Ubuntu downloaded as a folder, not an image

Question

I'm trying to burn an Ubuntu LiveDVD on Windows 7. I downloaded Ubuntu, but it's a folder. Every guide on burning a LiveDVD says it should have downloaded as an image.

Did I do something wrong?

Here's the contents of the folder, which is called "ubuntu-14.04.3-desktop-amd64":

.disk(folder)
book(folder)
casper(folder)
dists(folder)
EFI(folder)
install(folder)
isolinux(folder)
pics(folder)
pool(folder)
preseed(folder)
autorun.inf
md5sum.txt
README.diskdefines
ubuntu
wubi.exe

@Pilot6 From the official Ubuntu website (http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop). It downloaded zipped, so I had to extract it. — Jeff Caros, Oct 13 '15 at 22:09
Is it really zipped, or is it an iso file? You do not need to "unzip" it. Read the link above. There is a manual how to download and install Ubuntu. — Pilot6, Oct 13 '15 at 22:11
@Pilot6 As far as I can tell it's really zipped. In the guides to burning an image, right clicking on the image brings up the options "Mount, Burn disc image, Open with... etc.". I get "Open, Disk Image File, Move to Dropbox, etc". — Jeff Caros, Oct 13 '15 at 22:14
No, it's .iso. I was just expecting to be able to right-click and select burn, as per the installation guide you posted. — Jeff Caros, Oct 13 '15 at 22:24
This means that your Windows does not have the software to burn for some reason. — Pilot6, Oct 13 '15 at 22:25
@Pilot6 I found a burner program, but it's telling me that "The selected disc image file isn't valid." — Jeff Caros, Oct 13 '15 at 22:26
Try to re-download it. Maybe the file did not download well. — Pilot6, Oct 13 '15 at 22:27

TheWanderer · Answer 1 · 2015-10-13T23:41:54.007

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It's highly likely that the file you downloaded was a ZIP or that you have a program that extracts ISO files when you try to open them. The original ISO should still be in your Downloads folder, so use that. If you are using IE or Firefox to download it, make sure you use the Save or Save As... option and not the Open one.

To burn the ISO, you're going to need a program to do that. Windows 7 doesn't really have the capability to do this, although Windows 8 and above do. My personal recommendation is ImgBurn.

edited Oct 13 '15 at 23:41

answered Oct 13 '15 at 22:02

TheWanderer

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It's not an ISO either though, it's just a folder, which I don't think I can burn. – Jeff Caros Oct 13 '15 at 22:03
Sorry, I meant to say folder, not file. – Jeff Caros Oct 13 '15 at 22:04
Well that changes things. Things you download from the internet cannot download as folders, so it's likely that you extracted the ISO. What is inside the folder? – TheWanderer Oct 13 '15 at 22:06
Yeah, it downloaded zipped, so I had to extract it. It contains various other folders and a few files. I'll list the contents in my question. – Jeff Caros Oct 13 '15 at 22:09
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Rename that ZIP to ISO. – TheWanderer Oct 13 '15 at 22:09
It's likely that it was an ISO to begin with. but you have a program installed that recognizes ISOs as a compiled set of data. Are you sure it's a .ZIP? – Daniel Oct 13 '15 at 22:12
If so, just rename to .ISO and you should be good (I hope) – Daniel Oct 13 '15 at 22:12
I changed my answer. – TheWanderer Oct 13 '15 at 23:02

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Oct 13 '15 at 22:04

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Its an .iso file, isn't it. If yes, then you are good to go. The image they are talking about is an ISO image. By the way the best place to download Ubuntu is Download Ubuntu Desktop

answered Oct 13 '15 at 22:04

Akshendra Pratap

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score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Oct 13 '15 at 22:05

When it says it should be downloaded as an image, it means a disk image. That means it's a copy bit for bit of what the DVD should be. You see it as a file, but it ends in .img or .iso or .dmg or somethign else like that. It's not a .jpg like a photographic image, but it's still and image. You're getting the right thing. Just burn the .img or whatever it is to a DVD.

Also, you may have gotten a BitTorrent file instead, depending on where you downloaded it. I would recommend only downloading from Ubuntu (or one of their mirrors) directly. The BitTorrents can be a little shady sometimes. They require a special client to download the real file/image/whatever.

Pilot6 · Answer 4 · 2015-10-13T22:18:27.103

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You downloaded an iso image file. But instead of burning it, you unzipped it.

That is wrong. You need to use some software and burn that image to DVD or a flash drive.

You can refer to this page.

You may have Windows without the burning software. In this case you can install one.

edited Oct 13 '15 at 22:18

answered Oct 13 '15 at 22:13

Pilot6

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So I need to download separate software to burn it? This guide(http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop/burn-a-dvd-on-windows) says I can just right click it and select "burn". – Jeff Caros Oct 13 '15 at 22:15
I updated the answer. – Pilot6 Oct 13 '15 at 22:18

score 0 · Answer 5 · edited Mar 27 '17 at 12:07

I did the same thing a few times, unzip the folder as it automatically associates with winrar. Then I later right clicked and checked the properties of the winrar file, and it is actually an ISO file. I downloaded the file from the Ubuntu website and everything. Hope that sets your mind at ease. After you finish downloading the file you can make a spare usb flash drive bootable by using that file and then just install ubuntu via flash drive, no cd burning required. You can use unetbootin, rufus to do this.

Ubuntu downloaded as a folder, not an image

5 Answers5