Running the MSDN Library from a Network Folder

An efficient way for one or several users to access the MSDN Library is to create a shared network installation folder on a network computer's hard drive, and make the folder accessible to the users in your group. MSDN strongly recommends that you copy all the files in the Library to a shared hard disk drive rather than trying to share a CD-ROM drive. This yields better performance for multiple users accessing the Library over a network.

Note   The MSDN Library is licensed to a single user.  MSDN has recently changed the licensing requirements for the MSDN Library Subscription. Beginning on September 13, 1999 we have changed the MSDN Library Subscription licensing requirements to allow for sharing of the MSDN Library Subscription media within an organization. For more information on the changes to the MSDN Library licensing, please see the amendment to the MSDN Master End-User License Agreement.

Important Space Requirement Information

The network folder that you choose for the location of the MSDN Library must have sufficient space available. A minimum of 1.8 GB of hard disk drive space is recommended. The MSDN Library contains over 20,000 files in 1523 folders. The majority of them are sample files smaller than 4KB. If the cluster size of the file system on the target computer's hard drive is set to 32KB then this will dramatically increase the size of the MSDN Library footprint.  Depending on your file system's cluster size the MSDN Library footprint will range between 1.3MB and 2.3 GB of space. For more information on file systems, refer to the Knowledge Base article Q100108 entitled "Overview of FAT, HPFS, and NTFS File Systems."

Using Network Copy to copy the MSDN Library contents to a network folder

A utility called Network Copy makes it easier to create a shared network installation folder version.  Network Copy is an automated way to transfer files from the multiple MSDN Library CD-ROMs to a single networked server location.  Please understand that the end result is not an MSDN Library installation. Network Copy creates a full copy from which multiple users can install and run the MSDN Library from a shared network location.

1. Create a destination folder into which the Library will be copied on the network computer. For best performance, be sure no one is using the CD-ROM drive from which you're copying or the shared hard drive to which you're copying. Do not share the network installation folder while you are copying. It will likely cause you problems if someone runs Setup while you are copying the Library.
   
   
2. Insert Disc 1 into CD-ROM drive on a system that has read/write/update permission to the network installation computer. The process will run much faster if the CD-ROM drive and the destination hard disk drive are on the same computer. 

   Note   The MSDN Library Setup program may start automatically when you insert Disc 1. If it does, cancel the Setup program before proceeding with the Network Copy process.

3. To start the Network Copy program, run the file in the root directory of Disc 1 named netcopy.exe.
   
   
4. The Network Copy program will walk you through the steps to copy the MSDN Library.  When prompted for the destination folder, click the Change Folder button to enter the correct destination folder.
   
   
5. When the copy process has been completed, you should verify that the network install location works by running Setup and opening the Library from a client computer.  Share the network folder containing the MSDN Library with read-only access. Go to a different computer and run Setup from the shared network folder. After you have verified that the Library runs properly from the client computer, you can announce to your users that it's ready for their use.

To manually copy the Library contents to a network folder

To correctly create the network installation folder, all contents from the MSDN Library Disc 1, Disc 2, and Disc 3 must be combined into one folder with the identical directory structure as Disc 1. Setup will fail if a user attempts a full installation of the MSDN Library from a share that has the contents of Disc 1 and Disc 2 or Disc 3 in separate folders.

Important   Do not share the network installation folder while you are copying. It will likely cause you problems if someone runs Setup while you are copying the Library.

Complete the following steps in order to place the Library on a network folder for better performance over a network.

1. Put the CD-ROM drive on a system that has read/write/update permission to the network installation computer. The process will run much faster if the CD-ROM drive and the hard disk drive are on the same computer.
   
   
2. Create a shared target folder into which the Library will be copied on the server. For best performance, be sure no one is using the CD-ROM drive from which you're copying or the shared hard drive to which you're copying. Do not share the folder until the installation process is complete and tested or setup will fail on the client should a user run setup during the copy process.
   
   
3. Copy all files and subfolders from MSDN Library Disc 1 to the target folder.
   
   
4. Copy msdn332.inf from the root of Disc 2 to the root of the target folder.
   
   
5. Copy all files from the \msdn folder on Disc 2 into the \msdn folder in the target folder.
   
   
6. Copy msdn333.inf from the root of Disc 3 to the root of the target folder.
   
   
7. Copy all files from the \msdn folder on Disc 3 into the \msdn folder in the target folder.
   
   
8. Share the network folder containing the MSDN Library with read-only access. Go to a different computer and run Setup on from the shared network folder. After you have verified that the Library runs properly from the client computer, you can announce to your users that it's ready for their use.
   
   
9. At this point, all files will have the read-only attribute set. This will make use of samples copied from the network share inconvenient. To alleviate this problem, run the following command from a command prompt on the target folder and all contained subfolders (this may take a while, given the large number of files involved):
   attrib –r *.* /s
   Note that after running this command, folders will still have the read-only attribute set.

Here are some additional guidelines for installing the Library to a network folder:

• The permissions on the target folder should be made read-only when you share it out for general access.
  
  
• The network computer should have enough bandwidth to handle the anticipated load.
  
  
• The network computer should be able to handle the required number of concurrent client connections.
  
  
• The network computer should not use a compressed file system, unless this is commensurate with the hardware and the anticipated load.

Removing the Library from the Network

Removing the Library is fairly simple if the following procedures are followed.

1. Have all users log off the share and disable sharing of the folder.
   
   
2. Use the following command to delete the folder:
   rd <targetfolder> /s
   This command may take a while, given the number of folders and files involved. Note that a standard delete from Windows Explorer is inefficient, since the folders retain the read-only setting from the CD even though the attrib –r *.* /s command was used. You can use Windows Explorer to delete the target folder and all subfolders, but you would be prompted to delete each folder even though you clicked on the "Yes To All" button during the delete process from Windows Explorer.