OSFMount
– Mount
Disk Images &
Create
RAM Drives on Windows
Mount supported disk image files as virtual drives, explore stored data without physical media, and create fast RAM-based storage for Windows workflows.
What Is OSFMount?
OSFMount is a Windows disk image mounting utility that lets you open supported image files as a physical disk or logical virtual drive. It provides direct access to the contents of IMG, DD, ISO and supported forensic image files from within the Windows environment, without requiring the image to be written to physical media first.
This makes OSFMount useful for forensic analysts, IT professionals and advanced Windows users who need a practical way to inspect stored data or work with disk images. Images can also be mounted in read-only mode, helping protect the original source from accidental changes while its files and partitions are being examined.
OSFMount at a Glance
Key Features of OSFMount
OSFMount combines disk image mounting and virtual storage features in one Windows utility. It can provide direct access to supported images, preserve source data through read-only mounting, and create RAM-based storage for temporary tasks.
Mount Disk Images
Open a supported disk image in Windows and access it through a virtual disk or assigned drive letter. This makes stored files and partitions easier to examine without restoring the image to another physical drive.
Read-Only Mounting
Disk images can be mounted in read-only mode when the original source should remain unchanged. This is particularly useful when inspecting forensic evidence, archived images, or other data where accidental modification should be avoided.
Create RAM Disks
OSFMount can allocate part of system memory as a RAM disk, creating fast temporary storage for caches, test files, development work, or tasks that benefit from quick read-and-write access.
Mount ISO Images
ISO image files can be accessed as virtual media, allowing their contents to be opened in Windows without repeatedly burning the image to a physical CD, DVD, or other removable storage.
Multiple Image Formats
The utility works with multiple categories of disk images, including common raw images, virtual-disk files, optical images, and supported forensic formats. Available mounting options can vary according to the selected image type.
Physical or Logical Mounting
Depending on the image and intended workflow, OSFMount can expose supported image data as a physical disk or as a logical Windows drive, giving users flexibility in how the mounted storage is accessed.
OSFMount Supported Image Formats
OSFMount supports several disk-image formats used for storage, virtualization, optical media, and forensic analysis. This allows Windows users to work with common raw images as well as selected virtual-disk and forensic evidence formats from one mounting utility. Support includes formats such as IMG, DD, ISO, VMDK, VHD, E01, EX01 and members of the Advanced Forensics Format family.
| Format | Image Type | Typical Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| IMG | Raw Disk Image | Disk or partition image access |
| DD | Raw Disk Image | Sector-by-sector disk copies |
| ISO | Optical Image | CD and DVD image access |
| VMDK | Virtual Disk | Virtual machine disk images |
| VHD | Virtual Disk | Virtual hard disk images |
| E01 | Forensic Image | Digital evidence images |
| EX01 | Forensic Image | Extended forensic evidence |
| AFF | Forensic Image | Advanced Forensics Format |
| AFM | AFF Family | Forensic image storage |
| AFD | AFF Family | Segmented forensic images |
| L01 | Forensic Image | Logical evidence collections |
| S01 | Forensic Image | Supported evidence image access |
How to Mount a Disk Image with OSFMount
OSFMount makes disk image mounting a straightforward Windows workflow. After choosing a supported image, you can select how it should appear in the system, mount it as virtual storage, and then access its contents much like a normal drive.
Select the Image File
Choose the disk image you want to open from a supported file stored on your Windows computer.
Choose Mount Options
Select the available mounting settings, such as physical or logical access, a drive letter, and other options suitable for the image.
Mount the Image
OSFMount exposes the selected image inside Windows as accessible virtual storage according to the chosen mounting configuration.
Access the Files
Open the mounted volume in Windows and browse its files and folders much like you would with a regular connected drive.
OSFMount RAM Disk
OSFMount can create a RAM disk by using a portion of system memory as temporary storage instead of relying on a hard disk or SSD. Because the data is held in RAM, the virtual drive can provide very fast access for short-lived tasks where speed matters more than long-term storage.
A RAM disk can be useful for browser cache, temporary files, testing environments, scratch data, or selected application workloads that benefit from high-speed read and write access. The amount of memory assigned to the RAM disk should be chosen carefully so enough RAM remains available for Windows and other applications.
Common Uses of OSFMount
OSFMount is useful when you need to access, inspect, or test disk-image data without restoring it to physical media. Its combination of virtual drive mounting, read-only access, and RAM-disk creation makes it practical for both technical analysis and everyday Windows storage tasks.
Disk Image Analysis
Inspect files, folders, and partitions stored inside supported disk images from Windows.
Digital Forensics
Open supported evidence images in a read-only environment when preserving source data matters.
ISO Access
Open CD or DVD image contents through a virtual drive instead of burning physical media.
Virtual Disk Testing
Inspect supported VHD, VMDK, and other virtual-disk images during testing or troubleshooting.
RAM-Based Storage
Create fast temporary storage for caches, testing, scratch files, and selected workloads.
Read-Only and Writable Disk Images
OSFMount offers different mounting approaches depending on whether you only need to examine an image or temporarily work with changes. Choosing the right mode is especially important when the original disk image needs to remain untouched.
Read-Only
Read-only mounting lets you inspect files, folders, and partitions without intentionally writing changes back to the source image. It is useful for forensic examination and other situations where preserving the original data matters.
Writable / Write Cache
Writable or write-cache options are more suitable when a workflow requires temporary changes while using the mounted image. The appropriate option depends on the image format and the task being performed.
OSFMount System Requirements
OSFMount is designed for compatible Windows systems and requires only a small amount of installation storage. Hardware needs mainly depend on the disk images being used and whether you plan to create a RAM disk.
| Operating System | Compatible Windows versions |
|---|---|
| Architecture | 64-bit |
| Administrator Access | May be required for installation and mounting |
| Storage | Small amount of free space for installation |
| RAM | Depends on workload and RAM disk size |
Installing OSFMount on Windows
Installing OSFMount is a short Windows setup process. Download the installer from a trusted source, open the setup package, follow the installation prompts, and then launch the utility with the permissions required for disk-image mounting.
Download the Installer
Get the current OSFMount setup package for your compatible Windows system.
Open the Setup Package
Run the downloaded installer and allow Windows to begin the installation process.
Follow the Setup Instructions
Review the available options and complete the standard Windows installation prompts.
Launch OSFMount
Open OSFMount after installation and use the required permissions when mounting disk images.
Why Choose OSFMount for Disk Image Access?
OSFMount gives Windows users a convenient way to work with disk images without first restoring them to physical media. ISO files can be accessed virtually, while read-only mounting can help preserve an original evidence image during examination. Support for different disk-image formats makes the utility useful across forensic, IT, testing, and other technical workflows. Its RAM disk capability also provides temporary high-speed storage when needed. By combining these options in a straightforward Windows interface, OSFMount can simplify routine image access while keeping different storage tasks in one practical environment.
Access ISO and supported image files virtually instead of repeatedly burning them to discs.
Read-only workflows are useful when the original disk image should remain unchanged during inspection.
Work with multiple supported disk-image types across forensic, IT, testing, and technical tasks.
Use available system memory to create temporary high-speed storage for suitable workloads.
Access mounting and virtual-storage functions through a focused Windows utility.
Frequently Asked Questions
Find concise answers to common questions about OSFMount, supported images, Windows compatibility, RAM disks, and read-only mounting.
01 Is OSFMount free?
Yes. PassMark currently provides OSFMount as a free 64-bit download for supported Windows systems. It is separate from paid OSForensics editions, although OSFMount is also included with OSForensics.
02 Is OSFMount available for Windows 11?
Yes. Current official requirements list Windows 10 and Windows 11 with 64-bit support. Older Windows releases require earlier OSFMount versions, so use the version appropriate for your system.
03 What is OSFMount used for?
OSFMount is used to mount disk-image files as physical disks or logical drive letters in Windows, inspect image contents, work with forensic images, and create RAM-based virtual storage.
04 Can OSFMount mount ISO files?
Yes. OSFMount can mount ISO CD images as virtual media, allowing you to browse their contents without repeatedly writing the image to a physical CD or other optical media.
05 Can OSFMount create a RAM disk?
Yes. OSFMount can create a disk in system RAM for fast temporary storage. It can suit browser caches, test files, and workloads that benefit from high-speed disk access.
06 Does OSFMount support E01 files?
Yes. E01 is listed among the supported EnCase EWF image formats. OSFMount can read and mount supported E01 images, although available operations can vary by image format.
07 Does OSFMount change the original disk image?
By default, image files are mounted read-only, so the original image is not altered. Write-cache mode can store changes separately in a delta file while preserving the source image.
08 Is OSFMount the same as OSForensics?
No. OSFMount is a focused disk-image mounting and RAM disk utility, while OSForensics is a broader digital forensics suite. OSFMount works separately and is also bundled with OSForensics.