How can I transfer programs to a new comp please ?

shaneym

Im getting a new computer and was wondering if there is any way to transfer certain programs from my old comp to the new. There are certain programs I have paid for which are installed on the old comp so how do I get them on the new one.

Also, some of the programs I have were downloaded when they were free for a limited time period, but no longer available for free. Will I have to lose these programs or can I somehow tranfer them too. I love using these programs, but they would be too exspensive for me to buy, and I realy dont want to do that when I already have them for free on my old comp.

Please note, its only programs I want to transfer, not music, photos or data files.

Thnaks for your help

JasX

You have to reinstall them from scratch again.

Where you installed from a disk/CD you should have kept the original disk/CD and reinstall again from that.

Where you installled from a download you'd have needed to keep the install file safe/backed up somewhere (having saved it using 'save as'), along with any code needed to repeat the install.

Except for the simplest/most basic of programs there is no direct way to 'transfer' them from one PC to another once installed.

If you've thrown away the original disks/install files but still have say, an email with the original license key or can retreive it somehow (eg contact the company with a copy of your electronic download receipt/its registered with them soomehow) you might be able to get replacement media/install files and re-use your original license.

What programs are we talking and how did you install them first time?

tronator

shaneym wrote: »

Also, some of the programs I have were downloaded when they were free for a limited time period, but no longer available for free. Will I have to lose these programs or can I somehow tranfer them too. I love using these programs, but they would be too exspensive for me to buy, and I realy dont want to do that when I already have them for free on my old comp.

You could try the following. Search the registry for entries this program made (it's hopefully only one hive) and export it. Then install it on the new computer, copy the content of the old program folder over it (in case there are some additional files from the registration process in there) and import the registry settings.

You could also look in "%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Application Data" if there are any settings from this program.

Never did this by myself, I always reinstalled. It's just an idea...

Marty999

If you really need the original programs, how about installing the old hard disk in the new computer in place of the new one?

tronator

Marty999 wrote: »

If you really need the original programs, how about installing the old hard disk in the new computer in place of the new one?

Have you ever seen this working with Windows? It's not a trivial process, if possible at all.

closed

What are the programs?

Most programs have a freeware alternative available with similar functionality

Unless they are portable apps, transferring from a to b is time consuming to say the least.

Copy the folders across, then try and run them, some may work, others wont

S0litaire

You'll probably getting Win7.
So there's an option to transfer user account and data from an old PC to a new one.

You can connect both machines to a router (Or use a USB drive) and the transfer wizard then copies settings & data from old PC to the new one.

googler

Make a list of the programs you want to keep and note how you installed them.

Find install discs for those you installed from floppy, CD or DVD

Find the install 'package' - a downloaded .zip file or .exe file for those you downloaded. Copy this to a safe place - USB stick or external drive.

Anything that doesn't fit into the above categories I would say is generally lost, but you might want to, once you've done the above ;

Remove the primary hard drive from the old machine

Install it as a secondary drive on the new

Set up shortcuts to the missing program executables (*.exe) - these MAY work for simple programs, but the more complex will protest at certain files not being on your primary drive.

Anything still missing, you'll have to go looking for on the interweb again......

googler

If you're happy to keep the same operating system on your new PC, and an upgrade of the OS isn't the reason for the PC upgrade, you could merely remove the HDD from the new, and put your HDD from the old machine in its place.

Everything will still work then.

If you need more HDD space as the existing drive is too small, add a secondary HDD to the new machine.

The only complication could arise from your old drive being IDE, the new PC having SATA, but there's adaptors available from Maplin and other PC suppliers.

JasX

googler wrote: »

The only complication could arise from your old drive being IDE, the new PC having SATA, but there's adaptors available from Maplin and other PC suppliers.

That and the small issue none of the hardware drivers will be appropriate for the installed hardware.... good luck

Chris55_2

I agree with JasX here - swapping the main disk is not going to work. The drivers with be wrong, the O/S installation will be wrong. If it's Windows then even if the drivers were compatible enough Windows itself will require you to contact Microsoft to be re-licenced (or at least confirm your licence). The existing license wouldn't technically be valid anyway. This is a blind alley, don't go up it!