Files with the mdf and mds extensions are always located together and are one of the options for implementing a disk image in digital format. Mdf images can be opened using a variety of programs - UltraISO, Alcohol120, Daemon Tools, etc. To edit and gain full access to mdf, the described programs will be enough; to launch the image, you will have to do some additional steps.
Opening mdf with UltraISO
Launch the UltraISO program installed in the system using the corresponding icon. In the program window that opens, click the "File" button located on the horizontal top panel. Select "Open" from the drop-down list. Specify the path to the mdf file in the explorer and click the "Open" button. These actions will allow you to access the contents of the image, but not launch it on the system.
To mount the mdf image in UltraISO in the program, select the "Tools" item. Select the item in the drop-down list "Mount to virtual drive …". In the window that opens, select "Virtual CD / DVD drive", just below specify the path to the image file in the item with the same name "Image file". Then click the "Mount" button. Now the mdf image is mounted in a virtual drive and you can check it by going to "My Computer" and finding the corresponding icon there.
Creating a virtual disk with Daemon Tools Lite
There is another way to create a virtual disk and mount an mdf image into it. To do this, you need to download the free Daemon Tools Lite program from the developer's site. The latest version is always located at daemon-tools.cc/RUS/downloads, from where you can download it for free.
After downloading and installing Daemon Tools Lite, launch the program by clicking on the corresponding icon. In the window that appears, click "Add drive". Below you will see the drive that appears. If you open "My Computer", there will be a virtual disk icon with an automatically assigned letter. The mdf is mounted by double-clicking on the image.
UltraISO setting
It may happen that a virtual drive is not automatically assigned in UltraISO. In this case, start the program, click "Options", then "Settings", "Virtual drive" and then "Virtual drive program" - "Find". If you already have Daemon Tools Lite installed, the drive will be searched for and detected immediately. If successful, click "OK".
Other possibilities
With UltraISO, you can not only mount and examine mdf images, but also create them. If you need to create a disk image, click in the program item "File" (File), then "New" (New). Now select the required image type from the list. In most cases, a Data CD / DVD Image will work. Move the necessary files to the right side of the window using the cursor, or click the "Actions" button, then "Add files …". When the content of the future image is generated, click "File", "Save as …". Specify the desired name of the image, just below from the drop-down list, define its format. In addition to mdf, you can choose from a large list of others. Click "Save", specifying the path to save the file. Now you can not only open an mdf image file, but also create it using the UltraISO program.
