The .mdf extension format files are included as the CD Image files. They are generally related to the &qout;Alcohol 120%&qout; software:&qout; which is created by the Alcohol Software. The full form of an .mdf file is media Descriptor File. As the name of the format very clearly says, the contents of these files include a disc image, in addition to the contents which are put into an optical disc. Technically, there is always a pair of extension formats which works in such a file.
What’s the use of this file format?
In the case of the MDF, the second extension which forms a pair with the mdf extension is the .MDS format. Both these file formats, together form the proprietary file which is made for the Alcohol Software. Out of the two file extensions, the MDF files may contain the disc image of the data, including the core and original contents of the optical discs such as the CDs or the DVDs. On the other hand, the files with the MDS extension format are optional and are actually the descriptor files which carry the metadata information about the original media. Another difference of data handling between the two is that while the actual data in the disc is saved in the .mdf files, the MDS files may only contain the header an d track information of the file.
When implemented in practice, the format of the MDF is very similar to that of the .bin files in the CUE/BIN format and also to the IMG format in the CCD/IMG format. Technically speaking, all these files are actually the raw disc images of the basic binary contents of a particular optical disc. The files saved as the disc images on Alcohol 120% are just like the .ISO files. The only difference is that the .iso files are saved in a different format.
So, how to open this type of file format safely?
The best softwares or programs to create, modify and access the files with the MDF are Alcohol 120% and the Daemon Tools. The other application which are also related to the .mdf files are the SQL Server (the Master Database File) by Microsoft, Capture Classic by Accelio, Fldigi by Dave Freese, Insight II by Accelrys Software Inc. and ProWORX Nxt by Schneider Electric.
Open MDF File on Windows OS
- Look for an MDF file you need to open in Windows Explorer and double-click on it
- If the file doesn’t open automatically and you see a “Windows can’t open a file” message then you should search for a program which can open MDF file
- If you have a program which can open MDF file installed on your computer then launch that program and select “File” and then “Open” or similar options from its menu to open the MDF file
- If you don’t have the program installed then you need to try searching for “MDF wiki”, “how to open MDF file” in the search engine.
- Once you find the application, install it on your computer
- After the program is installed double-click on the MDF file to open it
File extensions are used by Windows operating system to specify what kind of information is stored in the file. Every file in Windows OS needs to have file extension and file extensions are used by Windows to determine which application it should use to open the file. Every application installed on Windows OS places information about which extensions it could open into the Windows registry and Windows uses this information to determine which application it should launch when user double-clicks on the file. If application which can open MDF file is not installed, then Windows will show ‘Windows can’t open MDF file’ message and buttons to either select an application on the computer which can open the file or to search the web for the application which can open MDF file.