Moving around managed *.ibp/ibq files and the read-only file property

IsoBuster version 1.9 can create so called "managed image files", with extensions *.ibp and *.ibq.

More about that in the help file.

This article is written mainly to help those that have moved around these image files, from one to another PC, and noticed that IsoBuster saw no content anymore. E.g.: like blank media.

Managed image files are handy to move around, to other PCs, to try and complete the image. To move them around, they are sometimes written to CD, but by doing this the read-only property is set on these files by most CD write applications. So when they are copied back to another PC, the read only attribute sticks.

The reason why IsoBuster sees no content in these image files is that IsoBuster tries to open them for write, but Windows prevents that as they are marked "read-only".

The remedy is simple. Close IsoBuster or unload the image files from IsoBuster (use the open/close button on the right). In Windows, e.g. use Windows explorer, right mouse click the image files and choose "Properties". Uncheck the "read-only" property. Load the files again with IsoBuster... and the content will be visible again. The files can be completed as well now.

The next version of IsoBuster will detect this automatically and will warn the user. But to avoid confusion before that version is released we wanted to share this piece of information.