# AutoCAD LT 2004 - Can it run from USB flash Drive?



## carlo_67

Hi All,

I'm new here . . . 

As you can tell from my login my name is Carlo.

I do an extensive amount of work on AutoCAD and carry all the drawings on my USB 1.0 drive.

Many times I am not able to update my drawings on site - as the computer at the site location dosen't have AutoCAD installed, and my licenced copy is registered only on my office laptop. 

Question(s).
1. Can a licenced copy AutoCAD LT run directly from a USB Flash Drive (not on a hard drive)? 

That way I can plug in two USB Flash Drives - one for the ACAD software, and one for drawing storage on any computer - and away I go . . . 'AutoCAD LT on the run' on any computer with 2 usb ports.

2. Has anyone tried it yet?

3. Is it possible to run the software without updating the windows system registry?

4. If the registry must be modified each separate time, is there a simple way of doing it and removing the changes - i.e. a batch file of some type?

5. Is what I am proposing illegal? (I'm not sure - as I am installing it only on one flash drive with a single user at anytime)

If so, It will elieviate the need for lugging a laptop around.

Thanks in advance to anyone who responds.

Cheers

C


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## grizzly_uk

Yes, providing you can fit all of the application's files on your flash drive you can run most programs from a removable hard-drive, because that is all it is...a hard drive. You may however encounter some problems if the target pc does is running a much older operating system than the source pc.


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## Inactive

is there not a licence manager where you can move the licence from pc to pc? i remember having to do this for a while with architectural desktop, but essentially you install autocad on both pc's and when the 30 trial runs out you need to import/export the licence when going back and forth between stations.


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## grizzly_uk

Yes but he mentions that one of his requirements is to update his work on location so it may not always be appropriate (or convenient) to install AC onto a clients computer.


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## Inactive

when you install autocad you are given a request code for a licence. that will be different each time, so when you install it at 1 location you will be given a licence number from autodesk (either online or by email) for that installation. if you try install it a second time you will need to get in contact with autodesk again. i'm sure they would recommend installing it using the trial option and then moving the licence from the original location rather than give you 2 licence numbers.

so installing it on the usb drive to carry around with you would not work. instead you'll just export the licence to the usb drive and then import it at the other location.

is there a problem with doing a full install on the pc on site? a full install would take <300MB, although i'm using autocad2004


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## carlo_67

*Thanks!*

Thanks for the information gentlemen.

Installing on the site computer will be a problem - I don't want to affect the site computer at all - as they (the employees of the owners of the computer) may not know the administrators password to allow the installation of the program.

How does one transfer the licence? Where do I find the licence manager?

For the size of the files to be installed - would I contact AutoDesk? Or is there a website that will give me statistics on Acad 2004 LT?

Thanks again.
C


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## Inactive

the licence borrowing utility can be found on the start menu in the autodesk folder for autocad 2004. i did a full install of autocad 2004 and according to windows it has used 262MB, so 2004 LT should be less than that. minimum requirements is that you have 500MB free on the HD though

if you cannot get access to the pc on site with administrative privilages then i don't see how you can install it. if you install it on your pc, on the USB drive then your OS will install it there. all the necessary adjustments will be made to the registry and the windows folder on your pc. when you plug the USB drive into another pc, the OS on that pc will not know anything about autocad and in order to get it to work it would need to be installed there as well. as far as i know the authorisation code will be different for every install, so i do not see any advantage to installing it on the USB drive, in the first place.


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## carlo_67

Thanks, Freddyhard,

You've given me the exact answer - specifically about the OS registry.

I just saved money by not buying a 2gb flash drive for that purpose.

Thanks again
C


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