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How to Mount ISO File in VM?

Published in Virtual Machines 4 mins read

To mount an ISO file in a virtual machine, you'll typically use the VM's settings or command-line tools, depending on the virtualization platform and the operating system of the guest VM. Here's a breakdown of the process:

Mounting Through VM Settings (GUI)

This method generally applies to popular virtualization software like VMware, VirtualBox, and Hyper-V.

  1. Shut Down the VM: Ensure the virtual machine is completely powered off. Do not just suspend or save its state.
  2. Access VM Settings: Open the settings or configuration panel for your virtual machine in your virtualization software.
  3. Locate Storage/CD/DVD Settings: Look for a section related to storage, CD/DVD drive, or optical drives. It might be labeled differently depending on your software.
  4. Choose ISO Image: Select the option to "Use ISO image file," "Choose a virtual CD/DVD disc file," or something similar.
  5. Browse for ISO: Browse to the location of your ISO file on your host machine and select it.
  6. Connect at Power On: Make sure the "Connect at power on" or similar checkbox is selected so that the ISO is mounted when the VM starts.
  7. Start the VM: Power on the virtual machine. The ISO image should now be mounted as a virtual CD/DVD drive within the VM.

Mounting Through Command Line (Linux Guest OS)

This method assumes you are using a Linux guest OS and have SSH access.

  1. Connect via SSH: Establish an SSH connection to your virtual machine.

    ssh user@vm_ip_address

  2. Identify the Virtual CD-ROM Device: Use the lshw command (or similar tools like lsblk) to identify the device path for the virtual CD-ROM drive. Often, it's /dev/cdrom or /dev/sr0. If lshw isn't installed, you may need to install it using your distribution's package manager (e.g., sudo apt install lshw on Debian/Ubuntu).

    lshw | grep cdrom

    Or:

     lsblk

    Look for a device that has the rom type.

  3. Create a Mount Point (if necessary): If you don't already have a directory to mount the ISO to, create one. /mnt is a common choice.

    sudo mkdir /mnt

  4. Mount the ISO: Use the mount command to mount the ISO file to the chosen mount point. Replace /path/to/your/image.iso with the actual path to your ISO file within the VM (you may need to transfer it to the VM first using scp or similar) and /mnt with your desired mount point. Include the loop option which is necessary to mount the ISO.

    sudo mount -o loop /path/to/your/image.iso /mnt

    Example:

    sudo mount -o loop /home/user/Downloads/my_image.iso /mnt

  5. Access the ISO: The contents of the ISO file are now accessible through the mount point (e.g., /mnt).

  6. Unmount the ISO (when done): When you are finished with the ISO, unmount it.

    sudo umount /mnt

Important Considerations:

  • Permissions: You may need sudo privileges to mount and unmount the ISO image.
  • ISO Location: The ISO file must be accessible from within the VM. You might need to copy the ISO file to the VM if it's only available on the host machine.
  • Virtualization Software Specifics: The exact steps may vary slightly depending on the virtualization software you are using (VMware, VirtualBox, Hyper-V, KVM, etc.). Consult the documentation for your specific software for detailed instructions.
  • Transferring Files: Consider using tools like scp (Secure Copy) to transfer the ISO file from the host machine to the guest VM if needed.

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