VirtualDrive Network Frequently Asked Questions

Why can't I install VDN Administrator or VDN Client, or why don't these two components work properly?

Check the following three points and try again:

1. Make sure VDN Server has been installed successfully
2. Make sure the two shared directories of VDN Server have been set correctly
3. Make sure the computer of VDN Server has started up

Why is the time for building protected CDs much longer than building other sorts of CDs?

To avoid the long wait, you must build protected CDs with intelligent extraction, otherwise it will take longer to complete, or the VCD will be unreadable after it is complete. Also, at the beginning of the building, VirtualDrive slows down the speed while reading data from a protected area on the CD (laserlock, safedisk, securom), so the time estimated to finish will be prolonged. The VirtualDrive will speed up once it is finished building the protected area, and the time remaining will be reduced as well.

Does the building time vary depending on the quality of the real CD-ROM drive?

Yes. The reading speed of CD-ROM drives produced by different manufacturers will vary depending on their error-correction ability and other mechanisms.

Can I convert a VCD file (built by intelligent extraction) into an ISO file?

VCD files built by intelligent extraction are different from ISO files, therefore, there is no way to convert it into an ISO file.

Does VirtualDrive support IEEE1394 or USB CD-ROM?

VirtualDrive 7.03 or later versions support IEEE1394 or USB CD-ROM. If you still run the old version of VirtualDrive, you may download the newest version on our website.

VirtualDrive auto-plays the contents of VCDs at system start-up. How do I stop the auto-play?

Uncheck the "Enable CD autorun" box from View > Settings > Miscellaneous in the VirtualDrive menu bar.

Can VirtualDrive automatically eject all inserted VCDs from virtual drive(s) after the computer restarts?

Yes, just uncheck "Keep VCDs in drive when system boots" from View > Settings > Miscellaneous in the VirtualDrive menu bar.

Why does the game application still ask me to insert the CD when the virtual CD is already inserted?

You may resolve this problem by trying either of the following methods:

1. Change a CD drive's letter by using "Disk Management" in Windows. Do to so, right-click My Computer > Manage > Disk Management, and right-click the interested drive and select "Change Drive Letter and Paths" to change the drive letter.
2. Build this game CD by using intelligent extraction.

Why does the system always prompt me to "Please insert a disk into drive…" after I insert a VCD (built from Mixed-Mode CD) into a virtual drive?

The problem may be caused by the Filter Driver in Ahead Nero 5.5.6.4, which is not compatible with VirtualDrive. This file makes VirtualDrive unable to read data on VCDs with sound tracks. You can resolve the problem by uninstalling Nero from the Computer.

Why can I hold only a maximum of 23 virtual drives on my PC?

Since there are 26 letters in the alphabet, we suppose that, on your computer, A: and B: are floppy drives, and C: is the entire hard disk. Therefore, there are only 23 letters left, and each one can be assigned to a drive.

Does VirtualDrive support protected game CDs?

Yes, VirtulDrive supports various protected game CDs such as Mixed-Mode protected, Safedisk1, Safedisk2, Securom, Laserlock, etc.

Why can't I hear the background music while playing my game?

The background music of some mixed-mode CDs are only available if the CD is inserted in the first CD-ROM of the system.

Some games require more than one CD for playing. How can I replace a CD without interrupting the game?

VirtualDrive enables users to use a hot-key to insert a CD. Preset a hot-key and a virtual drive for each CD so that you can insert them into the designated drive by using the hot-key without interrupting the game.

Which CDs need to be built using "Intelligent Extraction"?

Some protected CDs (such as Securom) need to be built by intelligent extraction.

After I set the number and position of virtual drives on WindowsXP or 2003 Server, VirtualDrive regards virtual drive as real CD-ROM drive. How can I correct this?

There are 2 ways to solve this problem:

1. Restart your computer.
2. Refresh the Device Manager.

The drive letter of real CD-ROM was arranged to the tail. How can I change the drive letter sequence?

You can assign a drive letter to a CD-ROM drive by following these steps:

1. Right-click on "My Computer" from your Desktop.
2. Select Manage > Disk Management.
3. Make sure you know which one is the virtual drive.
4. Right-click on the VirtualDrive icon.
5. Select "Change Drive Letter or Paths" from the drop-down menu.

Can two or more administrator programs exist in a local area network?

No, only one administrator is allowed to exist in a local area network.

How do I hide the shared VDN directory via My Network Places?

You can keep the directory invisible on a network by renaming the folder name as VDN$.

What should I do prior to installation if I want to install VDN Server on Windows 2000?

You must download Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC) from the Microsoft website and install MDAC on the target computer. Only then, can VDN Server can be installed successfully. Without MDAC, the VDN Server will fail to complete the installation.

What should I do when I see this message?:"Error: 2008. Failed to update SQL express 2005 configuration, please refer to FAQ or contact our technical support"

Uninstall SQL Express 2005 manually (from the control panel) and try again.

What is VirtualDrive Network?

VirtualDrive Network is a digital archiving program that creates compressed files, or "virtual discs," from software, video, photo, and music CDs and DVDs. These files can be saved to a network, to a standalone computer, or to a portable medium (like a flash card), and can be used instead of original CDs on any PC. You can build thousands of virtual discs and run them on a server at speeds nearly 200 times faster than their CD-ROM counterparts.

How many users can share their VCDs simultaneously?

When virtual discs are placed on a network, any number of users can access them simultaneously while original discs remain stored for safekeeping.

In what setting is VirtualDrive Network most beneficial?

VirtualDrive Network is designed for educational institutions, government agencies, and businesses for easy and efficient sharing of Virtual CDs.

Do I have to be a computer whiz to manage my VCDs?

VirtualDrive Network operates on Windows®-based TCP/IP networks and is easy to implement and manage. Wizards guide the users through most tasks, and the software can be installed and configured on an entire network in just a few hours.

Does VirtualDrive support compression?

Yes, VirtualDrive's average compression ratio is usually about 10-30%. For the uncompressed CD titles, the compression ratio can be as high as 50%.

How much memory does VirtualDrive Use?

VirtualDrive is a new device for your system. It uses 64 KB of memory to cache the most recently used data for each VirtualDrive.

Can I build a VCD from selected files on my computer, network server or CD-ROM disc?

Yes. You create an ISO9660 CD-ROM image file from the selected files by using a CD-R burning software (for example, Adaptec Easy CD Creator). Use the "Convert ISO9660 image to VCD" function of the VDN admin program to import it into the VDN file CD jukeboxes.

What is the difference between the VirtualDrive evaluation version and the licensed version?

The VirtualDrive evaluation period consists of a 15-day limit, creation of 1 virtual drive, and creation of up to 2 VCDs. The licensed version of VirtualDrive imposes none of these limits and allows for the creation of up to 23 virtual drives and an unlimited number of VCD files to be created.

Where may I purchase FarStone software?

FarStone Technology products may be downloaded from our online product pages or from any of our reseller partners. If you originally purchased VirtualDrive Pro 14 from an authorized FarStone Technology Value Added Reseller (VAR), you may purchase any additional licenses through that reseller.

Where can I find the most updated prices?

The updated prices (MSRP) for FarStone Technology software are posted on the website.

How are your products licensed?

Each product is licensed per machine, unless otherwise stated (i.e, purchasing a multiple license bundle). If you wish to install and activate the product on multiple machines, you will need to purchase additional licenses.

If I purchase VirtualDrive software, do I download it, or will you send me official product CDs in the mail?

You will have the option during the purchase to request a VirtualDrive downloaded backup CD by mail (for a small shipping fee), or you may choose to download the software. The download comes in the form of a small installer to install the software in Windows.

When deal with UDF higher version (such as 2.4 or 2.6), I can not use Virtual Drive normally. How to solve?

To solve the problem, you can use following method to covert ISO:
1. Open such an ISO with open source tool 7-zip, and uncompress all files into a local temporary folder.
2. Enter "Create a Virtual CD from files/folders", and add all the uncompressed files in step 1. Please make sure to keep the directory structure of original CD/DVD.
3. After that, use function "Create a Virtual CD from files/folders" to create virtual CD.
4. Add virtual CD to cabinet.
Note: This solution is invalid to some some Encryption CD or speical format CD.