Copying from friend's CD

[Tobobo]

I'm relatively new to all of this and it seems to me, most people ask about burning the cd after they have downloaded the iso. Well my friend gave me a copy of his Knoppix on cd and I'm just wondering if burning that cd is the same process as burning the iso?

Or, should I be looking for an iso file that should already be on this cd? Slightly confused. Thanks for any help.

[windos_no_thanks]

There is no iso file on the CD. The iso file is an image of a CD. If you have a Knoppix CD and want to make a copy of it it should be possible by just asking the burner software to copy it. (although there might be some burner programs that fail to do that too)

[fingers99]

Do check that his CD boots, first!

[Tobobo]

Yes, his cd does boot. He actually burned it for me originally but that cd didn't boot and that's why he gave me his original so I could try burning it. So even though that didn't work, do you still think I should try copying it? Maybe he did something wrong.

[fingers99]

If the CD boots, it's worthwhile trying to copy it. If not, it isn't.

Essentially an iso represents the CD. So, if the CD doesn't boot, then it's pointless copying it. If it does boot, it's worth a go.

[Tobobo]

Thanks guys. I just copied it and it worked. When my friend burnt it, he must have chosen the data cd option maybe instead of a straight copy.

[fingers99]

When my friend burnt it, he must have chosen the data cd option maybe instead of a straight copy.

Yes, most likely. Seems to be the most common reason for failures to boot by a long way.

[A. Jorge Garcia]

Can't you just use cat to make an ISO copy from a burned CD?

TIA,
AJG