[OT] Pls. Help a Computer Illiterate!

[Thorvald Kviksverd]

Hey All,

I figure there must be a few computer savvy people around here...

I just purchased a laptop, but it doesn't have a CD/DVD ROM Drive.

How do I go about installing the licensed utilities, such as my internet service, Microsoft Word, etc., that I already purchased for my desktop?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions

Scott

[drothgery]

You'll probably want to network the laptop (if both laptop and desktop have ethernet ports, you'll just need a cheap crossover cable, otherwise, you'll need more stuff) and the desktop, then share the CD-ROM drive on your desktop. Then just install from your desktop's CD-ROM drive.

[gariig]

What kind of laptop? Some have docking stations (Vaio's are common to do this) that will have CD drives and what not. Also, as someone said, if you have an Ethernet port or PCMCIA (the credit card sized err cards) that is a Ethernet(Network Interface Card) you can buy a crossover cable to connect them for cheap (under $10). You'd then share the CD-ROM drives on your PC.

Gariig

[Thorvald Kviksverd]

Thanks for the quick responses

Figured out how to get the internet provider

I don't have ethernet capability though.

Maybe I'll try contacting Microsoft and see if they offer a download, since I have registered software.

In some ways, my old Apple II+ was a lot simpler

[Wormwood]

Originally posted by Thorvald Kviksverd
In some ways, my old Apple II+ was a lot simpler

Believe me, hardly a week goes by without me missing my old C64.

[Buttercup]

If you talk to Microsoft, you'll discover that you're supposed to purchase separate copies of the software for each computer you own. Read your EULA on any Microsoft product. I don't advise calling them to ask this, because they won't help you, and might even threaten prosecution if you figure out how to do it.

However, maybe you want to transfer your own files, which would be perfectly legal. Do you have a digital camera? If so, you can put anything on the little flash media cards. Those cards come with a 3.5 floppy drive holder, and are available in various size capacities, up to 24 mg, I think. When our laptop was dying, that's how we moved the entire contents of the hard drive to our desktop machine, so we could burn all of our files onto CD.

But I have to ask. Why did you purchase a laptop with no CD drive?

[kenjib]

Originally posted by gariig
What kind of laptop? Some have docking stations (Vaio's are common to do this) that will have CD drives and what not.

Some standalone external CD Drives also attach to a port directly on the laptop -- either USB or a proprietary connector. It's the old dongle versus dock debate.

[The Kender]

Its expensive, but you could buy a USB CD Drive.

[Thorvald Kviksverd]

Originally posted by Buttercup
If you talk to Microsoft, you'll discover that you're supposed to purchase separate copies of the software for each computer you own. Read your EULA on any Microsoft product. I don't advise calling them to ask this, because they won't help you, and might even threaten prosecution if you figure out how to do it.

YIKES!!

Glad I asked.

However, maybe you want to transfer your own files, which would be perfectly legal. Do you have a digital camera? If so, you can put anything on the little flash media cards. Those cards come with a 3.5 floppy drive holder, and are available in various size capacities, up to 24 mg, I think. When our laptop was dying, that's how we moved the entire contents of the hard drive to our desktop machine, so we could burn all of our files onto CD.

Now that's a nifty little trick.

I don't have one, but I've got a friend who does...

But I have to ask. Why did you purchase a laptop with no CD drive?

I Bought it used to save money :rolleyes:

Thanks to every one for the info.

[tarchon]

Originally posted by Thorvald Kviksverd
Thanks for the quick responses

Figured out how to get the internet provider

I don't have ethernet capability though.

You could do a direct cable connection to a desktop and share its CD drive over that. It's not very efficient, but with fairly cheap hardware you can make it work over serial (very slow, very cheap), parallel (somewhat slow, less cheap), or USB (fast, cheap). The only problem is getting the right cabling, but it should be on the order of $20 or less in each case.

[Zenon]

It would help a little if you mentioned the make and model of your laptop.

For example, a Dell laptop might not have came with a CD-ROM drive, but it has a modular bay, out with a A: drive in with the CD-ROM. They also come with a FDD cable which enables you to hook the A: drive externally to the parallel port while the CD-ROM drive is in the bay.

Even if you bought the Dell in my example above used, you might still be able to pick up the CD-ROM module from either Dell or someplace like eBay.

Any specifics you'd care to give us?