Available from MS as free download for pre Windows 8. Must be considered important or they wouldn't have supplied it.

"The Virtual CD-ROM Control Panel utility enables users of Windows XP, Vista, and 7 to mount ISO disk image files as virtual CD-ROM drives. This can be highly useful for reading disk images to install software or recover backup files. Notes: This tool is not supported by Microsoft; use at your own risk. Windows 8 users do NOT need this tool. Windows 8 natively supports ISO files. In Windows 8, you can simply open an ISO file and Windows automatically assigns it a drive letter and reads it as a virtual drive."

OR The Free WinCDEmu
http://wincdemu.sysprogs.org/

"WinCDEmu is an open-source CD/DVD/BD emulator - a tool that allows you to mount optical disc images by simply clicking on them in Windows Explorer. If you have downloaded an ISO image and want to use it without burning it to a blank disc, WinCDEmu is the easiest way to do it."

The CD Image can be created by free burner software such as Imgburn Name it as per the SD card details given in the link in an earlier post.

Loads of OLD bought software which users already own is on CD/DVD.

CD/DVD's are not dead
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The mouse was a specialist one that even Logitech haven't got proper drivers for. I could also have wanted it for another OS. I've had problems in the past with Windows installing drivers that are hard to remove and it takes up time. I did download the software from another PC .... a CD would still be nice

The Pentax software is a cut down version of Silkypix so either Silkypix don't want it downloadable or Pentax haven't sorted out what payment they need for the change of license. Silkypix will of course want you to buy the full version

Dixons before they stopped selling SH altogether couldn't sell SH digital cameras with software because the licenses only covered the original owner. I hope that's been sorted out since

Laptops Link and Desktops are available with DVD drives and Virtual Drives were added to Windows from v8 so I doubt MS would have done that if they considered DVD's obsolete.

There are billions of archive and music CD/DVD's out there. Panasonic SH DVD-RAM drives sell on ebay for £100 and above and they have an IDE lead (It's cheaper just breaking open the RAM cartridge and removing the double sided disk to access the archived files. It can be put back in the cartridge afterwards).

People still transfer CD's to MP3

CD/DVD's and Pentax aren't dead


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If it's Licensed from a 3rd party to be supplied on CD they can't supply it any other way. This is known at the time of purchasing the camera.

It must be licensed to Pentax otherwise they would supply it by download.

I bought a Logitech mouse last year and the software was only available by download how can I do that when I need the mouse to control the PC?

I think Panasonic had similar problems with some brilliant software they had that let you edit DVD-RAM disks recorded on one of their TV Recorders on a PC. i.e. remove the adverts etc. It would have sold a lot more recorders if TV recorder customers could just download, but it was only sold with the PC Recorder or Camera. I've still got and use mine. Takes a few minutes to remove all the adds from a 2 hour game recording.


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You didn't need it in the end, but you haven't got a copy that complies with the licence You've used a hack.

An alternative would be to get someone to image the original CD to a SD card and copy that to your computer then mount it as a Virtual CD which Windows can then mount.

Like you I'm a Rugby League fan and I have hundreds of games on DVD. So I would never buy a PC without one.

Someday a client is going to ask you for Jpegs on a DVD so it's better to be prepared for it now.

DVD's are far from dead it's still the only way to store stuff for up to 1,000 Years

http://www.zdnet.com/article/the-1000-year-dvd-is-here/
Naval Tests
http://site.produplicator.com/downloads/Manuals/China_Lake_Full_Report.pdf
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To me it's silly buying a computer without a CD/DVD Drive how else do you expect to install any products/software you buy . The FIX has been posted on this and other forums many times. A quick search would have found it.

It's OTT blaming Ricoh/Pentax they supply the software on CD/DVD and can't for legal reasons tell you how to hack it. They possibly don't even own the license.

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They look OK, but at £258 might be too expensive. Some of the cheaper Intel's have excellent performance for the price. I can't remember which one I bought a three years ago, but it was only £120.
EDIT: Just checked it was Intel Core i5 4440 Quad Core CPU now gone up to £184 on Amazon and is now quite old.

Some benchmarks
http://cpuboss.com/cpu/Intel-Core-i5-4440
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K-3ii down to £699 at SRS and K-1 £1799

Somethings going on are we about to see TWO new models

I might swap my new K-1 for the new one if it has Cat Detection AF and Twig Detection AF

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It now sounds certain that a K-1 Mk2 wil be released.

It's a bit worrying that Amazon has NO Pentax DSLR's in their list of Top 100 UK sellers

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No it's the K-1. It's on Pentax Facebook Czech

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I wait for even better light and warm weather plus a pub nearby

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