A system and method for executing a rental software program in a distributed computing environment is provided. The system enables the streaming of software applications to the client computer. It also enables the system calls of the software application to be intercepted and analyzed in order to determine when one or more optional files are needed. The system also suspends the operation of the software application during retrieval of the optional files from the server so that the software application does not crash and then restarts the software application once the optional files are retrieved. The system also protects the software application and its optional files from unwanted copying in that the system may remove all of the files from the client computer once the rental of the software application has been completed. Finally, the system also enables a software vendor to easily and quickly upload a new software application to the server so that client computers may rent the software application.