Joining mulitple ISO files

[gslrider]

Hi, I acquired a dvd with what seems to be Mac OS X 10.4 install disc(s). But instead of 1 iso file. It looks like it has been segmented to a bunch of smaller iso files.

Like with .rar files, I can join them using UnRARX. For educational purpose, how would I go about joining these iso files?

Thanks.

[dubbz]

This is NOT the place to ask such questions.

Just sayin'.

[gslrider]

Understandable. Is there anywhere that I can find the answer. No one seems to know. A single iso file is easy. But mulitple iso files for one file seems to have stumped everyone I've talked to before I tried my luck here.

If anything, this question is all out of curiousity. Because I've never come across something like this. Segmented rar and zip files, I've dealt with but not iso.

Thanks.

[jeremy.king]

Just give Apple a call at 1-800-275-2273, they should be able to help you out.

[gslrider]

Been there, done it. Like everyone else to this point, they couldn't give me a straight answer either. Is this even possible. I'm beginning to think that this is a "forbidden taboo question". The evil twin that's locked up in the attic that now one speaks of. The "name" no one is suppose to say.

For the record, I don't pirate software. This disc was given to me, by someone who was asking the same question I'm asking now. Thinking that I maybe able to help him out (since I'm a Mac guy, and he's not). I really don't care for Tiger at this point in it's release. Still plenty of bugs. I'm just curious as to the answer (if there is one). :rolleyes:

[balamw]

I'm only answering the hypothetical question. As others have already mentioned. If you (or your "friend") want Tiger on DVD, go buy it. It's really not expensive and is widely available.

Remember that ISOs are bascially individual CD images, unlike ZIPs or RARs which are archives. They are intended to be burned to optical media, or mounted on a loopback device. What you are asking for is to merge a number of disk images. It can't trivially be done. You might as well be asking about merging DMGs.

One way to attack the problem is to create a new large ISO image, with Disk Utility or Toast, and populate it with the file contents of the various smaller disk images. i.e. mount the individual ISOs and copy the files individually to the new larger ISO, preserving the directory structure. If you're lucky, you might get something somewhat workable.

I have done this in the past when trying to make better use of recordable media, e.g. taking a number of (Windows) installer CDs that each took up only 100M on a CD and creating a new installer CD that had the installers for 5-6 different apps on it.

This kind of approach usually doesn't usually yield a bootable CD/DVD, and thus would not be advisable for anything complicated or mission critical like an OS install disc, regardless of any copyright violation issues.

B

[jhu]

you could try mounting each iso file to see what's in them

[Dave the Great]

You could open up terminal and use the cat command.

[Bear]

Hi, I acquired a dvd with what seems to be Mac OS X 10.4 install disc(s). But instead of 1 iso file. It looks like it has been segmented to a bunch of smaller iso files.

Like with .rar files, I can join them using UnRARX. For educational purpose, how would I go about joining these iso files?

Thanks.The DVD you are talking about sounds like a pirated version.

Apple did make a CD installable version of Tiger, but the ISOs would have to be burned to seperate CD-Rs.

Anyway, what you have is pirated and you should point that out to whomever gave it to you.

[gslrider]

balamw - thanks, that's the most I've gotten about this question.

I realized that the disc I got is a pirate version. I just wanted to know how it can be done. Not to use the disc, but being able to solve something I've never come across before. We wouldn't be where we are if people didn't ask "how", or "what if". I don't think expanding ones knowledge is a wrong thing. But I do agree that if it used for illegal reasons, then it is wrong. But only if it is used for the wrong reasons.

One more question though (for those that don't judge, and come on this board for what it is...to answer questions, or ask them), why would one break up a Mac disc into mulitple ISOs, when there are easier ways of doing it? Even for pirated software.

[gslrider]

You could open up terminal and use the cat command.

Hi Dave, what is the cat command. I've never actually used the terminal before.

[balamw]

why would one break up a Mac disc into mulitple ISOs
Apple did make a CD installable version of Tiger, but the ISOs would have to be burned to seperate CD-Rs.

What you have is probably a set of ISO images of the CD-R install disks on a DVD.

Hi Dave, what is the cat command. I've never actually used the terminal before.
cat concatenates, i.e. joins files "cat file1 file2 file3 > file4" will create a new file that contains all of the contents of files 1, 2 and 3. Works great for text files, and to some extent MP3s, but wouldn't work for most other types of files including RARs, JPEGs and ISOs.

B

[bousozoku]

Perhaps, you should have started your education on a freely available Linux, instead of a commercial product. People would have been more willing to help.