Discussing the box version of Settlers 7
Discussing the box version of Settlers 7
Instead of using those external drives, you could opt for a simpler solution. They’re inexpensive and widely accessible—perhaps you could even request one from someone nearby.
Share it via torrent. Use the key provided with the CD. If it needs a CD to function, obtain the ISO launcher from gamecopyworld and mount it as a virtual CD. For Windows 8.1/10, simply double-click the ISO to mount it. On Windows 7, you'll need Daemon Tools. And remember, this isn't piracy—no cracks required.
You're confident you can handle it. I'm just curious about the download speed—do you know how fast your internet is? In any case, you could convert your CD into an ISO file and then use it in a virtual CD drive if needed. I think you'd need a specific program for that. Perhaps Ashampoo has the capability. I'm not sure... It's been over five years since I used CDs. By the way, I looked on gamecopyworld and found no NO-CD ISO for Settlers 7, so it seems unlikely you need a physical disc to run it.
Similar to me, I didn’t use CDs for most of the year, which is why I picked this case now. I mostly play MMORPGs, but during maintenance I don’t have many games to play—like, I can switch to another MMO while the first is offline, but if I’m not in the mood, why bother? Hope it works. Also, I tried using a CD-Key on UPlay and got a message saying it was linked to another account. Does that affect my installation? My brother could just install it without me knowing 
I don’t own our used UPlay device. From what I understand, it functions similarly to Steam, so using the key on another account might prevent you from playing the game after installation. Also, Ubisoft’s DRM is often quite bothersome.