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Installing things on an external hard drive.

Discussion in 'Hardware' started by Squadexodus, 9 Apr 2008.

  1. Squadexodus

    Squadexodus I got my cookie. What about you?

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    I was wondering what the intricacies were on installing things on a external hard drive. For example, being able to install itunes, sins of a solar empire, and other games. Then i want to move the external hard drive to a different computer and be able to play it without installing anything major on the new computer.
     
  2. mm vr

    mm vr The cheesecake is a lie

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    Not possible, as the installers need to write some things to the registry.

    If you're going to install only "portable apps", namely those which come in .zip packages too, then it'll work.
     
  3. GoodBytes

    GoodBytes How many wifi's does it have?

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    That is correct... that id why games has an installer... else it would be like playing games on a gaming console, pop the disk in, and enjoy! The only thing that would be required is your HDD to save the game... however due to the great variety of PC out there all updated differently some fully, some not at all, some in between, and the slowness of optical drive (see how slow and annoying loading screen in games are ;) ), it is not the case.
     
  4. shadow12

    shadow12 I lie

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  5. GoodBytes

    GoodBytes How many wifi's does it have?

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    You must understand that running your application on a USB external HDD is slower than having them on your internal HDD.
    UNLESS you use an external HDD with eSATA connector, and that your external HDD is a fast one (7200 RPM with over 8Mb of Buffer/Cache)
     
  6. shadow12

    shadow12 I lie

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    What goodbytes said is completely true. I think a decent USB or firewire external would do.
     
  7. Dev25

    Dev25 What's a Dremel?

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    If i remember there's a program called thinstall which can make your apps portable and games in your case, ideally a clean xp is required (or use VMware) then it will scan and then u install to ur comp then it will scan again ...that is what i remember, will find out again how to use it and tell you later
     
  8. Squadexodus

    Squadexodus I got my cookie. What about you?

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    well damn. I wanted to play sins of a solar empire in school... I would install xp if it was possible, but then i would have to boot off of it. So portable only it is. I guess ill have to find the ones of the games i have.
    Edit: My friend also has an external, and he can play all the warcraft games. Including WoW.

    Also Shadow, nice find. Ill try that out twomorrow. After i format my new external. That looks amazing...
     
    Last edited: 9 Apr 2008
  9. Matticus

    Matticus ...

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    Well a few games run ok without things being written to the registry, when I reinstalled windows all my games where left on my D drive, and I had planned to reinstall them all, but I tried a few and some actually worked, a few just went full screen black and then back to desktop, and a few said some errors, I assume the errors where regarding the lack of CD key in the registry or something.
     
  10. shadow12

    shadow12 I lie

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    Cool, glad I could help. Haven't used it myself yet since it is one of the entries in my unending to do list.
     
  11. Squadexodus

    Squadexodus I got my cookie. What about you?

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    ill let you know how it works out. the only problem i can foresee is the need for an administrative account.
     
  12. Dev25

    Dev25 What's a Dremel?

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    Ok Remembered more as i too wanted to play games at school untill i found that it barely ran since the NEW comp. that they brought were utter crap. my 5 year old laptop could be it in running anything.
    http://www.thinstall.com/
    ...(carry on )
    anyway basically it will compile the new files located in a exe with a folder called thinstall or just an single exe. inside the folder is files of where the new files are such as C:\... (INSTALL PATH) and also registry files.
    i can confirm it works since i used it for office 07/adobe cs3 apps . and there may still be the demo for making firefox portable thinstall way on the web site (same principle just different app or game in your case). I think with the new version u dont need xp so win2k, vista... works great they just recommend having a clean system (hence the vmware recommendation) so that no other files get scanned and compiled etc

    1 bad thing is that you have to buy the software but there are other ways to get it ... hint hint if you really want it
     
  13. wyx087

    wyx087 Homeworld 3 is happening!!

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    Sins of solar empire will work without registry.

    because i regularly re-install Windows, i can't be bothered to reinstall all the game. so i know which game work and which don't. ask away :)
    here's a list i currently have on my computer WITHOUT being installed.
    Code:
     Volume in drive G is Games
     Volume Serial Number is A0FE-2924
    
     Directory of G:\Program Files (x86)\z
    
    09/04/2008  22:33    <DIR>          .
    09/04/2008  22:33    <DIR>          ..
    16/12/2007  14:23             1,305 Black & White© 2 Battle of the Gods.lnk
    16/12/2007  14:15               773 Black & White© 2.lnk
    02/12/2007  15:01               849 Call of Duty(R) 4 - Modern Warfare.lnk
    22/03/2008  16:23             1,052 Command and Conquer 3 Kane's Wrath.lnk
    14/03/2008  13:16               944 Command and Conquer 3.lnk
    29/03/2008  02:40             1,268 Crysis - Dx10 64bit my tweak.lnk
    05/04/2008  12:07             1,128 Crysis - Dx10 64bit v high.lnk
    18/10/2007  22:45               905 DiRT.lnk
    18/10/2007  22:37             1,860 Lost Planet Dx10.lnk
    15/12/2007  01:01             1,128 Need for SpeedT ProStreet.lnk
    04/03/2008  10:25             1,127 S.T.A.L.K.E.R. - Shadow of Chernobyl.lnk
    31/03/2008  11:48               852 Serious Sam 2.lnk
    06/02/2008  13:28               916 Sins of a Solar Empire.lnk
    14/03/2008  23:45               803 Tomb Raider Anniversary.lnk
    01/12/2007  00:03               784 Unreal Tournament 3.lnk
    14/02/2008  16:12               838 Virtua Tennis 3.lnk
    28/10/2007  15:58               958 World in Conflict.lnk
    09/12/2007  12:40               586 zzz_PatchStatus.txt
    18/10/2007  20:40             1,444 __Steam.lnk
                  27 File(s)         26,108 bytes
                   3 Dir(s)  101,886,410,752 bytes free
    
    of course, most of them require a My Document's folder for saved games and stuff
     
  14. Squadexodus

    Squadexodus I got my cookie. What about you?

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    If i remember correctly thats 5,000 bucks...

    Crysis is out of the question, cause theres no way it can run on school comps.

    Games i want: Sins, Tabula Rasa, world in conflict. Just for starters.
     
  15. wyx087

    wyx087 Homeworld 3 is happening!!

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    Sins, WiC will work very well without Registry, you might be required to re-enter the CDkey though, but other than that, it'd be fine.
    sorry, don't do MMO games, so never tryed Tabula Rasa
     
  16. Squadexodus

    Squadexodus I got my cookie. What about you?

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    Well, im trying out my games and applications on the crap computer in guidance today. Pidgin works, as does xul player and audacity. I havent tried Sins, as it will kill this computer.
    I tried to run tabula rasa updater, but i was missing d3dx9_33.dll. Anything i can do about this?
     
  17. Matticus

    Matticus ...

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    Installing directx9 should fix that. Do not download the file from one of those .dll download sites (not saying that you would:D) Just reinstall or install directx 9 and you should be fine.
     
  18. Squadexodus

    Squadexodus I got my cookie. What about you?

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    Can i install Dx9 on the hard drive?
    Doing this is all about leaving the smallest footprint on the computer the hard drive is plugged into.
     
  19. GoodBytes

    GoodBytes How many wifi's does it have?

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    DX9 is not a software.,.. it is a complex programing library. It needs to be set at specific location in the System drive.
     
  20. Squadexodus

    Squadexodus I got my cookie. What about you?

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    So i guess any game that needs an updated dx9 is out of the question. It sucks that i need to have administrative privileges to install it
     

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