Running Program Files from CD drive

I need to free up some space on my HD (which is minute) and am wondering
about the possibility of removing some 1 GB of program files, about 70% of
which I use only infrequently, to CDs. I still need to be able to run most
of them on occasion (say 4-5 times a year) but don't want to have to
re-install them every time I need them and uninstall them when I'm done.

How feasible / possible is it for me to burn these files "as is" onto CD and
run them from my D: drive?

kaysee

"kaysee" wrote in message
...
I need to free up some space on my HD (which is minute) and am wondering
about the possibility of removing some 1 GB of program files, about 70% of
which I use only infrequently, to CDs. I still need to be able to run
most
of them on occasion (say 4-5 times a year) but don't want to have to
re-install them every time I need them and uninstall them when I'm done.

How feasible / possible is it for me to burn these files "as is" onto CD
and
run them from my D: drive?


Virtually impossible. The most likely solution is if the burner *is* your D:
drive (or you ran the programs rather from your E: drive), as most if not
all would need write access every time they were run. That would mean using
UDF Packet Writing software, which is probably not reliable enough for such
a purpose.

Even then you'd want to re-install the programs - using the Custom switch
and selecting to install to the burner drive - as the no. of files and
entries elsewhere referencing those programs as being at C:\Program Files
are likely to be too many to change.

I appreciate that not everyone can just go out and buy new hardware, but new
hard drives can be had for relatively little and that or a new computer (as
yours must be pretty long in the tooth by now) is a much more realistic
solution.

Otherwise, maybe there are more space-friendly programs that could provide
you with the functionality you require.

Shane

Thanks for the advice.

What about a plug and play drive? (Though that seems like an added expense
at this point)

I'm considering the new laptop deal, at least partially because my current D
drive is not a writer. I will certainly go with the largest hard drive I
can get in the new one.

kaysee

"Shane" wrote in message
...

"kaysee" wrote in message
...
I need to free up some space on my HD (which is minute) and am wondering
about the possibility of removing some 1 GB of program files, about 70%
of
which I use only infrequently, to CDs. I still need to be able to run
most
of them on occasion (say 4-5 times a year) but don't want to have to
re-install them every time I need them and uninstall them when I'm done.

How feasible / possible is it for me to burn these files "as is" onto CD
and
run them from my D: drive?


Virtually impossible. The most likely solution is if the burner *is* your
D:
drive (or you ran the programs rather from your E: drive), as most if not
all would need write access every time they were run. That would mean
using
UDF Packet Writing software, which is probably not reliable enough for
such
a purpose.

Even then you'd want to re-install the programs - using the Custom switch
and selecting to install to the burner drive - as the no. of files and
entries elsewhere referencing those programs as being at C:\Program Files
are likely to be too many to change.

I appreciate that not everyone can just go out and buy new hardware, but
new
hard drives can be had for relatively little and that or a new computer
(as
yours must be pretty long in the tooth by now) is a much more realistic
solution.

Otherwise, maybe there are more space-friendly programs that could provide
you with the functionality you require.

Shane

Best Buy is seling 250Gb hard drives for about $125. Go buy something.

"kaysee" wrote in message
...
Thanks for the advice.

What about a plug and play drive? (Though that seems like an added expense
at this point)

I'm considering the new laptop deal, at least partially because my current
D
drive is not a writer. I will certainly go with the largest hard drive I
can get in the new one.

kaysee

"Shane" wrote in message
...

"kaysee" wrote in message
...
I need to free up some space on my HD (which is minute) and am
wondering
about the possibility of removing some 1 GB of program files, about 70%
of
which I use only infrequently, to CDs. I still need to be able to run
most
of them on occasion (say 4-5 times a year) but don't want to have to
re-install them every time I need them and uninstall them when I'm
done.

How feasible / possible is it for me to burn these files "as is" onto
CD
and
run them from my D: drive?


Virtually impossible. The most likely solution is if the burner *is* your
D:
drive (or you ran the programs rather from your E: drive), as most if not
all would need write access every time they were run. That would mean
using
UDF Packet Writing software, which is probably not reliable enough for
such
a purpose.

Even then you'd want to re-install the programs - using the Custom switch
and selecting to install to the burner drive - as the no. of files and
entries elsewhere referencing those programs as being at C:\Program Files
are likely to be too many to change.

I appreciate that not everyone can just go out and buy new hardware, but
new
hard drives can be had for relatively little and that or a new computer
(as
yours must be pretty long in the tooth by now) is a much more realistic
solution.

Otherwise, maybe there are more space-friendly programs that could
provide
you with the functionality you require.

Shane

ME can't cope with 250GB drives!

--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2005, Windows)

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.btinternet.com/~winnoel/millsrpch.htm
http://tinyurl.com/6oztj

Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post messages to NG's

"Jerry" wrote in message
...
Best Buy is seling 250Gb hard drives for about $125. Go buy something.

"kaysee" wrote in message
...
Thanks for the advice.

What about a plug and play drive? (Though that seems like an added
expense
at this point)

I'm considering the new laptop deal, at least partially because my
current D
drive is not a writer. I will certainly go with the largest hard drive I
can get in the new one.

kaysee

"Shane" wrote in message
...

"kaysee" wrote in message
...
I need to free up some space on my HD (which is minute) and am
wondering
about the possibility of removing some 1 GB of program files, about
70%
of
which I use only infrequently, to CDs. I still need to be able to run
most
of them on occasion (say 4-5 times a year) but don't want to have to
re-install them every time I need them and uninstall them when I'm
done.

How feasible / possible is it for me to burn these files "as is" onto
CD
and
run them from my D: drive?


Virtually impossible. The most likely solution is if the burner *is*
your
D:
drive (or you ran the programs rather from your E: drive), as most if
not
all would need write access every time they were run. That would mean
using
UDF Packet Writing software, which is probably not reliable enough for
such
a purpose.

Even then you'd want to re-install the programs - using the Custom
switch
and selecting to install to the burner drive - as the no. of files and
entries elsewhere referencing those programs as being at C:\Program
Files
are likely to be too many to change.

I appreciate that not everyone can just go out and buy new hardware, but
new
hard drives can be had for relatively little and that or a new computer
(as
yours must be pretty long in the tooth by now) is a much more realistic
solution.

Otherwise, maybe there are more space-friendly programs that could
provide
you with the functionality you require.

Shane