Anyone know how to use a USB Flash drive to install software with.

[Musicman50]

The Short Version Question:

Can someone tell me if its possible to take a CD that has an installation
for a software application on it,
and copy it's entire contents to a USB Flash Drive to install the same
software on workstations instead
of using the original CD?
Another words I could use the USB drive to install the software with instead
of using the CDROM drive?

The Long Version Question:

I need to use my USB Flash Drive to install software on multiple
workstations on a network.
Currently I have the software on 7-8 CD's and its very time consumming to
insert each disk everytime I
need to reinstall an application. So I have purchased this 4 Gig USB drive
that will hold all of the needed software apps.
A few I already have working, they install from a single folder, but 3 of
our applications need the CD to install the software.

So again does anyone know of a way to simply copy an entire CD's contents to
the USB drive and install the software from
the USB drive instead of using the original CD ?

This whould save me tons of time, and allow me to carry all my apps in one
little tiny drive.

Thanks in advance for anyones help..

Phil

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

In

The Short Version Question:

Can someone tell me if its possible to take a CD that has an
installation for a software application on it,
and copy it's entire contents to a USB Flash Drive to install the same
software on workstations instead
of using the original CD?
Another words I could use the USB drive to install the software with
instead of using the CDROM drive?

The Long Version Question:

I need to use my USB Flash Drive to install software on multiple
workstations on a network.
Currently I have the software on 7-8 CD's and its very time
consumming to insert each disk everytime I
need to reinstall an application. So I have purchased this 4 Gig USB
drive that will hold all of the needed software apps.
A few I already have working, they install from a single folder, but
3 of our applications need the CD to install the software.

So again does anyone know of a way to simply copy an entire CD's
contents to the USB drive and install the software from
the USB drive instead of using the original CD ?

This whould save me tons of time, and allow me to carry all my apps
in one little tiny drive.

Thanks in advance for anyones help..

Phil

What happens when you try? Just copy the CDs to separate folders on your USB
drive, and run setup. If prompted for the next CD, try manually redirecting
it to the appropriate folder (e.g., CD2, CD3, etc)

 

[Jonny]

Only thing that wouldn't work is the autoinsert thing, since each CD install
would be in a different folder. You'd have to manually start each install.
You can't copy all CDs to the root folder, wouldn't work as the setup and
other files may have same filename.

 

[DanS]

I need to use my USB Flash Drive to install software on multiple
workstations on a network.

I can see no reason to copy CD's to a thumb drive when the machines are
already networked.

Can they not be copied to a shared network drive and install from there ?

In regards to the apps with multiple CD's. USUALLY, you can just copy them
to one folder and it should install fine and won't even ask to change
disks. Other times, you have to copy CD1, which contains a folder
structure. Then browse thru CD 2 (and maybe 3) and see if it has a
(partial) duplicate folder structure, and copy form the other CD's into the
existing folder structure.


Regards,

DanS

 

[Musicman50]

Seems to work on some software,, and yes I do copy the entire program to a
single folder.
However Example: Microsoft Office 2000, still wants to find certain files
during the installation, and it does not
give an option to search for the missing file during the installation. Seems
to want to find them on the CDROM drive.

So it would seem that I have to somehow make the USB drive emulate a CDROM
drive.

As far as someone's suggestion to keep the files on the server, that is not
an option as I am in multiple locations, and
although I do have access to the server the bandwidth of the connection
would not permit such a large program like
Office 2000 to be installed remotely.

So the USB is still the best solution, just can't figure out how to make
Office 2000 install from the USB drive.

Any other suggestions anyone ??

 

[Jonny]

Sounds like its looking for a pre-recognized folder structure, or may be at
the root folder, where ONLY the drive letter may vary, in the case of Office
2K install.

 

[DanS]

Seems to work on some software,, and yes I do copy the entire program
to a single folder.
However Example: Microsoft Office 2000, still wants to find certain
files during the installation, and it does not
give an option to search for the missing file during the installation.
Seems to want to find them on the CDROM drive.

So it would seem that I have to somehow make the USB drive emulate a
CDROM drive.

As far as someone's suggestion to keep the files on the server, that
is not an option as I am in multiple locations,

Well you never said that, you just said 'Networked computers'

and
although I do have access to the server the bandwidth of the
connection would not permit such a large program like
Office 2000 to be installed remotely.

So the USB is still the best solution, just can't figure out how to
make Office 2000 install from the USB drive.

Any other suggestions anyone ??

Burn them all to a single DVD ?