Save money by using disc-image files

Click the Download Installer link below the Pismo File Mount Audit Package link and save the file to the Windows Desktop before double-clicking the file to start the installation. Click the Install button followed by Close. Once installation is complete, it is a good idea to restart Windows to ensure that system files have been correctly updated. This option is not displayed, so a manual restart will be needed.

The primary use of Pismo File Mount is to avoid the need to save ISO (disc-image) files to disc before the files contained within them can be accessed. The mounting option can be accessed in one of three ways, the first being to use the main program interface. Click Start, point to All Programs, then Pismo File Mount Audit Package and finally click Mount Control. Click the File menu and select the Mount option before navigating to an ISO file and clicking Open.

When the Mount Options dialogue box is displayed, ensure the Entire system option is selected. The image file can be opened by a folder or treated as a drive letter. From the Map drive dropdown menu, select None to treat the ISO as a folder, or select a drive letter to make it accessible in the same way as any other drive in Windows. Select the Read and write option in the Everyone access section and leave the auto option selected in the Formatter dropdown menu. Click the Mount button.

The second option is to right-click an ISO file and select Mount from the menu that appears – this will display the Mount Options dialogue box. The last method is to right-click an ISO file and select ‘Quick mount’. This will mount the file using all the default options, transforming it into a folder that can be accessed like any other. When one or more files are mounted, an icon will be displayed in the Notification Area (at the bottom-right of your screen, next to the clock).

By hovering the mouse pointer over this Notification Area icon it is possible to see how many files have been mounted – double-click the icon to view a list. Any files that are listed can be opened by double-clicking their entry, or by right-clicking and selecting the Open option. When a mounted file is no longer needed, it can be unmounted either by right-clicking and selecting Unmount, or by selecting Unmount from the File menu.

The same technique can be used to mount compressed Zip files. It may not be immediately obvious why this would be a useful option, particularly since Windows has built-in support for Zip files. But, when working with large Zip files, it can take a while to decompress them. Unzipping represents an additional step before files inside the Zip can be accessed. By mounting a Zip file instead, it can be treated just like any other folder and files can be opened faster, as and when you need to access them.

Pismo File Mount can also be used to secure sensitive files contained in folders by converting them into a ‘private’ folder. Again, this can be achieved in a couple of ways. The first option is to right-click an empty area of the Desktop or within a folder and select New followed by Private Folder. Alternatively, launch the Mount Control program from the Start menu and select New private folder from the File menu. Using either method will result in the same options dialogue being displayed.

Enter a suitable name for the private folder and click the Browse button to choose where it should be created before clicking Save. The size of the folder can be reduced through the use of compression: just tick the first of the two option boxes. By default, private folders are password protected, so leave the second option box ticked. Enter the password that should be used and then confirm it in the second box for verification purposes. Click OK to continue.

Private folders are automatically locked and unmounted to prevent unauthorised access. This is indicated through the use of a folder icon featuring a keyhole. To make the folder accessible, right-click it and select the Mount option, configure the settings to be used (see Step 4) and then click the Mount button. Alternatively, right-click the folder and select Quick mount. In either case, enter the set password and click OK. The folder will then open ready for use.

Private folders that have been mounted can be treated like any other. Files can be saved directly to them or they can be dragged and dropped into place. When private folders are in use on a shared computer, it is important to dismount them before leaving the computer unattended. To do so, first ensure that any files stored in the folder are saved and closed, and then right-click the folder and select the Unmount option. The Notification Area icon can also be used to access the main program interface as described earlier in Step 5. For more information on securing sensitive files and folders in Windows XP and Vista, see the Back To Basics feature at www.computeractive.co.uk/2257639.