How to open ISO image file content in Linux without burning to disc

To view and use a CD or DVD’s ISO without needing to burn it to disc is to mount it as a loop via the loop option.

Assuming mycdrom.iso is the ISO file, the following example will mount it to /mnt/cd

$ mkdir /mnt/cd
$ sudo mount -o loop -t iso9660 mycdrom.iso /mnt/cd

You can now navigate to /mnt/cd to view the content the ISO file.

1. Check if loopback device module is loaded
2. Load loopback device module if not already loaded
3. Create a temporary directory to mount the ISO image to
4. Mount the ISO image to the temporary directory.

   readonly

5. View file listing of the ISO image (optional)
6. Open file
7. Unmount ISO file
8. Remove directory