Hello! I just purchased BiaB Pro 2012.5. Is it possible (or advisable) to install it on a flash drive? Thanks!
I assume you mean a USB pen drive? Can't see any reason why it's impossible. That is just the solid-state version of a mechanical USB hard drive. Of course, they are not very fast. You might find accessing Real Tracks is intolerably slow.
But you'd already be an expert on the subject, if you had simply given it a try. In 20 minutes, you could be telling us how it went.
Thanks for the response! But, what I'm wanting to do is use Biab at work on the company computer (at lunch, of course). Problem is, the company does not allow any software to be loaded. So, you see why I could not "try it" first, without knowing.
In that case, there IS a problem. Although BiaB adds very little to the Windows registry, it does need PG Fonts installed to Windows, to let the display work. I doubt your company machine will allow that part, so you're probably hosed after all.
Let's wait and see if any users have discovered a way around that.
A little cheap netbook in your backpack would help, or an old eBay Thinkpad. Then you could do tunes out on the patio while you eat your sandwich.
Edit: The MIDI side of BiaB will run cheerfully on a castoff piece-of-junk computer. If you use 32-bit Windows, the little Virtual Sound Canvas will be available for sounds. It's there for free, and it requires very little horsepower. So you can get portable in a useful way at no cost if you have even the worst ancient laptop somewhere in a closet.
If your flash drive is big enough to store everything you purchased, then it is possible.
If you have the full programm with all real-tracks, I personaly know of no flash drive/memory stick that is bigg enough.
I personaly have my BandInABox installed on a external USB/Harrddrive. They are not that expensive an still have enough free space to install things to come in the future.
I also splitt konsequently the programm and my userdate. So therefore a never store my own stuff in a BandInABox or RealBand Folder.
I have not tried the new SSD-Drives that are much quicker than regular harddrives but all you can gain ist faster programmstart an faster load of other programm stuff.
I asked an online BB person. He said the same, that registry would not be a problem, but fonts would. However, he said a fast 3.0 USB flash drive should work fine at work if the install was done at home. I think I'll try doing that with a 16GB 3.0 thumb drive. Some of the new ones are rated faster than most HDDs. If it works, it would be mighty handy -- not only at work, but anywhere there is another pc.
Ask your company IT folks if they allow Fonts to be loaded (strictly speaking, fonts are software, but not application software, which is what they are really concerned with). If they say Yes, then you should be OK. You can manually install the PG fonts and run everything else from the external drive of whatever type. I've done this.
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I asked an online BB person. He said the same, that registry would not be a problem, but fonts would. However, he said a fast 3.0 USB flash drive should work fine at work if the install was done at home. I think I'll try doing that with a 16GB 3.0 thumb drive. Some of the new ones are rated faster than most HDDs. If it works, it would be mighty handy -- not only at work, but anywhere there is another pc.
BUT the prog is 60G
He has the "Pro" version, John. It fits easily on a DVD. (Remember when that seemed impossibly huge?)
I would talk to your system admin. I have been at places that are buttoned down so tight that IT is notified anytime something is inserted into the USB slot. Anything executable is checked against a list of "we'll allow this" software and if it isn't there you get an error message that your software is not permitted and if you leave the drive connected it erases the exe file.
second that
where I work ONLY IT Admins can install ANYTHING from ANY media and if you get caught with ANY media (CD, DVD, etc>) not already inspected by IT and LABELED as such you could be out of work.
and USB devices of any kind are forbidden - you get caught with one of them - you WILL be out of work!
It’s a major PITA when developing SW and tools for our customer who has even TIGHTER restrictions in very controlled locations – but ….them there is the rules: violate them and look for other work (after you spend time in Leavenworth)
that aside I think putting BIAB on a WORK computer might violate PG’s EULA anyway - I know PG is pretty lenient but still....
Larry
Third that! Where I used to work, all computers are system imaged by the IT group. ANY executable installation file is blocked regardless of source. As noted above, this was to preserve the confidentiality of clients files and systems more so than to protect ours. Be very careful of this one...."they" will know that you have installed it!
We can't even access any kind of cloud storage! Fortunately we have an off network ISP connection to test wireless and teach people how to use the VPN so I can use my laptop through there for cloud (and PG...) but intellecutal property is such a huge concern that Dropbox, Google Drive, Micro$oft's version whatever they call it this week.... all of them are blocked.