Moving programs?

[JRHOG]

Is there software that will allow me to move a program from one HD to another? I have a new PC and would like to move about half of the programs. I do not have the disks to reinstall all of them. The old HD is on its last leg, so using it as a 2nd HD will not work.

[gwallen4]

Many programs will run if you copy them (and their entire folder) to a new location; others won't. Just try it and see. Once they are moved your old desktop shortcuts won't work; you will need to create new ones.

Using your old HD as a second drive would be the same as copying the files to a different drive.

[Sylvander]

Whoa!
You can't do that:eek:

Programs normally have settings installed in the registry to make them work and if you move anything that is pointed to by a registry setting it will no longer work.

I know "Clean Sweep" used to move programs and change the registry settings to suit, but I don't know about newer applications.

"TweakUI" might do it.
I know it will change the registered location of the "C:\Program Files" folder, but you then need to move the files manually.
I'm not sure of it though because I've never moved this particular folder. I moved "MY Documents" and that worked ok.

Why not buy a new HDD, install it as the Slave, then use the HDD manufacturers utility software to copy the contents of the old HDD to the new. Then you switch jumpers to make the new the Master and the old the slave. If the old one stops functioning you can discard it.

[gwallen4]

Sylvander:

Sometimes programs need register settings, sometimes not.

The complicated game "Morrowind" can be moved with no problem and many other programs as well. True, they won't be noted in the Registry but I haven't found that to be a problem.

Try it with a few programs and see.

[Paul Komski]

I agree - its a hit and miss affair. But generally speaking, unless it's something elablorate, such as MS-Office or an antivirus, just running the program will work fine and the registry will be updated, though the programs will not appear in the add/remove programs list. Also, both related data and any of your own customisations may be lost when these are stored in such places as Application Data and not inside .ini files inside the program's folder.

Just a few examples that will run perfectly well after copying the folders elsewhere: adaware, aida, atomictime sync (and other analog x utilities), cookie wall, dcombob, diskprobe, editpad lite, folders report, foxmail, hijackthis, irfanview, leechFTP, linkman, mozilla, off by one, opera, paint shop pro, popcorn, spybot, spywareblaster, thunderbird, turbo navigator, winhex.

Quite useful to know, or be aware of, if you are dual booting since they can then be used from a single position by both OSes. If you set them all up in a common folder this can also be a good place to store shortcuts to all of these programs in a sub-folder; it is then easy to make a single shorcut to this sub-folder, stick it on your quick launch toolbar and you don't have to go searching for the startup icons from the start button.

[shanmuga]

I take it that you want to move all your programs including the OS to the new disk and ditch the old one. Instead of trying to move selected programs, which may cause registry corruption, I think copying an image is a better procedure. The manufacturer of your hard disk will provide a utility program to transfer information from an old hard drive to a new one. Check the web site of the manufacturer. Alternatively use one of the commercial imaging programs like ghost, driveimage etc..

[classicsoftware]

Get the mew hard drive and use the software provided the drive manufacturer to copy the entire contents including the registry into the new drive, then use the add/remove programs to remove the ones you no longer want.

[JRHOG]

Damn, I can't believe that I did not think of that . I guess that's why you are the Grand Master. Thanks

[gwallen4]

If you are copying the contents of a HD in an old computer to a new HD that you plan to use in the same computer, Classic's suggestion will work fine.

If the new HD is going in a new computer, there could be a problem.

[Fruss Tray Ted]

If the new HD is going in a new computer, there could be a problem

But a repair installation afterwards should eliminate that. Assuming the OS is up to it...