Need help from CC community: laptops without DVD/CD drives

Parent Cafe
1

<p>Hi all–</p>

<p>Many of the smaller laptops don’t have DVD/CD drives. I guess the expectation is that any software will be downloaded off the internet.</p>

<p>Can two laptops be connected via USB such that the CD drive on one can be used to install software on the other? Both ends of the USB cable would have to be the same.</p>

<p>My version of MS Office is on a CD–would like to avoid purchasing a new copy of Office.</p>

<p>Any info would be much appreciated!! Thanks in advance.</p>

2

<p>Just purchase a USB DVD external drive, $50!</p>

3

<p>There is a way to configure the DVD/CD drive on one machine as a device over a local computer network to be used by the machine without one. </p>

<p>However, that can be very technically involved and not for a computer novice. It’s much easier to try doing this under Mac OSX than in Windows or worse, many flavors of Linux/BSD. </p>

<p>Happy2Help’s post is probably the most easy solution. </p>

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</p>

<p>Ok…just saw this part. Read too hastily. What version of MS Office? It is possible to copy the entire contents of prior versions of office off the CD/DVD and then run the set up after copying it over to the CD/DVD driveless machine. You also have the option of installing it over the network…but that can be painfully slow. </p>

4

<p>Sorry my “less than” sign didnt show. Much less than $50… BTW you will still want a DVD drive to install other software and/or watch DVD movies…</p>

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<p>Thanks Happy2Help–that may be the easiest solution–did not expect an external drive to be so inexpensive!!</p>

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<p>Checked amazon.com, there are name brand units (Samsung, LG) available for <$30!! This is gonna work for little money.</p>