VB Express ISO

[agibsonsw]

Hello.
I need to install VB Express onto 6 laptops. I could download the available ISO (for the whole Express suite) and burn it to a DVD.

1) Is it possible/best to download it directly to the DVD? Is there a (free) app that will speed up the download process - I can use Firefox, IE or Chrome?
2) What small app can I use to "unpack" the ISO and is it possible to install it to the DVD, rather than having to install it on each laptop?
3) If, instead, I just download the VB Express install file - which is much smaller - can I just burn this to the DVD and use it for the distribution?

I'm not very familiar with .iso's but, as I recall, believe it requires a separate applicaiton to unpack. Any advice is welcome. Andy.

[John Gray]

ISO files are usually burned to CDs/DVDs (NOT simply copied) so that they are bootable. Thus Windows 7 ISOs for installation; Macrium Reflect ISOs for operating system disk reloads. There are programs around which can deconstruct ISOs, but I've not used them.

You could just burn=copy the VB Express installation file to a CD, and instruct people to click on SETUP.EXE (or whatever!)...

[agibsonsw]

Thank you John.

I bet there's about 10 copies of the VB Express install file in various places on my Vista computer! Pity I can't trust it to work if I just copy one of these - best that I just download it again

Regards, Andy.

[agibsonsw]

Hello again.

I forgot about the first part of my post - is there a free application that can speed up the downloading of a file form the internet? My preference is for FireFox but I could use IE or Chrome if either has a good 'download-speeder-upper'?

Andy.

[StuartR]

... is there a free application that can speed up the downloading of a file form the internet?

There are paid applications that claim to be able to do this, but I have never seen any evidence that they are anything more than a way of getting the foolish to part with their money.

[agibsonsw]

Thank you Stuart.

I attempted to download the Visual Basic Express install file, but it just ran and attempted to install/replace my current copy. Any idea how I can just grab the install file (exe or msi)?

In the meantime I downloaded the Express .iso file and saved it to a DVD. But to make use of this I need some application which will "unpack" the iso?

Andy.

[agibsonsw]

Actually, no worries . I installed WinRAR and it seems to be extracting the iso just fine.

Hopefully I can just pass the DVD around and people can run the VB Express install. If this fails for some reason then (hopefully..) there will be WiFi available and they can install it directly from the site.

Regards, Andy.

[StuartR]

You can use a free tool such as Virtual Clone Drive to mount the ISO file with a drive letter, this may be easier than unpacking it.

(I haven't tried this product because I use Virtual CD, which is not ).

[agibsonsw]

..mount the ISO file with a drive letter

Don't know what this means or why it would be beneficial. Would appreciate a brief description pl

[StuartR]

...Would appreciate a brief description ...

You run the software and point it at the ISO file. The software creates a "virtual" disk drive, and you then access the contents of the ISO file as though it were a mounted CD.

[agibsonsw]

Thank you Stuart

Although.. must be me being dim . Perhaps it creates a virtual drive (on the DVD) and then I can copy this drive to each laptop, and not have to go through the installation process on each laptop?

I'm sure the penny will drop eventually.. (?) Andy.

[StuartR]

If you are going to use this ISO file on many different laptops then it will be best to use software that can burn the image to a real CD.

If you are going to use numerous different ISO files on a single PC then it is best to install software that can create a "virtual" CD drive and then mount ISO files. This cuts out all the burning, and having to burn a new CD whenever a new version comes out.

[agibsonsw]

Thanks again Stuart.

Still a little in the dark but never mind

[agibsonsw]

Hello. Just an update.

It took hours for WinRAR to extract the .iso to a folder of my DVD, but they were able to copy this folder to their laptops and install from it. Cheers . An additional benefit is that I now have a DVD with the entire Express Suite on it .

.ISO files continue to be a mystery to me, but I shouldn't let it niggle me..

Regards, Andy.