Issue with mounting CD through "Remote Disk"

[SylvainC]

Running into a problem installing software on a CD physically located on an external machine through "Remote Disk" on my MBA.

Every time I manage to "see" the install files I get an error "this is not a Win 32...". The issue is that this software usually loads when the CD is inserted. Since this doesn't happen I tried to double click on the .exe file (and all other files" but to no avail.

I've successfully installed this same software on my MBP (with a DVD reader) with success, so it's not a cd or windows program issue.

This happens whether the unit running the Remote Disk software is a Mac or a PC.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[SylvainC]

Found a fix

Perhaps this will help someone one day...

The issue was the stupid CD can only "work" if it launches upon insert (autolaunch?).

This immediately prevents the use of Remote Disk when the CD in question needs to be accessed by a MBA(unless a hidden file can be located, but I digress).

I was pretty sure buying the Apple USB SuperDrive would solve the issue, but spending $79 to install one software was out of the question.

I tried to use the DVD drive of a MBP while it was connected to my MBA via target disk mode, but this failed as well. The issue this time was my MBA couldn't "activate" the DVD drive through the "device" menu of parallels. I kept getting an error message stating something was missing to make the drive operational. I could only see the DVD but it appeared like a network volume and I had the same issues I was having when trying via Remote Disk (I have to say I was surprised to that the DVD drive of the slave machine was even functional.)

I had a hunch the previous attempt failed because even though I was in Windows, Parallels needed to access the DVD drive to the Mac files and since MBAs don't have built-in drives it could work.

I then decide to reverse the roles and put the MBA in Target Disk mode but used it's volume as the start up (option during startup). This also failed for, I assume, the same reasons.

I had one last idea before running to the store. While still keeping the MBP as a master and the MBA as a slave I simply use the MBP volume as a startup. I then launched parallels (also installed on the MBP) and selected the .pvm file stored on the MBA. I did have to answer a pop-up from parallels asking if I was copying or moving the file (chose moving), but the correct .pvm file opened. I then selected the DVD/default option in parallels (no error message this time), I inserted the DVD and bingo! The damned thing launched and I then "easily" installed the software.

The only "weird" thing is after unmounting and unplugging everyting I did not have to answer any pop ups when I launched parallels from the MBA. Who cares, I had finally installed the software that had been lying om my desk since June!