Small, Free Way to Use and Mount Images (ISO files) Without Burning Them Alcohol and Daemon Tools are excellent software packages that allow users to mount ISO files as virtual CD-ROMs. Yes, there is a way to use that ISO without burning it to a disk.
Microsoft has a free, 60kb program that does the same thing! Of course, it is not supported... and it's not as friendly as the software listed above; however, it works and it's free.
More About Virtual CD-ROM Control Panel v2.0.1.1
THIS TOOL IS UNSUPPORTED BY MICROSOFT PRODUCT SUPPORT SERVICES
System Requirements
Windows XP Home or Windows XP Professional
Installation instructions
Copy VCdRom.sys to your %systemroot%\system32\drivers folder.
Execute VCdControlTool.exe
Click "Driver control"
If the "Install Driver" button is available, click it. Navigate to the %systemroot%\system32\drivers folder, select VCdRom.sys, and click Open.
Click "Start"
Click OK
Click "Add Drive" to add a drive to the drive list. Ensure that the drive added is not a local drive. If it is, continue to click "Add Drive" until an unused drive letter is available.
Select an unused drive letter from the drive list and click "Mount".
Navigate to the image file, select it, and click "OK". UNC naming conventions should not be used, however mapped network drives should be OK.
You may now use the drive letter as if it were a local CD-ROM device. When you are finished you may unmount, stop, and remove the driver from memory using the driver control.