Installing PSE3 to external h.d.

[Liz]

I'm thinking of installing PSE3 to my external h.d. and using on both my pc and laptop. Do I also need to install it on the computers? Or can I open/use the software if it's just on the h.d.?

Thanks.
Liz

[another view]

I don't know if the program would work while installed on an external HD. Don't see why not, but I don't know that it's necessary. The program shouldn't be very big in terms of how much memory it uses in the HD - it's the images that will add up quickly. Adobe programs tend to be fairly large by program standards, but again not much compared to a pile of images.

You should be able to install the program on both computers. If live activation is required (may not be for PSE) then that might be a problem - can anyone verify this? I'd store the images on the external HD and back them up to CD so you have a spare copy if something ever happens to the external HD. The program is on the computer's internal HD (both of them) and the images are accessed from the external HD with either computer.

[mwfanelli]

I'm thinking of installing PSE3 to my external h.d. and using on both my pc and laptop. Do I also need to install it on the computers? Or can I open/use the software if it's just on the h.d.?

Thanks.
Liz

Well, yes and no. You can install it and run it on an external drive but it will still work only with the computer you used to create it. Windows uses a registry system to track software and do other housekeeping, those entries won't exist on other machines.

For example, I have a version of Firefox that installs on a USB key and runs on any Windows computer. However, the code was specifically rewritten to work that way. Normal Firefox does not.

[Liz]

OK I understand.....I guess I'll install it on my laptop, then I'll leave my PSE2 on the pc. And store the images on the h.d.

That should work.....hopefully.

Thanks Michael and Steve.

Liz

Well, yes and no. You can install it and run it on an external drive but it will still work only with the computer you used to create it. Windows uses a registry system to track software and do other housekeeping, those entries won't exist on other machines.

For example, I have a version of Firefox that installs on a USB key and runs on any Windows computer. However, the code was specifically rewritten to work that way. Normal Firefox does not.