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Using Virtual CD-ROM Control Panel for Windows XP on your Windows Vista machine

I installed Vista Ultimate recently on a development laptop and was initially upset to find the handy Virtual CD-ROM which had worked so nicely under Windows XP no longer worked. Having faced such similar behavior under XP with older games I liked to play, I immediately decided to see if using it in Compatibility Mode would work…and it does!
Simply right click the VCdControlTool.exe and select Properties as shown below to change compatibility:

Using Virtual CD-ROM Control Panel for Windows XP on your Windows Vista machine

This worked on my machine using Windows Vista Ultimate.Oddly enough, when I went to recreate the original error (to grab a screenshot for this post) the tool still worked even with Compatibility mode turned off…a bug? I dunno, I’m just glad it works.

Being an old school gamer has some benefits ;)

Print | posted on Wednesday, May 16, 2007 4:35 PM

Comments on this post

# re: Using Virtual CD-ROM Control Panel for Windows XP on your Windows Vista machine

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Worked like a charm.

Old School Gaming FTW ! :)
Left by Vincent (belgian sysadmin) on Aug 21, 2007 4:51 AM

# re: Using Virtual CD-ROM Control Panel for Windows XP on your Windows Vista machine

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I'm able to load the vdControlTools, with or without the Compatibility setting.
However the instructions then say place the driver in Windows/System32/driver which I do, but when I start the driver an error message appears saying "The driver has been blocked from loading"
Did you do anything special when you got to this point in the application?
TIA
__Allan
Left by Allan on Aug 31, 2007 12:14 AM

# re: Using Virtual CD-ROM Control Panel for Windows XP on your Windows Vista machine

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Hi - can anyone assist? I can run and load and mount seemingly OK in Vista in compatibility mode and as admin. But I don't see the drive as being available anywhere. E.g. if drive R: is assigned in VCdControlTool, I cannot see that in Vista 'Computer'. Ideas? Thanks.
Left by K Smith on Oct 02, 2007 5:58 PM

# re: Using Virtual CD-ROM Control Panel for Windows XP on your Windows Vista machine

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Not sure there - can you at least access it from a command line? or maybe force a refresh on explorer?
Left by Lou on Oct 02, 2007 10:01 PM

# re: Using Virtual CD-ROM Control Panel for Windows XP on your Windows Vista machine

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Tried installing virtual cd on a Vista and follwed the procedure, the following pops on the screen:

Cannot Open SCM: Access is denied.

then when i continue browsing for the driver in the system32/drivers folder this comes out:

The handle is invalid.

no success on installation so far even after going through the compatibility mode.

Left by Kym on Oct 25, 2007 3:01 PM

# re: Using Virtual CD-ROM Control Panel for Windows XP on your Windows Vista machine

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Hi Kym Make sure you select "Run this progeam as administrator
Left by Tony on Oct 31, 2007 10:32 AM

# re: Using Virtual CD-ROM Control Panel for Windows XP on your Windows Vista machine

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Try turning off "User Account Control", this allowed me to run vcdcontrol without any issues, as well as some other programs.

When I turn UAC back on, it consistently does not work, even after running the compatibility wizard.

Before disabling that, the drive either would not show up, or show up but could not mount it. Sometimes it would disappear when I mounted it. Sometimes it would not let me remove the drive.
Left by Ted on Dec 25, 2007 7:55 AM

# re: Using Virtual CD-ROM Control Panel for Windows XP on your Windows Vista machine

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I ran the compatibility and then set run as Administrator and it works like a charm on my CHEAP vista home basic machine!
Left by Bob Madore on Jun 04, 2008 11:49 AM

# re: Using Virtual CD-ROM Control Panel for Windows XP on your Windows Vista machine

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Well, I must retract that wonderful comment about it working on Vista Home Basic.
After I rebooted, it would not work again.
It would present all the screens and allow me to mount an ISO, but the drive could not be found. I had to resort to a free utility from MagicISO and it loaded properly and it is working after several reboots. the link is:
http://www.magiciso.com/tutorials/miso-magicdisc-overview.htm?=mdisc_hlp97

All one line.

Left by Bob Madore on Jun 05, 2008 10:38 AM

# re: Using Virtual CD-ROM Control Panel for Windows XP on your Windows Vista machine

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"Cannot Open SCM: Access is denied."

fixed after selecting "Run As Administrator"

Thanks!
Left by Amit Dahotre on Jun 13, 2008 2:53 AM

# re: Using Virtual CD-ROM Control Panel for Windows XP on your Windows Vista machine

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where does drive z appear
Left by ws on Sep 03, 2008 11:14 PM

# re: Using Virtual CD-ROM Control Panel for Windows XP on your Windows Vista machine

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Well I just found that the virtual cd rom drive can only be visible on a program running on admin priviledge. for example run a command prompt or windows explorer as administrator and you will find the virtual drive there.
Left by Pankaj Jain on Sep 11, 2008 6:36 PM

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