DAEMON Tools

A software program used to burn CDs and DVDs, Nero creates NRG files, which are also known as Nero CD/DVD image files. A number of software programs can utilize the information in NRG files either in the files' original format or in a converted form.

Burning

An NRG file contains a copy of a CD or DVD or a collection of files. Users can transfer or burn the contents of the NRG to a CD or DVD using Nero. Burning NRG files with Nero is the most common use of the file format and typically is used to create copies of media or to back-up information saved on a computer's hard drive.

Other Types of Software

In addition to Nero, other software can access NRG files. Among these programs are PowerISO and IsoBuster for Windows and Roxio Toast 10 Titanium for Mac OS X computers.

Conversion

Users can also convert NRG files into another format known as ISO (International Organization for Standardization) using a conversion program known as NRG2ISO. The ISO format is more widely used than NRG and accessible with programs like Corel WinZip and WinRAR for Windows and the Apple Disk Utility for Mac OS.

In computer software, making backups of existing media for future use or copying can be an important tool for business and personal use. Many options exist to make backup copies of compact discs (CDs) and digital video discs (DVDs). The company Nero began releasing its self-titled software in 1997 for use in burning or creating new discs from existing discs or files. Nero remains one of the leading competitors in disc backup utilities as well as several other software genres, including multimedia suites. The NRG file type is a disc image file in Nero's software.

Uses

Image files are digital copies of CD and DVD files. When you create an image file, you store the data of the CD or DVD within the image file and preserve file names and folders. You can later use the image to create additional copies or modify it with additional files. You can also use image files with a virtual drive that uses the image file as a CD or DVD without the need for an actual DVD-ROM drive.

Types

The original NRG file type consisted of 32-bit integers (whole numbers ranging from 65,536 - 4,294,967,295) placed in a series of chains. With upgrades to the Nero software, Nero modified the NRG file type to support 64-bit integers (whole numbers between 4,294,967,296 - 18,446,744,073,709,551,615). This change resulted in better performance with larger files like DVD images.

Applications

Files with the .nrg extension are mainly associated with Nero software. However, you can use them in similar applications like PowerISO, MagicISO, and WinMount. You can also convert them into the ISO file format through applications like Nrg2Iso and Nrg4Iso.

1. Determine exactly what you want to do with the file. If you want to burn it to CD, you will need to use Nero or another application capable of burning NRG image files. See Step 2 for more information on this. If you simply wish to view and use the information in the file without burning, you can use Daemon Tools. Skip to Step 4 if you wish to use Daemon Tools.

2. Open Nero or another chosen application. Open the NRG file in your application. Nero will recognize the file and allow you to burn the image normally. Nero will also allow you to view the contents of the NRG file before you burn.

3. Convert the NRG file to an ISO image if you’re using an application such as MagicISO. You can then burn the ISO image to CD. ISO images are also more widely recognized by CD burning software.

4. Download and install Daemon Tools if you wish to view the contents of the file without burning it to CD (see Resources). Daemon Tools allows you to mount an image file as a virtual CD drive.

5. Right click the Daemon Tools tray icon and select "Virtual CD/DVD ROM."

6. Select "Device" then click "Mount." Browse to your NRG image file to mount the image for your viewing pleasure.

1. Navigate to www.daemon-tools.cc/eng/downloads in your browser of choice. Scroll down to "Daemon Tools Lite" and download the program.

2. Install Daemon Tools Lite.

3. Right click the Daemon Tools icon in the Windows toolbar (bottom right hand corner of the screen). Scroll to "Virtual CDDVD-ROM," then "Set number of devices" and select "1." This creates a virtual drive with which your computer can open image files.

4. Right click the Daemon Tools icon in the Windows toolbar yet again and scroll to "Virtual CDDVD-ROM," then "Device 0: [F:] No media" and click "Mount Image." After clicking this, you may browse for the .nrg file you wish to open.

1. Download and install Daemon Tools. See link in Resources below for the download location.

2. Right-click the Daemon Tools icon in the Windows taskbar to open a context menu.

3. Select "Mount Image" by hovering over "Virtual CD/DVD-ROM," then "Device:0." Take note of the drive letter next to the words "Device:0."

4. Navigate to your NRG file using the provided dialog box.

5. Double-click the file to open it in the virtual drive.

6. Click the "Start" button, then "My Computer" to open Windows Explorer.

7. Locate the virtual drive created by Daemon Tools from among the listed installed drives within the Windows Explorer window. The drive letter for this drive will match the drive letter noted in Step 3.

8. Double-click the drive the NRG file is mounted on to open it for viewing.

9. Utilize the files within as you would any other disc medium.

1. Launch Nero Express from its installed location.

2. Click on the "Image, Project, Copy" icon at the leftmost side of the Nero start screen.

3. Click on the "Disc Image or Saved Project" icon that appears on the right hand side of the start screen.

4. Navigate to and select the NRG file you wish to burn.

5. Click the "Burn" button on the "Final Burn Settings" screen to start the burning process. A progress bar will be displayed, and Nero will inform you when the burn process is complete.

1. Put a recordable CD or DVD drive in the CD/DVD burner on your computer.

2. Click "Start" in Windows and choose "Computer" from the Start menu to open Windows Explorer.

3. Use Windows Explorer to navigate to a folder on your computer that contains a Nero image file with the extension ".nrg."

4. Double-click on the ".nrg" file to launch the Nero module "Nero Express Essentials."

5. Choose the CD/DVD burner drive in the drop-down box "Current Recorder."

6. Click the "Burn" button to start burning the image on the disc.

7. Wait for a Nero program message that the burning is complete. Then click the button "Next" to eject the recorded disc.

1. Open NRG2ISO or similar conversion software (see Resources).

2. Click "Source File" or "Add File" and browse your computer's files for the NRG you want to convert.

3. Select "NRG" or "Nero Image File (.nrg)" in the "Input Format" menu if the converter supports multiple file formats.

4. Enter "ISO" or "Disc Image File (.iso)" in the "Output Format" menu if necessary. (NRG2ISO will automatically select ISO as the output format.)

5. Change the file name under "Destination File" if you want to rename the file.

6. Click "Convert" to begin converting the file.

1. Download a free software program capable of reading .nrg files. One such program is Alcohol 52%; it's a free and powerful tool that can be used to read, create, copy, and burn CD image files (see Resources).

2. Install the software. For Alcohol 52%, the first time you run the program it will create a virtual CD-ROM drive, which you can then use to mount CD image files (which has the same effect as if you had burned the image file onto a CD, then inserted the CD into your computer's physical CD drive).

3. Open the .nrg file with the software. For Alcohol 52%, you can accomplish this simply by mounting the .nrg file onto the virtual CD drive you created when you first ran the program.

4. Open the image file with Windows Explorer and copy any files you want from the CD image file to your hard drive.

1. Download Nero BurnLite. Install and launch the application.

2. Click the "Data Burning" icon.

3. Place the blank media into the disc drive, closing the tray afterward.

4. Click the "Disc name" text field and name the disc.

5. Click the "Destination drive" menu and ensure that the drive containing the blank media is selected.

6. Browse for the NRG file using BurnLite's file explorer. Click the NRG file and click the "Add" button (green plus sign) to specify it as the image to be burned.

7. Click the "Burn" button to begin writing the NRG file to the blank media.

1. Download Nero BurnLite from Nero.com (link in Resources).

2. Install and launch the application.

3. Locate the NRG file using BurnLite's file explorer.

4. Click the NRG file and click the "Add" button (green plus sign) to open the file and view its contents.

1. Download and install Alcohol 52% (free, see Resources section). For Alcohol 52%, the first time you run the program it will create a virtual CD-ROM drive, which you can then use to mount CD image files (this has the same effect as if you had burned the image file onto a CD, then inserted the CD into your computer's physical CD drive).

2. Add the .NRG file to the software. To do so, either utilize the automatic Image Finder button on the left of the screen or drag the file to the main window of the program.

3. Mount the file on the virtual drive. For Alcohol 52%, accomplish this simply by dragging the .nrg file on the main screen onto the virtual CD drive you created when you first ran the program (visible on the bottom half of the main screen. This effectively "runs" the NRG file as if you had inserted the CD into your computer; any auto-play functionality should commence immediately.

1. Download and install SoftDisc (free trial, see Resources section).

2. Launch the program. Look for a wide white panel with a "Virtual CD/DVD Drive." Click the Virtual CD/DVD Drive to highlight it, then select "Drive" > "Mount Image File" from the drop-down menu at the top of the program.

3. Browse to the .NRG file you wish to run, and then click "Open". This runs the .NRG file in the same way as if you had placed a physical CD into your drive.

1. Download, install and launch PowerISO (free, see Resources section). You many have to restart your computer to complete the installation process.

2. Click the "Mount" button, then select "Mount Image to Drive [G:]" (the drive may be designated by a different letter depending on your computer's configuration).

3. Browse to the .nrg file you wish to open, then click the "Open" button on the bottom right of the browsing window. This will run the .NRG file as if you had inserted a physical CD into your optical drive.