Transferring files to a new computer

[PT]

My current machine runs WindowsXP. I plan to buy a new one which will
almost certainly come with Vista pre-installed.

I'm aware of MS and other utilities which purport to transfer the files
without problems.

But what is the situation with the numerous programs which require
activation?

On my computer there are numerous such programs from Adobe, Nuance, Acronis,
AVG, Intuit and of course MS Office 2003 among others.

Will they transfer directly? Somehow I doubt it, especially if the OS has
changed.

In that case, do I have to argue with the vendors to be able to reinstall
them?

 

[Shenan Stanley]

My current machine runs WindowsXP. I plan to buy a new one which
will almost certainly come with Vista pre-installed.

I'm aware of MS and other utilities which purport to transfer the
files without problems.

But what is the situation with the numerous programs which require
activation?

On my computer there are numerous such programs from Adobe, Nuance,
Acronis, AVG, Intuit and of course MS Office 2003 among others.

Will they transfer directly? Somehow I doubt it, especially if the
OS has changed.

In that case, do I have to argue with the vendors to be able to
reinstall them?

If you have the installation media and the product keys/serial numbers - and
your license for said products allows the transfer to another machine (or
install on multiple machines at the same time) - then you should have no
problem installing and utilizing said applications.

However - that will greatly depend on many things - including compatibility
with the new OS, licensing, support from the vendor, etc.

Quite the cross-post, BTW.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

My current machine runs WindowsXP. I plan to buy a new one which will
almost certainly come with Vista pre-installed.

I'm aware of MS and other utilities which purport to transfer the files
without problems.

But what is the situation with the numerous programs which require
activation?

On my computer there are numerous such programs from Adobe, Nuance, Acronis,
AVG, Intuit and of course MS Office 2003 among others.

Will they transfer directly? Somehow I doubt it, especially if the OS has
changed.

No. Not even if the operating system is the same.

You will need to install the applications you want on the new computer

In that case, do I have to argue with the vendors to be able to reinstall
them?

In general, there's no issue with that at all. You normally have a
license for a single installation, and you simply uninstall it on the
old computer and install it on the new one.

 

[Richard in AZ]

| My current machine runs WindowsXP. I plan to buy a new one which will
| almost certainly come with Vista pre-installed.
|
| I'm aware of MS and other utilities which purport to transfer the files
| without problems.
|
| But what is the situation with the numerous programs which require
| activation?
|
| On my computer there are numerous such programs from Adobe, Nuance, Acronis,
| AVG, Intuit and of course MS Office 2003 among others.
|
| Will they transfer directly? Somehow I doubt it, especially if the OS has
| changed.
|
| In that case, do I have to argue with the vendors to be able to reinstall
| them?
|
| --
|
| PT

Files transfer, programs do not. You have to re-install most programs (there are few that will
copy, but most don't) using the original installation CD's. Technically you have to uninstall these
programs from your old computer to meet the rule.

If you did not keep the installation disk jacket, with the product code, I would download and
install Belarc Adviser on the old computer first. Belarc Advisor (www.belarc.com) will provide you
a list of installed software and their product codes.

 

[Skybuck Flying]

I recommend you send HATE MAIL to MS for not being able to transfer your
SUPER EXPENSIVE software to their even MORE SUPER EXPENSIVE CRAPPY SOFTWARE.

This shit has been going on for years and is one of the worst problems for
WINDOWS at least.

All comes down to stupid registry bullshit and inability to actually do
something about this problem.

I FOR ONE WILL NOT UPDATE TO ANY NEW MICROSOFT WINDOWS OPERATING SYSTEM
UNLESS THERE IS A REALLY GOOD REASON FOR IT

A Lesson Microsoft is learning as we speak.

It's being torn apart by it's own success and failure to innovate where it
matters the most:

The user's expensive time and effort and installation and so forth.

GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR VISTA CRAP YOU GONNA NEED IT LOL.

Bye,
Skybuck.

 

[Mick Murphy]

You have to manually reinstall the Programs on to the new computer, from the
original Media, or download/install again(Adobe, AVG, etc).

You can not transfer them by Windows Easy transfer, etc..

 

[Gerard Espinas]

My current machine runs WindowsXP.  I plan to buy a new one which will
almost certainly come with Vista pre-installed.

I'm aware of MS and other utilities which purport to transfer the files
without problems.

But what is the situation with the numerous programs which require
activation?

On my computer there are numerous such programs from Adobe, Nuance, Acronis,
AVG, Intuit  and of course MS Office 2003 among others.

Will they transfer directly?  Somehow I doubt it, especially if the OS has
changed.

In that case, do I have to argue with the vendors to be able to reinstall
them?

Once you have a new OS, then you need to reinstall all your
programs.

 

[windmap]

My current machine runs WindowsXP.  I plan to buy a new one which will
almost certainly come with Vista pre-installed.

I'm aware of MS and other utilities which purport to transfer the files
without problems.

But what is the situation with the numerous programs which require
activation?

On my computer there are numerous such programs from Adobe, Nuance, Acronis,
AVG, Intuit  and of course MS Office 2003 among others.

Will they transfer directly?  Somehow I doubt it, especially if the OS has
changed.

In that case, do I have to argue with the vendors to be able to reinstall
them?

Before you move first you need compatable drivers for windows xp to
work on vista based computer.also a disk management program to
partition drives.Then all the installation media for softwares and OS
to install them.then you are ready to go.Windows xp should be a Retail
copy.

 

[Lil' Dave]

My current machine runs WindowsXP. I plan to buy a new one which will
almost certainly come with Vista pre-installed.

I'm aware of MS and other utilities which purport to transfer the files
without problems.

But what is the situation with the numerous programs which require
activation?

On my computer there are numerous such programs from Adobe, Nuance,
Acronis, AVG, Intuit and of course MS Office 2003 among others.

Will they transfer directly? Somehow I doubt it, especially if the OS has
changed.

In that case, do I have to argue with the vendors to be able to reinstall
them?

File and settings transfer wizard is meant for user files, not ALL 3rd party
application system files and any registry entries made by 3rd party
application installations. If you are under the impression that such will
make such alterations, you are mistaken in intepretation.

Your only alternative is to install the 3rd party applications anew
including Office 2003. Oddly, its not needed to use the portion of the
wizard regarding file association as the 3rd party application installation
does all that for you anyway. After all this is done, transfer your user
files that are used by thiese applications.

All of the above are in regards to XP installation and its wizard, not
Vista. You need to go to a Vista group for its wizard details.

 

[Tim Slattery]

On my computer there are numerous such programs from Adobe, Nuance, Acronis,
AVG, Intuit and of course MS Office 2003 among others.

Will they transfer directly? Somehow I doubt it, especially if the OS has
changed.

Only a very few, very basic programs can be copied from computer to
computer and still run. This is not (primarily, anyway) because of
activation, but because installation of these programs makes LOTS of
registry entries, and the programs won't work properly without them.

In that case, do I have to argue with the vendors to be able to reinstall
them?

That would depend on the vendors. I hope not, but some will probably
be PITAs.

 

[Skybuck Flying]

What Microsoft should (try) to do is:

1. Make it possible for users to install all applications into a "disk"
image.

2. All settings are stored inside the "disk" image as well.

3. Somehow mount the disk image in windows.

4. When the disk image is mounted windows reads all the "registry" tweaks
and integrates it into windows.

5. When the disk image is unmounted windows remove it again.

This would allow transferring of software installation by simply
copieing/transferring one single file !

Easy to do for users and much more "thrustworthy".

You know everything was transferred !

Bye,
Skybuck.

 

[TaurArian]

Some programs (especially adobe) require you to de-activate and then
re-activate on the new computer.

K

 

[sgopus]

just get Acronis True Image once you have your install up and working, make
an image/clone your set.

 

[Richard in AZ]

That does not really work if the two computers do not have exactly the same hardware.

| just get Acronis True Image once you have your install up and working, make
| an image/clone your set.
|
| "Skybuck Flying" wrote:
|
| > What Microsoft should (try) to do is:
| >
| > 1. Make it possible for users to install all applications into a "disk"
| > image.
| >
| > 2. All settings are stored inside the "disk" image as well.
| >
| > 3. Somehow mount the disk image in windows.
| >
| > 4. When the disk image is mounted windows reads all the "registry" tweaks
| > and integrates it into windows.
| >
| > 5. When the disk image is unmounted windows remove it again.
| >
| > This would allow transferring of software installation by simply
| > copieing/transferring one single file !
| >
| > Easy to do for users and much more "thrustworthy".
| >
| > You know everything was transferred !
| >
| > Bye,
| > Skybuck.
| >
| >
| >
| >

 

[sgopus]

What two computers? he only mentioned one. just mounting and unmounting a
drive.

 

[Lil' Dave]

2 PCs are suggested in the header, and, specifically stated in the original
post text.

"Skybuck Flying" subsequent reply did not contain the original post. Of
which, is the subsequent thread content from there, and, listed below.

--
Dave

2008 Focus , 5 spd no frills coupe- to date per fillup - 33 mpg low - 39 mpg
high.

How much CO footprint to remove and transport basic materials for batteries
and to manufacture the batteries for the Ford Fusion and any other hybrid?

 

[Skybuck Flying]

Yeah,

The idea is to store applications and settings inside a disk image seperated
from the operating system itself.

Therefore new computers can come with new operating systems.

And then simply the old application disk image will be transferred to the
new operating system and "installed" (= mounted) there.

Saving tremendous ammounts of time !

Bye,
Skybuck.

 

[Dick D.]

Yeah,

The idea is to store applications and settings inside a disk image seperated
from the operating system itself.

Therefore new computers can come with new operating systems.

And then simply the old application disk image will be transferred to the
new operating system and "installed" (= mounted) there.

Saving tremendous ammounts of time !

You're a moron. What you want to do is impossible for a bazillion
reasons. You're just too stupid to realize it.

 

[Bob I]

Yeah,

The idea is to store applications and settings inside a disk image seperated
from the operating system itself.

Therefore new computers can come with new operating systems.

And then simply the old application disk image will be transferred to the
new operating system and "installed" (= mounted) there.

Saving tremendous ammounts of time !

Bye,
Skybuck.

The ONLY applications that would would work in that scenario are the few
utilities that don't rely on registry entries to function. That probably
is something on the order of less than 1/10 of one percent of the
software out there. In other words, not going to work in any real
non-diagnostic situation.

 

[James Kosin]

The ONLY applications that would would work in that scenario are the few
utilities that don't rely on registry entries to function. That probably
is something on the order of less than 1/10 of one percent of the
software out there. In other words, not going to work in any real
non-diagnostic situation.

Not really, you could have an application hive that stores all that and
gets loaded dynamically. Windows already has something similar with the
user entries.
The only real issue would be OS compatibility. You can't guarantee the
new OS can support the old API interfaces; and that the applications
could support the new OS items, such as file security, etc. This is
bound to cause problems eventually.

James