Daemon Tools Lite ISO image creator and writer
Daemon Tools Lite is a free burning tool that allows you to create and burn images and add virtual DVD drives to your system. They work the same way as physical DVDs without the need for discs. Instead, store the content on your hard drive for easy access.
The best recording tool
Daemon Tools Lite is one of the most popular recording tools, and for a reason. Its design has many advantages over its brothers. On the one hand, it is widely compatible and allows flexibility in recording, as it does not use a proprietary container format. This will mount most types of disc images, creating ISO, MDS, MDF and MDX formats for Blu-rays, CDs and DVDs. You can even burn ISO files to USB.Also, Daemon compresses your images to save space. To add to your security, it also allows password protection of files. Finally, it is free for personal use, emulating disk images on a virtual drive. You can run it on most versions of Windows, from Vista to Windows 8.
Accessing the program is simple: all you need to do is left-click on an emulated drive file or right-click on the image to mount it. The program features a plug-in architecture. It also gives you the option to attach plugins. The most notable extras are one that allows you to create .iso files and another that helps you manage copy-protected Securom disks.
Key uses and features
The primary use of Daemon Tools Lite is to back up your physical disks of any type to disk image files, or virtual disks, directly on your hard disk. It works on CD, DVD, HD DVD, and Blu-rays. Also, you can handle the images you created with other recording programs.The program also supports a variety of image types. The CD / DVD image converter allows you to transfer all your files in one format to your image catalog.
You can emulate up to four virtual drives on your PC at once using the retail version. Then the drives appear in your operating system in the same way as the physical ones. All you need to do next is choose a drive and images you want to mount. Enter My Computer and start working.
Another useful feature is the ability to create .mds and .iso image files from original physical disks. Mounting and unmounting the image is done within a single command-line interface.
Crisp and straightforward user interface
Daemon Tools Lite presents a simple and understandable user interface, but with an efficient design to facilitate its use.
There are two main windows inside, the largest one shows the Image Catalog, while the narrow one below shows the added drives, mainly the first virtual drive you connected. Add images to the Catalog by browsing and clicking the 'Mount' button once you find the desired file.
You will find two main types of virtual drives in the Daemon Tools Lite version. DT virtual appliances serve to provide the necessary emulation capabilities, while SCSI virtual appliances do the same for security-locked disks and other specialized firms. For most users, the former will be more than enough.
All the controls of this software exist in the toolbar between the upper and lower window. The primary option displayed is the Add Image control package, which allows you to mount and unmount images, add virtual devices, delete existing ones, and create disk images.
Also, you can use the Preferences tool to configure the software as you like. Change hotkeys, confirmations, and other similar operations.
These features make Daemon Lite easy to use even for those not so tech-savvy. Also, being so light and undemanding, the tool is great for laptops, especially those that lack the optical drives needed to burn discs.
Errors and alternatives
DT's first restriction is that it will not mount all image types, especially Magic ISO, Power ISO, Ultra ISO, and Easy Media Creator. However, this problem is not massive, as most of these files also exist in the supported .iso format.Also, although the tool is free for personal use, commercial users must pay for it. The pro version offers more options: more emulated drives, more powerful compression and imaging, and a graphical user interface that lacks DT Lite.
Another bigger problem is the 2012 controversy when DT included another service in its package. The addition, called Mountspace, collected usage statistics and logged it. Meanwhile, the controversy was settled, but privacy policies remain weak, driving many users away from the tool.
If you still want to use Daemon Tools or continue to use it, there are several things you can do to prevent Mountspace from collecting your data. Please use a version prior to 2012 or click 'Do not allow Mountspace to use my statistics' during installation.
Alternatively, you can choose another piece of software to record. If you are a Windows 10 user, you can enjoy the integrated tool of this operating system to mount with .iso and .vhd files instead of installing third-party software.
The next best option is an open-source alternative in the form of WinCDEmu, which works with various file formats and allows you to run unlimited virtual drives at the same time.
Virtual CloneDrive is also an option, supporting up to 15 virtual drives at once.
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