elsewhere.

To open it, press CommandSpace to open the Spotlight search box, type Disk Utility, and then press Enter.

Select DVDCD master as the format and leave encryption disabled.

You can mount it from within the Disk Utility application by clicking File Open Disk Image.

Open the Brasero Disc Burner, click Disc Copy, and then you can copy an inserted disc to an Image File.

Other Linux distributions and desktops may include similar tools.

Look for a CDDVD-related utility and it should have an option to copy a disc to an ISO disc image file.

Any computer without a disc drive can read them and use them as a virtual disc.

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