mount usb flash drive as cd player

caffeine · May 25, 2024

My computer has no CD player and, does not have enough USB ports to easily perform all of the tasks I occasionally tackle. I have encountered instances where a flash drive is not an option. The only available option is a CD player. Can I mount an external USB flash drive as a CD player?
EDIT for clarification...My goal is to see the mounted CD in This PC without further need to have the flash drive plugged in.
Thanks in advance for helpful answers.

regards,
caffeine

garlin · May 25, 2024

Wouldn't a Lenovo or 3rd-party USB-C docking station work for you? That normally provides extra USB-A ports.

caffeine · May 25, 2024

If my understanding is correct, a docking station is an external device to mount the computer on. If that is correct, I would not be able to use that option when away from home while on battery power. If you are referring to a USB hub, I thought there is a conflict when accessing multiple ports at the same time.
What I would like to accomplish is similar to mounting an ISO as a drive. Am I making sense?

regards,
caffeine

steveg · May 25, 2024

"My goal is to see the mounted CD in This PC without further need to have the flash drive plugged in".

I'm not getting this part.

Wisewiz · May 25, 2024

@caffeine

In addition to the docking station or USB hub that would give you more USB ports, an external portable USB-A DVD player-writer is not very costly, and will last a long, long time. I have a Lenovo 00XD342, and it's about two years old and works beautifully whnever I take it out of the closet and plug it in.

Here's a refurb supplier example:

00XD342 | 4XA0K93942 | Lenovo External DVD Super Multi Drive

00XD342 | 4XA0K93942 | Lenovo External DVD Super Multi Drive Lenovo Tiny DVD Super Multi Drive provides excellent read/write capabilities using SATA interfaces for speedy execution. Connect to your USB port and enjoy crisp, clear DVD play back and reliable DVD recording. Port: USB 2.0 Access...

merchantscanada.com

caffeine · May 25, 2024

Thanks garlin,
I checked the link you provided. Maybe I am tilting at windmills -- But -- I desire is to accomplish this without an external device. My research to date indicates that the mounting requires an ISO for mounting. I was hopeful that a virtual CD player would be a solution but, so far no go.

regards,
caffeine

garlin · May 25, 2024

When you say you need a CD player, are you talking about using it for audio CD or burned CD/DVD content? There are apps to extract a mounted CD/DVD image to .ISO format. Then copy the .ISO file to an USB flash drive, which Windows can mount as an ISO volume (creating a new temporary "drive").

Wisewiz · May 25, 2024

caffeine said:
My computer has no CD player and, does not have enough USB ports to easily perform all of the tasks I occasionally tackle.

caffeine said:
Can I mount an external USB flash drive as a CD player?

A hub or a dock would answer the first question perfectly. The second is more challenging, because you seem to be wanting a USB flash drive to be recognized "as a CD player," and to be able to remove the flash drive from your computer and have the previously "recognized" CD player remain in your File Explorer. Is that right?

caffeine · May 25, 2024

steveg said:
"My goal is to see the mounted CD in This PC without further need to have the flash drive plugged in".

I'm not getting this part.

Here is the deal. If you mount an ISO, This PC shows the ISO as a drive on the computer. The mounted drive is independent of any devices plugged in to the computer hence, no need for having a device plugged in. If I can accomplish my goal then, a virtual CD player would Show up in This PC with no need for a plugged in device.
Do you get the visual on that?

regards,
caffeine

caffeine · May 25, 2024

Wisewiz said:
A hub or a dock would answer the first question perfectly. The second is more challenging, because you seem to be wanting a USB flash drive to be recognized "as a CD player," and to be able to remove the flash drive from your computer and have the previously "recognized" CD player remain in your File Explorer. Is that right?

In File Explorer would work but, I would rather see it displayed in This PC to provide a "one stop shopping" experience. Once again maybe titling at windmills.

regards,
caffeine

Wisewiz · May 25, 2024

I think the problem you face is that yes, you can put an ISO on a flash drive and yes, you can mount that ISO in the This PC display as a drive, but no, you can't then just remove the USB drive and have the mounted ISO remain in the This PC display.
But I still don't get the "flash drive as a CD player" thing. Putting the contents of a CD on a flash drive is no challenge, but the PC will recognize the flash drive as a flash drive, not a CD player. The only way to get a CD player to show up in This PC is to attach a CD player to the PC.

caffeine · May 25, 2024

garlin said:
When you say you need a CD player, are you talking about using it for audio CD or burned CD/DVD content? There are apps to extract a mounted CD/DVD image to .ISO format. Then copy the .ISO file to an USB flash drive, which Windows can mount as an ISO volume (creating a new temporary "drive").

An example of my intent is an option offered in Control Panel to create a password recovery (or reset -- I don't remember for sure). When attempting to perform this task, a CD is required with no flash drive option. There are other times and places where I have encountered the same lack of options.
EDIT -- no audio CD or burned CD/DVD content deired
regards,
caffeine

Wisewiz · May 25, 2024

caffeine said:
a CD is required with no flash drive option.

caffeine said:
no audio CD or burned CD/DVD content desired.

So I did get it right: you want a flash drive to be recognized as a CD drive, and then you want to be able to disconnect the flash drive and have the PC still "think" it has a CD drive attached.

Ain't gonna happen, caffeine, our friend.

glasskuter · May 25, 2024

caffeine said:
Control Panel to create a password recovery

Per MS, To do this you use a usb flash drive

Create a password reset disk for a local account in Windows - Microsoft Support

Learn how to create a password reset disk for a local account in Windows 10 and Windows 11.

support.microsoft.com

caffeine · May 25, 2024

Wisewiz said:
I think the problem you face is that yes, you can put an ISO on a flash drive and yes, you can mount that ISO in the This PC display as a drive, but no, you can't then just remove the USB drive and have the mounted ISO remain in the This PC display.
But I still don't get the "flash drive as a CD player" thing. Putting the contents of a CD on a flash drive is no challenge, but the PC will recognize the flash drive as a flash drive, not a CD player. The only way to get a CD player to show up in This PC is to attach a CD player to the PC.

The ISO I mounted came from a downloaded file, not from a flash drive. It was displayed in This PC as a drive. Therefore, whether or not a flash drive is plugged in is moot in this example.
You said, "Putting the contents of a CD on a flash drive is no challenge, but the PC will recognize the flash drive as a flash drive, not a CD player. The only way to get a CD player to show up in This PC is to attach a CD player to the PC." After all the conversations here it appears that the only viable solution would be a downloaded virtual CD player ISO. I my need to research whether or not such a thing exists.

regards,
caffeine

caffeine · May 25, 2024

glasskuter said:
Per MS, To do this you use a usb flash drive

Create a password reset disk for a local account in Windows - Microsoft Support

Learn how to create a password reset disk for a local account in Windows 10 and Windows 11.

support.microsoft.com

Thanks, you may have nailed the password reset disk.
I am not ready to abandon the original intent yet. I am thinking out of the box for reasonable solutions for a little longer.

regards,
caffeine

Wisewiz · May 25, 2024

Virtual CD player search results:

https://www.google.com/search?q=virtual+CD+player%3F&oq=virtual+CD+player%3F&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIICAEQABgWGB4yCAgCEAAYFhgeMggIAxAAGBYYHjIICAQQABgWGB4yCAgFEAAYFhgeMggIBhAAGBYYHjIICAcQABgWGB4yCAgIEAAYFhgeMggICRAAGBYYHtIBCTEyNTk1ajBqN6gCALACAA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

glasskuter · May 25, 2024

Save yourself a lot of effort, buy an externally powered usb hub and a portable dvd drive.

Berton · May 25, 2024

One other thing to try, if the data doesn't change one could create an .iso file, copy it to another drive then in File Explorer choose Mount to read it.

create .iso file at DuckDuckGo

DuckDuckGo. Privacy, Simplified.

duckduckgo.com

antspants · May 25, 2024

If your OS (or secondary) drive is large enough, you can create as many ISO files as you like and mount them so as they appear as another DVD drive, they will each be assigned a drive letter.
As many as you have spare drive letters that is.

You don’t necessarily need to have an ISO on a USB in fact it’s better that they exist on your internal SSD/HDD (In my opinion)

For example:

Mount ISO 1 = E:
Mount ISO 2 = F:
Mount ISO 3 = G:
Etc
Etc

Each mounted ISO will be assigned the next available drive letter.
To remove (unmount) the drive, you right click on the DVD drive letter and choose “Eject”

Mount or Unmount ISO and IMG File in Windows 11 Tutorial

This tutorial will show you how to natively mount or unmount ISO and IMG image files in Windows 11. An ISO or IMG file is a DVD disk image file. When you mount an .ISO or .IMG file, it will be added as a DVD drive in File Explorer > This PC. ISO and IMG files cannot be mounted on removable...

www.elevenforum.com

And for further reading/options (temporary optional mount)

Mount Folder as Drive in Windows 11 Tutorial

This tutorial will show you how to temporarily mount a folder as a virtual drive with a drive letter for only your account in Windows 10 and Windows 11. When you mount a folder as virtual drive, you will be able to access the folder from the virtual drive. The contents of the folder will still...

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