19 replies to this topic

[Matt_Williams]

File Name: TotalMounter
File Submitter: Matt_Williams
File Submitted: 16 Aug 2011
File Updated: 06 Sep 2011
File Category: Tools

TotalMounter is virtual CD/DVD-RW emulator that allows to mount virtual optical burner and burn files directly to an ISO image. Except for that feature, you can use it to practically mount anything. From wide variety of image files (iso, bin, cdi, mdf, ccd, nrg) to even image disk files (img, vdk). On top of that, it can be used as a iSCSI Initiator to connect to iSCSI targets that can be CHAP protected and even to INetDisk server! It have very intuitive user interface that helps quickly and easily mount and unmount targets.

Video Tutorial:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROn0WLszGg4

TotalMounter - Starters Guide [PDF]:
http://www.kernsafe....data-sheet.aspx


Click here to download this file

[Frank77]

Seems like a nice tool.
During installation of kernsafe scsi controller i get the following message popup:
The file KSciPrt.sys ad KScsiPrt Install disk #1 is needed

Than i can brows to the file.

I have XP sp3 installed. I might have nLited some drivers/hardware out.
Is there some way to fix this? Of send you a error log?

[sambul61]

While we are at it, can you explain, how one can burn a (ISO) file to a hard drive with magnetic HD head?

[Wonko the Sane]

While we are at it, can you explain, how one can burn a (ISO) file to a hard drive with magnetic HD head?

Well, actually it doesn't "burn" it on the hard disk, it "burns" it to a Virtual CD burner, that creates a virtual .iso, which is then written to the hard disk, or if you prefer, being a "virtual" device, it "virtually" burns.

It behaves very like any of the various CD/DVD virtual devices, only you have write access to it.

More details are given in this [Development] thread:
http://reboot.pro/15170/


Wonko

[sambul61]

I don't think, the term BURN can be applied to the process of preparing a CD Image file. Professional programs use the term CREATE ISO image for that. Once created, such an image can then be burned onto a physical CDD/DVD if the need arise (which TotalMounter doesn't do). Such programs can also imitate the process (burn an existing image to CD virtually without powering the laser) to proof test it for potential errors.

But this term can't correctly describe a process of writing to RAM or HD (i.e. preparing) an ISO image in accordance with a certain CD/DVD standard. Its an empty marketing stance often associated with pure language knowledge. It has no bearing on quality of this tool though.

[Wonko the Sane]

I don't think, the term BURN can be applied to the process of preparing a CD Image file.

I completely agree, it is a very bad use of the term, but it is (incorrectly) widely used, and has unfortunately become of common use.

http://computer.hows.../cd-burner4.htm

Even on real optical media nothing, let alone DATA, is actually "burned", a more correct term would be "engraved" or "thermically engraved" or more simply "recorded" or "written".
The term "master" is also often used, IMHO as well incorrectly.

http://www.thefreeco...cdburning.shtml

If you check technical reference the term "record" and "write" are the most widely used, and you have CDR and not CDB, and CDRW and not CDRB.

It simply was a term that went into use, probably because the idea of a writing (burning) laser was at the time very cool and Sci-Fi.

OT, but not much , check my personal interpretation of the pictures here:
http://reboot.pro/15547/

It is also possible that it was originally intended taken as meaning #10 here:
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/burn

10. To engrave or make indelible by as or as if by burning: The image of the accident was burned into my memory.

i.e. a "metaphorical burning" with no actual fire or flames.


Wonko

[ambralivio]

@ Sambul61,

I think you're right but, as Wonko already well explained, the usage of "burn on an ISO" is well accepted/used/known by people currently using virtual CD drove.

@ Matt_Williams,
is there a specific reason to continue the topic on this new thread and not using the old one, referred by Wonko (http://reboot.pro/15170/), which was "suspended" by you ?

I remember to have made some comments on the tool, such as that not to be able to manage the "boot" part of the image.
Are there news on this important point ?

Thanks,
ambralivio

[paraglider]

Would it not be better to spend time discussing the functionality of the plugin as opposed to the use of the English language?. After all he was only repeating what is stated on the Kernsafe website.

[Wonko the Sane]

Would it not be better to spend time discussing the functionality of the plugin as opposed to the use of the English language?

WHICH "plugin"?
Cannot say if it would be "better", it may be more "productive", though.

After all he was only repeating what is stated on the Kernsafe website.

Sure , since "he" (Matt_Williams) is actually the Author of the app and he is connected with Kernel Safe, I find perfectly normal (I would say lapalician ) that when announcing his app he uses the same text/description wherever he announces it.


Wonko

[sambul61]

"The image of the accident was burned into my memory."

I like that... It seems to imply, there is no right word to describe unknown. Which is not the case here...

paraglider

No, it won't be more productive to avoid discussing terminology, since the author uses English interface to create a broader demand for his company's (commercial) tools, and it does important for him to choose proper English words that match the stated actions. If you believe, the term BURN is so widely used for creating ISO files, pls refer to a professional CD Burning Package that offers to BURN ISO files onto a hard drive.

The issue here is, an incorrect term may sound cool for a non-native English speaker, but a user who will choose that interface might get it wrong and get upset by the "cool" ad trying to fool him - the effect is opposite.

[ambralivio]

@ Sambul61,

come on, the project from Matt_Williams is worth (appreciate its capabilitiy to open/mount most image types), even if it is missing one of the main qualifying point for an imaging tool on a ISO file, that is the capability to manage/handle the "boot" part of the image.

ambralivio

[Wonko the Sane]

BUT the incorrect term has become in use, as in meaning #14 here:
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/burn

14. To record data on (a compact disk, for example).

or in meaning 2c here:
http://www.merriam-w...dictionary/burn

c : to record digital data or music on (an optical disk) using a laser <burn a CD>; also : to record (data or music) in this way <burn songs onto a disk>

When you use "write" in "write data to a hard disk" you don't really expect to use a pen or stylus on paper or on a clay tablet, as well as when you "save" a file you don't actually take a file and insert it in a piggy bank, and you don't say "magnetize data" on hard disks or "bitflip" on Solid State Memory devices.

So, IMHO, once we accept to use "burn" as a replacement/synonim for "write" or "record" on real CD/DVD writers, (aka CD/DVD burners), if you create a Virtual CD writer (aka Virtual CD burner) I find perfectly normal to use the verb "to burn" with it.

Expecially because it allows the user to use even without a physical CD/DVD writer, programs called (examples):

• IMGBURN
• CDBurnerXP
• Burn My Files
• Burn4Free
• Easy CD DVD Burner
• Nero BurnLite
• Nero Kwik Burn
• Free Disc Burner
• BurnAware
• Ashampoo Burning Studio
• Active@ ISO Burner
• 7Burn
• DeepBurner
• TinyBurner

Wonko

[sambul61]

ambralivio

The package looks nice and capable, but this is not a novice's project that needs encouragement - look at the website. I just want to help its developers to adhere to some common sense and culture (if not professional standards) in promoting their packages.

As to using WRITING instead of MAGNETIZING, here magnetizing is a method of writing data to disk, and it doesn't have to be clarified - WRITING is more common to several such methods as an "umbrella" word. BURNING is foreign to magnetizing a hard drive, they are not interchangeable. Such nuances are important to research for developers for the sake of their program (future commercial) success.

Lets look at another example: an English programmer will pick a Japanese word that sounds really cool and tasty (like Sushi) without ever trying to understand what it really means, and put it on Japanese version of his package UI instead of FILE. How would users in Japan deal with it - what do you think?

[Wonko the Sane]

The package looks nice and capable. I just want to help younger developers to adhere to some common sense and culture (if not professional standards) in promoting their packages.

This is very nice of you.

Lets look at another example: an English programmer will pick a Japanese word that sounds really cool and tasty (like Sushi) without ever trying to understand what it really means, and put it on Japanese version of his package UI instead of FILE. How would users in Japan deal with it - what do you think?

Yes, but this case is different, a great number of native English (or US English ) speaking people, professionals in the IT field, started using a -as said "improper" - term, and they did it so extensively that this improperly used term has become a neologism, that everyone that has ever come near a PC has learned and understand as "write data to CD or DVD", so the Author of this nice app made a logical choice, he went with the majority of his English speaking colleagues and used a term that 99.99% of people will recognize and understand correctly as meaning "write to the (virtual) device".

In other words, it is unfortunately too late , you should have started charging the 20 bucks years ago to the native English speaking peeps:

Spoiler

You would have by now some more pocket money, and we would have had a more correct English.


Wonko

[sambul61]

But it DOES NOT (burn ISOs to CD) , this is what you seemingly missed.
Actually that is what I initially thought also, but as a matter of fact, it was later cleared.

Are you in that "imaginable" majority that exists (time-to-time) in In-Sanity^® branded mind only?

Expecially because it allows the user to use even without a physical CD/DVD writer, programs called (examples):

• IMGBURN
• etc

Did you actually try any of these packages?

I use ImgBurn daily. Its name resembles the physical process of writing data to CD, and its interface offers:

Write Image File to Disk (meaning CD/DVD)
Create Image File from Disk (meaning COPY a CD content to HD)
Create Image File from Files (WRITE to HD)

[Wonko the Sane]

Are you in that "imaginable" majority that exists (time-to-time) in In-Sanity^® branded "staff" only?

As you often do, you take something out of context, you MISQUOTE it and then attempt (usually failing miserably) to derive from it something - unneededly derogatory - that makes no sense whatsoever.
The original post by user w2b

WiNToBootic can:

- make bootable NTFS USB/Flash Disk
- burn/extract any ISO type image containing Win7-family OS

stated that his app burned *any* ISO type.
After some initial misunderstanding, I managed to get off him that the app did not burn (nor write) ISO at all's it ONLY extracts their contents (and defintiely does not "on CD").
You missed this clarification (or failed to understand it) so I attempted to let you know how you were completely off-track.
My original post DOES NOT contain the word "burn", I was replying to you, that used the term "burn" quoting W2b

Did you notice that this w2b's program can "burn" ISOs? What makes you think, he can't add the ability to emulate a CD / DVD hardware (when suggested to do it in your friendly advice)?

But it DOES NOT , this is what you seemingly missed.
Actually that is what I initially thought also, but as a matter of fact, it was later cleared:
http://reboot.pro/14950/page__st__32
that the nice app ONLY EXTRACTS contents of the .iso (and ONLY contents of "any ISO containing Win7-family OS"), then builds out of them a "flat" directory structure, if you prefer the result is essentially the same of the original MS app:
http://www.mydigital...from-iso-image/

So, you introduced the idea of "burning" something to a Virtual Device.

Did you actually try any of these packages?

Of course NOT, I ENGRAVE my CD's/DVD's BY HAND , byte by byte, nibble by nibble and bit by bit.

I use ImgBurn daily. Its name actually resembles the physical process of writing data to CD, and it offers:
Write Image File to Disk (meaning CD/DVD)
Create Image File from Disk (meaning COPY a CD content to HD)
Create Image File from Files (WRITE to HD)

Still, it is an excellent program , and it is named IMGBURN.

And, had you quoted it's home page correctly, it offers:

It has several 'Modes', each one for performing a different task:
Read - Read a disc to an image file
Build - Create an image file from files on your computer or network - or you can write the files directly to a disc
Write - Write an image file to a disc
Verify - Check a disc is 100% readable. Optionally, you can also have ImgBurn compare it against a given image file to ensure the actual data is correct
Discovery - Put your drive / media to the test! Used in combination with DVDInfoPro, you can check the quality of the burns your drive is producing
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ImgBurn supports a wide range of image file formats - including BIN, CCD, CDI, CUE, DI, DVD, GI, IMG, ISO, MDS, NRG and PDI.

It can burn Audio CD's from any file type supported via DirectShow / ACM - including AAC, APE, FLAC, M4A, MP3, MP4, MPC, OGG, PCM, WAV, WMA and WV.

Why don't you write the Author (and all the Authors of the other mentioned programs telling them they have the wrong title?)
Also, while you are there, tell him that he has several uses of the word "burn" in the readme.txt, some examples:

/LAYERBREAK <LBA>
Used to tell the program where to put the layerbreak.
Only applies to WRITE and DISCOVERY modes and only when burning DVD+R DL discs.
Example: /LAYERBREAK 2000000

/TESTMODE <YES | NO>
Used to make the program simulate the burn - whereby no data is actually written to the disc.
Basically, it just checks (or unchecks!) the 'Test Mode' box for you!

/VERIFY <YES | NO>
Used to make the program verify a disc is readable after it has been burnt.
Basically, it just checks (or unchecks!) the 'Verify after write' box for you!

/DELETEIMAGE <YES | NO>
Used to make the program delete the image after it has been burnt.
Basically, it just checks (or unchecks!) the 'Delete Image When Done' box for you!

/DELETESOURCE <YES | NO>
Used to make the program delete the source files after they've been burnt.
Only applies to BUILD mode. *** USE WITH CAUTION ***

/EJECT <YES | NO>
Used to make the program eject the disc after it has been burnt.
Basically, it just checks (or unchecks!) the 'Eject Tray When Done' box for you!

Wonko

[sambul61]

Too many words - quite symptomatic behavior.

As I mentioned, ImgBurn burns data to CD/DVD disks, hence the name (not because it saves ISO to hard drives).

"A laser can remove material very efficiently because the laser beam can be designed to deliver energy to the surface in a manner which converts a high percentage of the light energy into heat. The beam is highly focused and collimated - in most non-reflective materials like wood, plastics and enamel surfaces, the conversion of light energy to heat is more than {x%} efficient. However, because of this efficiency, the equipment used in laser engraving may heat up rather quickly. Elaborate cooling systems are required for the laser. Alternatively, the laser beam may be pulsed to decrease the amount of excessive heating... A high-power carbon dioxide laser head burns away, or ablates, unwanted material..."

[Wonko the Sane]

As I mentioned, ImgBurn burns data to CD/DVD disks, hence the name (not because it saves ISO to hard drives).

Yes , and TotalMounter virtually burns data to a virtual CD/DVD disc (which is later saved as an ISO image to a writable mass storage device such as a hard disk drive), can you spot the similarities?

http://www.grammaris...ling/disc-disk/

A laser can remove material very efficiently ...

BTW, and JFYI, no material is removed by the laser beam in a CD/DVD drive (if it were, WHERE it would go? ).


Wonko

[sambul61]

"Burn a virtual CD disk...then write it to an ISO file" - it doesn't resemble the sequence of creating an ISO image. Still, how one can BURN his imagination?

So, you "engrave CDs by hand"? I suspected, your Commodore was shipped without a CD Burner though.

Btw, advertising iSCSI packages (very expensive technology) by cool words targeting teenagers won't work:

- teens don't burn CDs anymore, and neither have CD burners in their Netbooks, hence not familiar with the obsolete term;
- teens are hardly responsible for buying iSCSI equipment, so the ad misses the target - bad marketing strategy.

Which concludes my participation in this discussion.

[Wonko the Sane]

I suspected, your Commodore was shipped without a CD Burner though.

You don't pay much attention, do you?

While you type on your Commodore "it can't be done", REAL developers are busy adding these features.

Look, first thing I am using a ZX81 and NOT a Commodore.

... and no, my good ol' ZX81 hasn't a CD Burner.


Wonko