I'm attempting to move several archives into their respective folders...
I'm attempting to move several archives into their respective folders...
You're dealing with a situation where multiple ISO files are scattered across subfolders, and you want them consolidated into a single location. The current method relies on manually selecting the correct destination each time, which is inefficient. There might be an option within PowerISO or the command-line tools to batch extract all ISO files to a unified directory, ensuring they're placed together for easier management.
Before proceeding, make sure all files are safely backed up in other places, away from the main host computer or HDD. At least two recoverable and readable copies should exist. Large file transfers can easily become misdirected, even with a properly organized folder structure.
Second: check if the conditions are met.
You have Folder A with several subfolders such as A1, A2, A3... The goal is to locate all *.iso files within these subfolders and relocate them to Folder A, ensuring A1, A2, A3 remain empty of *.iso files. Is this correct?
Do the subfolders have additional nested subfolders?
It’s probable the task can be handled using a PowerShell script with the Move-Item command.
The process should be straightforward but start with small-scale tests using copies of the involved directories, folders, and subfolders. If any tests fail, clear the results and retry with fresh copies of the original *.iso files.
Prefer simple scripts that target a single folder rather than a broad search across all folders at once. That means using a fixed path approach. Once successful, adjust the script to repeat the move for another folder name.
i don't think that's correct. it seems he aims to pull files from inside each iso file within its own folder, placing them in a subfolder named after the iso itself. so folder a with a.iso should now hold a new folder called ExctractedA containing those files, and so on.
this way mass extraction to one place is straightforward.
i haven't tried it this method before, but writing a script appears to be the best approach. look for the .iso files as you did before, save the results, then individually create the corresponding subfolder in the parent directory and extract the iso there. repeat this process for each file found.
i'm not sure if this functionality is built into poweriso or winrar, but a powershell script could handle it if you can craft it properly.
I believe it's about choosing several individual ISOs across different folders and subfolders, then moving them to their respective locations.
I believe we are conveying the same idea, merely expressed differently.
I understand it's a bit complex. I'm sorry
😀
I own a collection of DOS games—around 7000 titles. Roughly half of them were released on CD-ROM. These discs are stored as .ISO files inside a subfolder named "CD" within each game's directory.
I plan to preserve these games on an old computer I built in the '90s. It features special hardware that lets FreeDOS handle a 1TB HDD. The "Retro PC" is connected to my new system via a SATA-to-USB cable, allowing me to edit, add, or remove files easily.
DOS doesn’t support reading, mounting, or interpreting .ISO files directly. I might be able to pull the ISO files from the Retro PC, but it would likely take a long time and be quite cumbersome. That’s why I’m transferring everything to the new PC, which is much faster and simpler.
Since DOS can’t process the ISO files, I’ll use a program called FakeCD. It lets me generate batch files that turn the HDD’s directory into a temporary virtual CD-ROM drive.
All these ISO files are neatly stored inside a "CD" folder for each game.
But they’re still ISO files. If I point FakeCD to the CD folder, I need to extract the ISO files first so the games can access the original content.
Currently, my search results display all the .ISO images and their locations. Most of these games only use one CD.
My goal is to pick these ISO files from the search results, right-click them, and move each one into its current CD folder. Then I’ll remove the ISO files to free up space, leaving just the original game files in each directory.
From there, I can generate batch files with FakeCD so that each CD folder acts as a temporary virtual CD-ROM.
When I right-click several ISO files and use PowerISO > Extract Here, it copies everything from the ISO to the current location. I need this "here" to match exactly "there."
Ideally, I’d like an option to right-click, PowerISO > Extract Each Archive To The Folder Where The Archive Is And Then Delete The Archive, but that feature isn’t available. I’ll go with PowerISO > Extract Each Archive To The Folder Where The Archive Is, and then delete the ISO files myself.
I’m not very skilled at writing scripts, but I’m open to learning. I can at least use PowerShell if it helps.
Mount-DiskImage offers guidance on various methods. You can find instructions at the provided links, particularly focusing on PowerShell usage. Alternatively, the site suggests using specific resources for Windows 10 and 11. It is recommended to set up a test environment and ensure backups are ready beforehand. Each requirement should be addressed individually, then combined into a script for automation. However, results may vary depending on the game and manufacturer settings.
There is one issue, or perhaps it can be considered the third side of a pan cake that nobody seems to have covered. Thus, many software products that manage encrypted files or cd/dvd images include this extra option of adding a new "Extract here" (or similar) in a file's right-click menu. However, the precise method each program uses when dealing with multiple packed files from different locations will vary, and I expect different software choices won't act identically. I must admit I haven’t fully grasped what the OP is aiming for, but I agree with the general idea of backups and realize there will likely need some manual effort to achieve the desired outcome as the OP intends. This approach seems to stem from a misunderstanding of the problem, but if the goal is to have all ISO images extracted into a unified folder named after each set of files, here’s how it could work:
BACKUP!
Install 7-zip (a tool I’ve used extensively)
Rearrange the ISO files as needed to organize them
Set up main folders accordingly (e.g., games, files, etc.)
If you wish to extract all game ISO files first:
Open two explorer windows—one pointing to the folder with the game ISO files, and another to the main extraction directory.
In the ISO folder, select all the ISO files.
Right-click and drag them into the other explorer window (this will display an extraction menu when you release the mouse button).
Choose the option
Extract to "*\"
- This ensures each ISO file is placed in a new subfolder with a name derived from its original file name.
Adjust the settings and repeat for other groups of ISO images.