[SOLVED] Can I install games via an external DVD drive using an USB connection?

Jaco147

Prominent
Oct 18, 2019
20
0
510
Hi there,

I have an odd question regarding installing games with an external DVD drive. So I already found out that it is possible but some games require you to have the disc in while playing and that won't work over an USB connection so my question is this; Is there an way to play the game without the disc but without using sketchy software. I want to play GTA V online and I think that if I use some software to play without the disc that it might not work because it may pick it up as fraud or something, I don't know and that's why I'm asking.

Oh and I do not nearly have enough data to download GTA so that's why I have to buy the disc version. I do have this idea though to maybe connect the game to Steam somehow and then use Steam as my launcher for the game?

Thanks in advance.
 
Solution
You can create an ISO of any disk with lots of freely available software, and you can natively 'mount' said ISO inside Windows, so it (essentially) thinks there's a disk present.

With a lot of games, you can use Steam to activate a disk-based version of a game, providing a key/serial number (or something, it's been a while) which removes the need for the disk to be present each time.

Barty1884

Retired Moderator
You can create an ISO of any disk with lots of freely available software, and you can natively 'mount' said ISO inside Windows, so it (essentially) thinks there's a disk present.

With a lot of games, you can use Steam to activate a disk-based version of a game, providing a key/serial number (or something, it's been a while) which removes the need for the disk to be present each time.
 
Solution

Jaco147

Prominent
Oct 18, 2019
20
0
510
You can create an ISO of any disk with lots of freely available software, and you can natively 'mount' said ISO inside Windows, so it (essentially) thinks there's a disk present.

With a lot of games, you can use Steam to activate a disk-based version of a game, providing a key/serial number (or something, it's been a while) which removes the need for the disk to be present each time.
Awesome! That's exactly what I was looking for, but just didn't know that the games themselves have this option readily available. The Steam option that is.
 

Barty1884

Retired Moderator
I haven't seen/used it in a while, as I do everything digitally - but they certainly used to, and can't imagine the feature has been removed given the rise in DLC/patches, and the decrease in prevalance of DVD drives.

EDIT.
Actually, the disk is only for install - has nothing to do with 'launching' the game, as you need to be logged into Rockstar's launcher.
https://gtaforums.com/topic/856909-is-there-a-play-disk-on-the-gta-5-pc-version/