Windows 7: ISO Question

I ran a backup of my Windows 7 disk. It is an ISO file. I just clicked on properties and it showed that the ISO was in Winzip. When I run the disk to reinstall Windows sometime in the future, does the ISO self extract as it is loading or do I need to do something myself?

Thanks,

The ISO must be mounted in a virtual drive, or extracted to a folder, or burned to a disc to be used. ISO is a container; it will not self-extract.

Maybe I misstated my question. I burned the ISO to a disk. I right clicked on the disk on Properties. It shows the ISO is in WinZip. That is what is confusing. Does the ISO install from the CD?

Depends. Is the current BU an exe? If your goal is ti creae a backup that that you cab ryn to restore there are better ways to do it.

My preference is Acronis.

There are two ways to burn an ISO file to disk... as a data file or as a disk image. In data mode you will see the ???.ISO file on the disk. In image mode you will see the content of the ISO as files. To be bootable you have to burn in image mode.

There are many softwares that can burn an ISO in image mode... google is your friend.

You failed in your attempt to burn the ISO properly.

The DVD should contain many files and folders, none of them named whatever.iso.

I use UltraISO, not free. I will find data on what you need to burn an ISO natively. brb


To the gurus: I type with a virtual keyboard. Tedious & slow.

what program did you use to create the backup?

If you used the Windows 7 backup, you should have more than an ISO file.

Theres no problem. The reason you are seeing it as a zip file is that if you have Winzip installed on your computer, it will automatically associate with some file extensions (unless you uncheck those extensions in the program settings), including .iso, even if its not an archive but a disk image. That way, you can use winzip to extract the content of that DVD to your hard disc, but you can only use it if it is burned (AS IS!!!, not "uncompressed") on a blank DVD.

Can you see the file extension when you hover over the iso? In "Folder Options" in Windows Explorer, uncheck the box "Hide extensions of known file types". Then check your file.

like bill say's there's no issue the ISO should work as a mounted image , be burnable to DVD or unpacked with winzip ?

for my compressed files i personally use Power Archiver and it offer's an extra function to install rather than just unpack an ISO but i normally mount my ISO images with virtual clone drive