gBurner Virtual Drive vs VHD Attach

gBurner Virtual Drive is a free Windows utility for creating virtual CD/DVD drives and accessing disc images without burning them to physical discs. It can create up to 16 virtual drives and supports formats including ISO, GBI/GBP, DAA, NRG, MDF/MDS, BIN/CUE, UIF, ISZ, DMG, IMG, and VCD. To mount an image, users open the virtual-drive tray menu, choose the mount command, select an image, and confirm. The same menu provides an unmount command. The download page lists Windows support from version 98 through Windows 11, including 32-bit and 64-bit editions. The free utility is listed at free and is described as free for personal and business use. However, the download comparison identifies mounting an image file to a virtual drive as a gBurner Pro feature rather than a gBurner Free feature. Pro costs $39.95, paid once. The maker says game and program images can run at over 200 times the speed of a conventional CD/DVD-ROM.

VHD Attach is a free Windows utility for attaching and detaching virtual disks. It adds Attach and Detach choices to the right-click menu for VHD files, and options can add a Detach choice to the hard-drive context menu. The program can attach virtual disks automatically when the system starts in full-access or read-only mode, and it can display disk information without attaching the disk. It supports Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2 and later, including Windows 10; older systems such as Windows Vista are not supported. On Windows 8 and Windows Server 8, it can also be used with ISO images and VHDX disks. Command-line parameters include /attach, /detach and /detachdrive. The source repository is published under the MIT License. A VHD stored at a network location may require a change to the service account so it can access that location. Automatic attachment of a BitLocker-enabled drive does not show its password prompt because mounting starts before the user interface appears.