Author Topic: Hypothetical Question (Read 2944 times)

CK9 · « **on:** January 05, 2011, 02:32:35 PM »

I was moving files from multiple computers to my external hard drive and a though occured to me:

Can I install programs onto the harddrive and run them on any computer I hook it up to? I am assuming that I would have to install an operating system onto the harddrive in order to install programs on it, I've been told before that there are some piece of hardware that must remain constant for the OS to work...

The main thing I was thinking with this was that I could potentially install specific programs (games mainly more than likely, heh) and use them on any computer without having to install it and transfer files.

Hidiot · « **Reply #1 on:** January 05, 2011, 05:55:12 PM »

Assuming it would work, it depends on the OS and the OS the program/game/whatever is designed to run on. Normally, windows things tend to put stuff in the registry and create some folders on the OS partition to store information they require to run. I don't know much about external hard drives and whether they can run OSs, though.

But if your program stores all its files in the same place, at least the same partition and knows how to access them regardless of any change to drive letter, they will work depending on the OS they interact with.

For instance, you can put Outpost 2 on an external drive and play it from there. I did that with my flash drive.

CK9 · « **Reply #2 on:** January 05, 2011, 10:45:24 PM »

Older games seem to be a lot more versitile that way, heh.

I've seen articles about installing an OS to external hard drives (haven't read them, though).

Mez · « **Reply #3 on:** January 18, 2011, 05:04:33 PM »

Assuming you have admin access to all computers that you are using the software on.

You could export the registry keys and import them on every computer you want to run the software on.

Perhaps with a an "installation" and "removal" script to add / delete the relevant registry information

For anything that requires a path in the registry a simple script will be required to pick the correct drive letter etc and perhaps copy relevant files into the User directory.

Freeza-CII · « **Reply #4 on:** January 21, 2011, 02:59:31 PM »

Alot of games you can do that with but some that require some kind of key or serial that is occupied in the registry of the computer. You may have to end up putting the serial number for the game if you move it to another computer.

CK9 · « **Reply #5 on:** January 21, 2011, 06:36:18 PM »

I've had a few that stored the serial info in the program folder, does that change anything?

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Author Topic: Hypothetical Question (Read 2944 times)