How do I create an ISO disc which can be read by Windows 7

M

macosbabe

Registered
Hi everyone,

I'm using 10.6, and have looked at many sources of information, but I cannot create a bootable data cd/dvd which is read by Windows XP (32-bit) and Windows 7 (64-bit) laptops.

I'm trying to create 2 discs: with an .exe file (avg antivirus) to install, and an iso bootable disc (linux mint 11) for Windows 7.

Both discs seem to burn ok, and their content is visible on the Mac. When I click on 'burn', a message says the disc will be readable on any windows computer.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
 
Bootable, and readable, are two different goals.
Do you want the disk to mount, so you can read and copy files from that disk?
That does not need to be bootable, and the disks that you burn should work for that.
Or, do you want to boot to that disk, so the windows PC is actually running from a system on that disk? You have to then have system files burned to that disk as well. If you are not sure how to do that, any local PC repair shop should be able to help you with that - or google for "burn windows-bootable CD/DVD", which should find you some info about how to do that. You may need to have access to a Windows PC, as it would copy some system files to that CD during the burn process?
 
Thanks for your very quick reply. To clarify:
One disc is to install AVG antivirus on the Windows Laptops (XP and 7) - (I'm doing this for a friend as well as myself), so this should be straightforward.
The other disc is to run linux mint live from the cd, without installing it. On the Mac there doesn't seem to be a simple 'format' option, eg to burn an iso disc.
I have to burn on the MAC, as the XP laptop is very old and there are problems with the internet, and the Windows 7 is brand new and as yet unprotected - and a friend's - so I want to play safe. Otherwise, I would simply download and install AVG directly on the microsoft laptops, and burn the iso disc from the microsoft laptops.
I thought that perhaps there was something wrong with my Mac Mini's optical drive, so I tried burning from an external CD/DVD burner, but that hasn't worked either.
I am persistent: 8 discs used so far, due to following advice I've found via google. I'm not giving up yet!
 
Here's how to burn an .iso on your Mac.
Download the .iso from wherever.
Open your Disk Utility.
Drag the .iso to the left window in your Disk Utility.
Click on the .iso in that list, then click the Burn icon, or choose Burn from the Images menu.
Follow the directions...

You wouldn't be looking for 'format', as the burn process takes care of the format for you, same as on Windows, and depends on the .iso itself to decide what to do, so you just choose Burn after choosing the image that you want to burn. You should then get a couple of windows, giving you some options, if you need them (usually not)

Or, do it more simply by downloading a burn utility which is designed to make the process easy (which it already is :D ) such as LiquidCD:
http://download.cnet.com/LiquidCD/3000-2646_4-84482.html?tag=mncol;1
or Burn (I don't know where they got that name :D )
http://download.cnet.com/Burn/3000-2646_4-96476.html?tag=rb_content;contentMain

i burned a bootable ubuntu cd yesterday, using LiquidCD, so I am certain that works. I have burned one for Linux before, using just Disk Utility, so I also know that works.

You don't need a bootable disk just to install AVG, do you? Isn't that just a normal software install? It would ask to restart Windows when complete, but doesn't need a bootable disk for the AVG, but simply a disk that the Windows PC will read. The disks that you burn will show in My Computer, don't they?
 
I wouldn't even waste a CD-R for the AVG. Just drop that .exe-file on a USB memory stick, insert that to the PC and run the installer .exe-file from there.
 
Correct (thanks, fryke!) - you can do the same with most any linux distro, and boot from that flash drive to run or install linux, and not mess with burning to an optical disk at all.
 
Hi guys,
many thanks for all your help. Before posting, I had tried 8 times to produce a bootable disc, just as DeltaMac suggests. Nonetheless, being persistent, I tried again 2x following your instructions. No luck. It may 'easy', but if I may I would like to amend that to 'should' be! I'll give the burner a go.
I'll also try a flashdrive for the avg.
Thanks again.
 
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