[ILUG] Virtual CD Jukebox?

[Ray Kelly]

Aaron McDaid wrote:
> I'm no expert but here's my 2 cents ;)
An expert is someone who knows when _NOT_ to BS those around them:)
 
> > Most of these CD's are the type that you just pop into the CD drive and the
> > software starts automatically. There is no option to even install it to the
> > hard drive. I didn't know Windows could run software remotely over a network.
> > Every time I've mentioned the idea to the Windows Admin-types at work they
> > look at me like I've got two heads and say 'No one can run software like
> > that.'

you probably need new windows admins then!

> No need to run it remotely with an application server or anything.
> Wouldn't sharing with Samba do the trick?

probably the handiest way would be to dd the cd's to iso images
somewhere on the server then you don't need to to any re-partitioning
provided that you've already got enoug disk space around the place to
hold these. Then loop mount the images & share those dirs off using
samba/whatever. Once you've that done you should be able to create
windows shortcuts, be they using full unc paths
(\\server\share\autorun.exe) or drive mappings on each of the machines
pointing to the relevant autorun app (cracking open autorun.inf on the
root dir of each cd will tell you where it is exactly). if these apps on
the cd can run without actually having a drive mapped you'd be better
off doing this as many (more than 4) mapped drives can completely murder
windows network performance.

It may or may not work depending on the app cds themselves but I for one
would be interested in hearing of the outcome.
hope this is of use.

mise le meas
	Ray ...

-- 
Ray Kelly:ray at itg.ie:+353 86 8241103:
Senior Systems Administrator: ITG Card Services:
Sandyford Industrial Estate, Dublin 18, Ireland:
     All Tribal Myths are true.
     For a given value of `true'  - Terry Pratchett