PhpWiki - How to burn the download to a CD

What is an ISO Image?

An ISO is a file that contains the complete image of a disc, from sector 0 to the end. Such files are often used when transferring CDROM images over the Internet, and are commonly used as a way of offering Linux distributions for download. The latest version of the SME Server, for example, is available from contribs.org for download using this format. Once you have it on your hard drive, you can burn it onto a CD using one of many CD-burning software packages.

More precisely, an ISO image is an image of an ISO 9660 CD-ROM. ISO is short for the International Organization for Standardization. (ISO is not an acronym. Instead, the name derives from the Greek word iso, which means equal.) The ISO 9660 format defines the file system used by almost all CDROMs of Windows, Mac, Linux and so on.

Some CD-burning applications create plain ISO 9660 images, while others interpret the ISO format as they like. Nero, from Ahead Software, uses the NRG suffix to name its ISO images. ISO images created by Easy CD Creator (from Roxio, Inc., which was spun off from Adaptec, Inc. in September, 2000) contain some lead-in and lead-out bytes around the core of the 2048-byte sector. This explains why ISO images created by Easy CD Creator cannot be burnt by all burning packages (for example, CDRWin complains about the file not beeing a multiple of the sector size). On the other hand, Easy CD Creator can burn plain ISO images written by other packages.

Definition:ISO 9660:

Important Notes

To create a bootable CD from an ISO image, you must burn the actual CD image onto the CD. Burning the ISO file to the CDROM will not produce a usable disc.
Take care to download the ISO in binary mode (FTP). By default, Netscape downloads the file in ASCII mode, which corrupts the image.
Do not operate any other programs while the CD is being written to.
Do not bump or nudge the CD burner while it is operating. Vibrations can cause the burning process to fail.
If you don't have a CD burner, find a Linux user group near you. Someone will be sure to help.

Burn the image to CD

Choose the appropriate link below for instructions to burn the ISO file onto a CD. The method you use will depend on which CD writing software package you use. It's a good idea to consult the CD writing software's documentation before you start, because if you make a mistake you'll probably have to throw the disc out and start again.

Easy CD - | - Nero - | - WinOnCD - | - CDR Win - | - CDBurner XP Pro

When you're finished, you will have the e-smith server software burned to CD. Most PCs made recently (the last 6 years or more) can boot from this CD and install the server software, assuming that the hardware is compatible. If your system can not boot from a CD, you will need to make a boot floppy to get the system up and reading from the CD-ROM drive. See the Create a bootable floppy disk for instructions

Next Step

OK, you have an installation CD ready to go. See the SME Server User Manual for instruction on how to install and configure your Server.

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