PowerISO Updated Review

[tarekma7]

Overview:

 PowerISO is a small powerful tool that will process any image file you need in an easy and fast way. It has a built in internal virtual drive that will allows you to mount ISO files. The program lets you manage any image file on your computer. You can open, extract, burn, create, edit, compress, encrypt, split and convert image files . The program has many advantages that makes it the best choice for you. First, the size of the program is small with minimum requirements and support all windows versions. Second, the user interface is very friendly and easy to use. Third; it can process almost all CD / DVD / BD image files including ISO and BIN files. Fourth; after purchase you will enjoy lifetime use with good customer support. PowerISO provides a comprehensive solution that will help you to process your image files.
 
Homepage:
 
http://www.poweriso.com/

 

Download and Installation:
 
You can freely download the trial version from the official website. You can visit here to download:  http://www.poweriso.com/download.php  The trial version is 3.3 Mb in size while the retail (full) version link is sent to you immediately after purchase [2.5 mb]. The current version is 6.6 released in May 25, 2016. The unregistered trial version will display a dialog prompts you to register, and you can not create or edit image files greater than 300MB. To remove these limitations, you need to purchase an original license at a reasonable price of 29.95$ [ http://www.poweriso.com/order.htm ] and you will enjoy all the program features and lifetime updates. The program can be installed on all windows versions from win 98 to windows 10. The program has minimum requirements, it needs only 64MB memory and 10MB free space on your hard disk. Installation is very easy. All you have to do is to double click on the installer you have downloaded then follow simple on screen instructions till the program is installed on your computer.
 
Supported languages: 

 

The program is multilingual. It supports many languages so that you will enjoy using it with your own language. Supported languages include English, Arabic, Armenian, Belarusian, Bosnian, Bulgarian, Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Farsi, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Lithuanian, Malay, Norsk, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Serbian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Vietnamese, Kazakh. If you want to change the program language, simply click language under options menu, then select the language from the menu that appear.
 
Main Features:
 

• Support almost all CD / DVD / BD-ROM image file formats (ISO, BIN, NRG, CDI, DAA and so on).
  
  
  
• Open and extract ISO file. You can extract ISO file with a single click.
  
  
  
• Burn ISO file to CD, DVD, or Blu-Ray disc. PowerISO is a professional burning software. With this tool, you can create Audio CD, Data CD, Data DVD, Video DVD or VCD. PowerISO also supports Blu-Ray burning.
  
  
  
• Burn Audio CD from MP3, FLAC, APE, WMA, or BIN files.
  
  
  
• Rip Audio CD to MP3, FLAC, APE, WMA, or BIN files.
  
  
  
• Create ISO file or BIN file from hard disk files or CD / DVD / BD discs.
  
  
  
• Edit ISO image file directly.
  
  
  
• Mount ISO file with internal virtual drive. PowerISO can mount all popular disc image files to built-in virtual drive.
  
  
  
• Convert image files between ISO / BIN and other formats. PowerISO can not only convert BIN to ISO, but also convert almost all image file formats to standard ISO image file.
  
  
  
• Create bootable USB drive. PowerISO allows you to setup Windows through USB drive.
  
  
  
• Make bootable ISO file and create bootable CD, DVD disc.
  
  
  
• Support both 32-bit and 64-bit Windows.
  
  
  
• Can be used easily. PowerISO supports shell integration, context menu, drag and drop, clipboard copy paste
  
  
  

Supported CD/DVD disc image types It works with wide variety of image files such as ISO,  BIN / CUE, DAA, UIF, DMG, MDF / MDS, ASHDISC, BWI / B5I, LCD, IMG, CDI, CIF, P01, PDI, NRG, NCD, PXI, GI, FCD, VCD, C2D, BIF and many more.
Supported CD/DVD file systems   It works with wide variety of CD/DVD file systems such as Standard ISO-9660, Joliet ISO extension (CDs under Windows 95 and higher),  RockRidge ISO extension (CDs under FreeBSD, Linux), El Torito extension (bootable CDs), Univeral Disk Format (UDF), XBOX DVD Format, APPLE HFS and  HFS+

New Features:

The continuous development of the program offers you many new features and fix any minor bugs. The current version offers you many new features such as; new "DISM Tool" function, config shell context menu, config toolbar buttons, improved dmg and wim file support and minor bug fixes and enhancements.







The new DISM Tool (Deployment Image Servicing and Management Tool) needs admin privilege to start. It supports more image options such as mount, capture, apply, extract, delete, split, export. The new tool has its built in settings and options
 
If you want to revise all modifications done and version history; please visit this page:
http://www.poweriso.com/tutorials/history.htm

User Interface:

 

The interface is very friendly and easy to use. You need no skills to use the program as a professional. For those users who like themes, the program is skinny. There are 7 skins to choose from according to your wish. Moreover, you can select any of the available 37 languages to enjoy using PowerISO in your own language.
 
The user interface window consists of:
 
Title bar: this displays PowerISO title and the current opened image file name.
 
Menu bar: contains file, view, action, tools, options, and help buttons.
 
Tool bar: This contains frequently used operations, such as "new", "open", "save", add, extract , delete, copy, compress,  burn , mount , help
 
Explorer bar which Can be used to browse the image file conveniently.
 
Folder view: present on the left side and displays the folder structure of the current opened image.
 
File view: present on the right side of the main window. It displays all files in the current selected folder.
 
Properties bar present on the lower part of the main window and display file properties and capacity
 
Status bar: present below status bar on the lower part of the main program window. It shows the number and size of files in current folder, and the number and size of the selected files.
 
Menus:

File menu:


View Menu:


Action Menu:


Tools Menu:


Options Menu:


Help Menu:



Now, Let me discuss in details the various features of PowerISO. The program supports a lot of image file formats, in my discussion I will write ISO file being very common and well known. However, any supported image can be managed in the same way.
 
Create ISO File:




 
Using PowerISO you can easily create ISO file from any files present on hard disk files, CD or DVD. Simply add the files and folders using add button or drag and drop then use “Save" button to save the iso file. Alternatively, you can right-click on the files selected then choose "Add to file.iso" then save with the specified name. That’s all!
You can make it bootable using add boot information present under action menu then add the bootable information extracted from image file



Being a professional software, you can create any type of files. For example; data CD, UDF DVD, audio CD, mixed mode CD, video CD, hard disk image or floppy disc image.
After you create the image file you want you will be able to burn it to CD, DVD or BD.
 
Edit ISO File:





 

Using this built in feature, you can edit any ISO file on your computer.  You will be able to add or delete files and folders to the ISO file image. In addition, you can easily rename files or folders, change label, modify file's date and time and add boot information to the make bootable ISO image file. Also you can add password protection and split image into multiple volumes using advanced tab under image properties. After opening the image file using the program, use image properties under file menu or double click properties bar.
 
Extract ISO File:



The program has a built in tool that lets you easily extract any files or folders from any supported image file (for example ISO or daa). Simply open the file image then click the "Extract" button on toolbar or in right click menu. Specify the destination directory for the extracted files. Alternatively, you can easily drag the files you need to your computer or right-click on the file selected and choose the menu "Extract here. You can use command line tool (piso.exe in installation directory) to perform the same order.

Burn ISO File:

 

You can easily burn any image file to disc. All you have to do is to open the file using PowerISO then click burn in the tool bar. Choose the burning speed from the drop down list. By default, it will be set to maximum. You can change it according to your needs. Only speed settings supported by both the media and the writer will be listed.
 There are many options and settings available for the burning function. These are easily accessible using more settings in burn dialogue and burn section under configuration button (option menu).
 
You can verify written data (to make sure it is identical with the original copy), finalize disc or even eject disc after burning completed. If you want to make sure that the data will burn to the disc correctly (to test your drive and settings before actual burning), you can use Simulation burning tool. It is a test procedure and no data will actually be written to the disc. The program will offer you the ability to set the number of copies you need to burn (by default it is set to one copy). Also you can save time and effort through burning files to multiple writer drives (connected to your computer) at the same time. For rewritable discs, PowerISO supports two erasing modes: Full Erasing and Quick Erasing.


Mount ISO File/Disc image files:




 
Using PowerISO, you can mount ISO file and other popular image file as virtual drive. In addition, you can use the virtual drive menu to choose the number of virtual drives which you want to set. It supports up to 23 virtual drives.
 
Audio Disc:


 
PowerISO helps you to easily create standard Audio CD and mixed mode CD. You can burn mp3, wma, wav, flac and ape files to CD. In addition, you can edit existing Audio CD image files. It also supports playing of audio tracks within audio CD image files.
 
Audio CD ripper:

 

PowerISO has an interesting “Ripper” tool which lets you easily rip an audio CD and save it into common formats such as mp3, wma, wav, flac and ape files. You can then play the output files on any of your devices (for example, laptop, iPhone, tablet….)
 
Convert image file formats:




 
Using PowerISO, you can easily convert any of the popular images files to ISO file or to BIN/Cue or to. daa file. For example, you can convert .ISO or .nrg image file to BIN and the reverse. The process is very easy. All you have to do is to open convert option under tools menu and browse to the desired image file using source file. Then select the type of output file you need and the destination directory and start convert. That’s all!
 
Create Bootable USB drive:




 
Using this useful feature, you will easily create bootable USB drive for any windows version (for example Windows XP, Vista, 7 and so on). This tool needs admin privilege before starting. Simply, open “Create bootable USB” under tools menu and select source image file or CD/DVD and destination directory. Then set the writing method; the program supports USB-FDD, USB-ZIP, USB-HDD and raw writing. Finally start. You can see the progress of the creation till completed successfully.
 
Virtual disk image file:
 
PowerISO has a useful built-in feature which manage virtual disc image files. It supports all popular formats such as VMWare Virtual Disc Images(*.vmdk), VirtualBox Virtual Disc Images(*.vdi), Virtual PC Virtual Disc Images(*.vdi). You can process these files according to your needs. For example, you can easily open, edit, extract virtual disc image files using the open button in the tool bar or under file menu.  
 
Copy CD, DVD, or Blu-ray Disc:





 

You can copy all you CD, DVD or Blu-Ray to new disc with the help of PowerISO. Simply use "Copy" button on toolbar, then choose "Copy CD / DVD / BD Disc" from the popup menu. PowerISO shows "Copy Disc" dialog. Choose the source drive and burning drive for copying disc. Select the burning speed from the list, and change other burning settings if necessary. Then Click "Copy" button to start copying. PowerISO will do a sector by sector copying. All information in the source disc will be copied to the new disc.
The program offers another option to copy image CD/DVDs (Under copy button menu). If you select this option, you will have the image file CD/DVD drive and the destination you want and click start

Create Checksum of Image File:

There is a very useful tool under tools menu that helps you to checksum (MD5 or CRC32) of any image file. The process is very easy and fast.





Other features:

Using PowerISO; you can compress image file, view drive/disc information, file testing, search for image files
 
PowerISO Configuration:
 
PowerISO settings are present in the configuration option under options menu. The program has a lot of settings which are set to the default level suitable for most users. You can change settings according to your needs

General settings:



These include file extensions associated with PowerISO, temporary folder, default viewer, enable shell integration and automatic check for updates.

Virtual Drives:   

 

You can set the number of virtual drives (default value is 1 but it supports up to 23 virtual drives) Other options include Autostart of virtual drive with your system, Auto mount of selected images, Virtual Drive letter assignment, and use custom icons for Virtual Drives.

Audio settings:
 

 
These include output file format (for example mp3, flac, ape, wma, or wav), output file mode (single or multiple), output file name format and write CD text information when burning an audio CD.
 
Settings in "Miscellaneous" Tab:
 

 
These settings include many options; default compression method, using low priority when compressing (to avoid slowing down your computer), burning buffer size (The value must be between 8MB and 128MB), verify written data, eject disc after burning, set .daa as default file type for saving (if not selected the default will be .iso), optimizing file layout and clear opened files history
 
Pros:

Supports 28 different image types
Quick and easy installation.
Small size
Friendly user interface
Support many languages
Supports shell integration, context menu.
Ability to Auto start & Auto Mount virtual drives on boot.
Doesn’t slow down your computer
And many more
 
Cons:
 
NONE
 
Conclusion:

 PowerISO is small yet powerful tool that offers all-in-one solution for management of your image files. It has all the feature you need to process your image files (creator, editor, extractor, converter, burner). Moreover, it offers a very useful virtual drive. It has audio burner, audio ripper and video burner. I recommend using this program. It will save your time and doesn’t slow down your computer.