Introduction
Why risk downloading all your installation software to a USB stick that is probably being infected by the computer you want to save? Because you don't have any other option? With an iPhone you do have a very good option. Its operating system is renowned for being virus free!
Background
With 13 years of developing Microsoft solutions all my computers became vulnerable to the Internet through install and uninstall activities. Trying out new software, needing new drivers, or even visiting every link that offered insight into the solution I was trying to provide.
Using an iPhone
It will cost to have the App 'iFiles' installed on your iPhone, but it begins to pay off when you rescue those Windows computers!
To get the install software in to the iFiles App can be tricky at times, as most modern sites try to change the browser layout to iPhone type or try to redirect you to the App Store. Holding down the download click and opening the download in a new page will get the install file into your iPhone Browser. Then tap the page to open in iFiles.
Use of Netsh code
It is probably best to use Netsh and a Hosted Wireless Network to connect your iPhone to your Windows PC. This means that you never forget to reset your default wireless network File Sharing to disabled, or it's IP address to auto config.
To create the Hosted wireless network use:
- netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid=<network name> key=<passkey>
Making sure that your Wireless LAN is enabled, you can start your Hosted Network thus:
- netsh wlan start hostednetwork
For the first part you will need to open the Command Prompt (cmd.exe) using Administrator privileges.
The second can be put in to Notepad and saved as a Bat file with the Administrator Option selected in it's shortcut file.
Changing the 'start' to 'stop' and saving as a separate Stop File, you can turn on and off the Hosted Network with a click.
With you Hosted Network up and running, connect your iPhone to it and open the iFiles App.
Initialize the iFiles Wi-Fi sharing mode and Using your Windows web browser type in the IP address displayed on your iPhone. Then download and install the software you can be sure on!
Hope it helps
Please note that having used up a major proportion of my iPhone storage space I resorted to buying a PQI Air Pen to use for storing all my Films
and Music Videos on. I'ts network functions and the ability to swap SDHC cards meant freedom for my iPhone and hence for my Windows PCs!