Install Game Directly from ISO
I downloaded an expansion pack today, and wanted to install it on my laptop. Unfortunately, the ISO was 1.3GB, which meant I'd have to burn it onto a DVD, which cost $1.50 for a blank when we bought them. I know there is programs to mount ISOs as virtual CD drives in Windows, but I didn't want to install another program, and Kristina wanted it too, so installing another program was really out of the question. I instead opted to use Linux to make my life easier:
I first SFTPed the ISO from my Windows laptop onto one of my Linux machines (In this case, happened to be my Powerbook G3) and mounted it through the loop device there:
mkdir cd
sudo mount -o loop game.iso cd
I then shared it over samba. I tried to use the nice right click GUI share in Ubuntu, but there was some problem with permission escalation. Samba installed fine, but the actual sharing had to be done by hand. (I need to look into if this is a me problem, PowerPC problem, or a real Ubuntu problem):
net usershare add cd /home/kenneth/cd
Now moving over to Windows, map the network share as a drive:
Start - All Programs - Accesories - Windows Explorer - Tools - Map Network Drive...
(Note: Vista doesn't show the file menus (ie tools) by default, so those will need to be turned on beforehand)
And Browse for the shared folder. Uncheck Reconnect at logon, unless you want to keep using this trick later, and press Finish. In addition to ISOs through Linux, this can also be used to piggyback on another Window's CD drive (think eee or tablet computer); just share the root of the CD drive.
If you're lucky, this network drive will look just like the CD to the game, and it'll work fine. If you're really lucky, the autostart will even come up right away.
I really like it because not only do I not have to burn a DVD that I'll use once, I can install it on multiple computers at once (think LAN party), and it's faster than a 4x DVD, even after you finish burning it (hard drive + 100Mb LAN = win).
I first SFTPed the ISO from my Windows laptop onto one of my Linux machines (In this case, happened to be my Powerbook G3) and mounted it through the loop device there:
mkdir cd
sudo mount -o loop game.iso cd
I then shared it over samba. I tried to use the nice right click GUI share in Ubuntu, but there was some problem with permission escalation. Samba installed fine, but the actual sharing had to be done by hand. (I need to look into if this is a me problem, PowerPC problem, or a real Ubuntu problem):
net usershare add cd /home/kenneth/cd
Now moving over to Windows, map the network share as a drive:
Start - All Programs - Accesories - Windows Explorer - Tools - Map Network Drive...
(Note: Vista doesn't show the file menus (ie tools) by default, so those will need to be turned on beforehand)
And Browse for the shared folder. Uncheck Reconnect at logon, unless you want to keep using this trick later, and press Finish. In addition to ISOs through Linux, this can also be used to piggyback on another Window's CD drive (think eee or tablet computer); just share the root of the CD drive.
If you're lucky, this network drive will look just like the CD to the game, and it'll work fine. If you're really lucky, the autostart will even come up right away.
I really like it because not only do I not have to burn a DVD that I'll use once, I can install it on multiple computers at once (think LAN party), and it's faster than a 4x DVD, even after you finish burning it (hard drive + 100Mb LAN = win).
