Virtual CDs question

So, the laptop I'm getting won't have a cd drive being a netbook so I need to find a way to run my games without using the CD.

One solution I have found is the software, Virtual CD. I can work it fine but I have 2 questions:

1. When I create an image of the cd onto my HDD, I must then install the game itself like normal. Does this create 2 copies of the game on my HDD?

2. I have been told that using imaged cds on your hdd is not good or leads to instability or something. Is this true? Does it cause problems?

I am aware of using stuff like ISOs and nocd files but I don't really want to tamper with the files of my games and potentially mess it up, or the game companies find out through an update or something and smoke my copy.

Thanks for your help.

 

You can buy digital downloaded games from steam or game for windows live or EA directly. I think DRMed game dvd won't work in virtual CD.

 

If you have access to another computer, just copy the game media, make an ISO and put it on a USB. There's your virtual disc

EDIT: Or whats above, use steam

 

But I already own the games, I don't want to re-buy them. So it wouldn't work with ME2 or Bioshock 2 because of the DRM?

 

Well, then copy them to another computer FROM the disc, make an ISO, and get Daemon Tools Lite and there's your virtual disc you can use on your netbook. Answer to your 2 questions above:
1. If you have it on a USB, it doesn't matter.
2. All of my software, now, is ISO's, I copied all my software/game disc's and made ISO's.

 

I don't think you can play these games on netbook either.

 

ah, but she isn't your average netbook, but the alienware m11x

I'll have to try the ISO thing.

note: I don't have 8+ gig USBs...could I just use a firewire or something to transfer it over from my other computer? Transfer the ISO that is.

 

Note that many games will detect whether you're using virtual drive and not allow them to run. Depends on which security checks they end up using

 

You can buy a usb dvd driver.

 

Ah, yes, Evaders99 is quite right. I forgot, sorry! I think it would be less of a hassle to just buy an external drive, they are quite cheap on eBay.

 

how a game or movie reacts also depends on how competent the virtual CD software is. The stuff from slysoft.com does a pretty good job.

 

You can try this and run it off of USB: http://store.microsoft.com/Help/ISO-Tool