What does it mean to perform a local install?

Answer: A local install is a software installation that is performed on your local computer. It is by far the most common way to install software.

When you open an installer program, it may ask you to select the installation destination. You can typically select the hard disk or the actual directory where the software will be installed. Even if you choose to install the software on an external hard drive, it is still considered a local install, since it is being performed on your local computer system.

Examples of non-local installs include network installations and target disk mode installs. Network installations are often performed by network administrators and involve installing software on one or more computers connected to a network. Target disk mode (TDM) installations allow users to install software on another machine's hard drive via a Firewire connection. Since both of these installs do not install software on the same machine where the installer is located, they are not considered local installs.

Published: July 22, 2010 — by Per Christensson