# Solved: sharing programs over a network



## hensleyjr (Oct 7, 2008)

I am trying to share a program from computer A to computer B without having to install the program on computer B how do i go about doing this in windows XP home? 

thanks in advance!

hensleyjr


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## etaf (Oct 2, 2003)

whats the program ?


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## DoubleHelix (Dec 10, 2004)

You can't share a program by simply sharing a folder the program is installed to. The program executes on the local computer, and if the necessary files don't exist there, it won't run. An alternative would be to use something like Remote Desktop or VNC to connect to the other computer.


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## Joanyoung (Jun 18, 2004)

some programes you can share, because I shared programes by sharing the folder. 

Google earth, picasa, and a few others, but I eventually installed them on my laptop instead of sharing, but it is possible to share some programes 

joan


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## Plantsman (Jan 20, 2008)

I'd be interested to know if you could do this by just using a Shortcut icon on computer B which has a path to the program on computer A.


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## Joanyoung (Jun 18, 2004)

Not sure on that, I am going out curling tonight, but will have a look tomorrow see if it is possible. Maybe someone else knows in the meantime 

joan


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## Jtoast (Oct 3, 2002)

What you are talking about is basically using one machine as an application server. No that doesn't work without using some sort of virtualization software such as Citrix.


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## hensleyjr (Oct 7, 2008)

ok i have vnc but i can not get it to connect to the desktop from the laptop the connection times out.


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## fairnooks (Oct 1, 2007)

I use UltraVNC, works well except its a little slow. Did you allow or make a hole for the VNC server (or is it viewer? I forget, do both to start) in the firewall and is it listening?


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## hensleyjr (Oct 7, 2008)

yeah it seems to be listening and i added both to the firewall when i installed it


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## hensleyjr (Oct 7, 2008)

i have to vnc working now, but i would still like to know if its possible to share a program over a network as my original question


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## Hughv (Jul 22, 2006)

Why not just try it?


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## Joanyoung (Jun 18, 2004)

Yes........... well I can share some programe files as I said earlier, and I can create a shortcut to that programe on the desktop
You can't share the whole programe file folder, but you can share a programe within the folder.

Yes just try it as Hughv says

works for me!!!

joan


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## fairnooks (Oct 1, 2007)

So these would be programs that run in thier own environment without having to install anything right? If that surmise is correct then taking it to a proactive step, I would assume one could call or link to PE versions of other programs that normally install and they would work as well. If so, I can see some usefulness from that as an emergency backup resource when using or working on a system which I don't have ownership of.


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## TheOutcaste (Aug 8, 2007)

If the program doesn't need any registry entries it will work. For instance you can run Notepad and Calculator from another PC over the network.

If it does make registry entries, or needs to install DLL files into the system folders, you'll have to install it on PC B. You can install the main program into the same folder on PC A though by mapping a drive from PC B to PC A, assuming the license will let you install it on two PCs.

HTH

Jerry


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