Appendix A. Creating ISO images

XenServer can use ISO images of CD-ROM or DVD-ROM disks as installation media and data sources for Windows or Linux VMs. This section describes how to make ISOs from CD/DVD media.

On a Linux computer

Put the CD- or DVD-ROM disk into the drive. The disk should not be mounted. To check, type the command:
mount
If the disk is mounted, unmount the disk. Refer to your operating system documentation for assistance if required.
As root, type the command
dd if=/dev/cdrom of=/path/cdimg_filename.iso
This will take some time. When the operation is completed successfully, you should see something like
```
1187972+0 records in
1187972+0 records out
			
```
Your ISO file is ready.

On a Windows computer

Windows computers do not have an equivalent operating system command to create an ISO. Most CD-burning tools have a means of saving a CD as an ISO file.
One simple and free utility is ISO Recorder. It works on Windows XP SP2, Windows 2000, and Windows Server 2003. Once installed, you simply right-click on a CD/DVD drive and select Create image from CD from the context menu.