How to access desktop or start programs from an old hard drive?

[Guest]

I had a new hard drive installed and now I can't figure out how to use my
programs that are on the old hard drive. I thought I could just go in to
Program Files from the c:\ drive in Windows Explorer, but when I find the
program I want, I can't figure out how to start it. For instance, I am
trying to start MS Publisher but dont' see any *.exe icons in that directory.
Where are the *.exe files or how do I access my old desktop?

Thank you.

 

[Guest]

Are you wanting to use your programs from your old hard drive over to the new
drive? if so, did u transfer the programs and their installed files over to
the new one? And what kind of OSs are you going between?

 

[Guest]

Go to Control Panel>Add or Remove Programs.
Is the program listed? You may have to reinstall the program.
[You didn't say what the reason for the new drive was, or what you had
installed on it. Unless your old drive was 'cloned' to the new one, probably
only the OS was installed to the new drive. (If the drive was a replacement)
Is the old drive ALSO in the computer? Need more info, here.]

 

[Guest]

I want to use programs that are on my old hard drive, but I did not transfer
them to my new hard drive. I am using Windows XP.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Are you wanting to use your programs from your old hard drive over to
the new drive? if so, did u transfer the programs and their installed
files over to the new one?

No, this won't work. Because installed programs have many pointers to them,
in the registry and elsewhere, you can generally not do this (except for a
very occasional tiny self-contained program).

The programs have to be reinstalled on the new drive.

 

[Guest]

No, the program is not listed on Add/Remove Programs.

The new drive was installed on e:\ because we were having trouble with the
c:\ drive and couldn't get the computer to do anything when booting to it
unless it was started in safe mode. I did reinstall some of my programs,
such as Office, but I was hoping not to have to go back and reinstall
everything I own. I can't actually even find my old Publisher CD, so I was
hoping to be able to access it without reinstalling.

So yes, the old drive is in the computer and I have been able to retrieve
documents, etc. from it, just can't figure out how to start the programs.

Thank you.

Go to Control Panel>Add or Remove Programs.
Is the program listed? You may have to reinstall the program.
[You didn't say what the reason for the new drive was, or what you had
installed on it. Unless your old drive was 'cloned' to the new one, probably
only the OS was installed to the new drive. (If the drive was a replacement)
Is the old drive ALSO in the computer? Need more info, here.]

I had a new hard drive installed and now I can't figure out how to use my
programs that are on the old hard drive. I thought I could just go in to
Program Files from the c:\ drive in Windows Explorer, but when I find the
program I want, I can't figure out how to start it. For instance, I am
trying to start MS Publisher but dont' see any *.exe icons in that directory.
Where are the *.exe files or how do I access my old desktop?

Thank you.

 

[Rock]

"DWedge"wrote

I had a new hard drive installed and now I can't figure out how to use my
programs that are on the old hard drive. I thought I could just go in to
Program Files from the c:\ drive in Windows Explorer, but when I find the
program I want, I can't figure out how to start it. For instance, I am
trying to start MS Publisher but dont' see any *.exe icons in that
directory.
Where are the *.exe files or how do I access my old desktop?

Thank you.

Unfortunately the programs won't run. They need to be installed under the
new OS from the original media. Program installation involves placing files
in the proper folders and creating entries in the registry. The programs on
the old drive are "orphaned" so to speak from the OS on the new drive.
There are only a few programs that can be run without an installation.
There are generally small, single purpose utilities. You can save the data
files from the old drive, but you won't be able to use the programs.

 

[Uncle Grumpy]

You need to COMPLETELY install all your old programs.

Never mind why... you apparently wouldn't understand.

Just do it.

 

[Talahassee]

No, the program is not listed on Add/Remove Programs.

The new drive was installed on e:\ because we were having trouble with the
c:\ drive and couldn't get the computer to do anything when booting to it
unless it was started in safe mode. I did reinstall some of my programs,
such as Office, but I was hoping not to have to go back and reinstall
everything I own. I can't actually even find my old Publisher CD, so I was
hoping to be able to access it without reinstalling.

Your FIRST issue that must be resolved is that the system is
configured and designed to boot to C:. Therefore, if you have set
your new drive to boot from E:, you are defeated before you start.

And unless you planned ahead and CLONED your hard drive ( a process
that frankly, I don't understand), and if you didn't already copy all
your old programs in the clone process, so that everything
self-installs when you run the re-install,

you're going to have to find that missing disk if you're going to
re-install Publisher, and you're going to have to re-install all your
software from scratch.

As I don't myself know how to clone my entire hard drive, whenever I
have to format my hard drive, I am stuck with a roughly 2-week or
longer process of re-installing all my software each time.


Good luck!

Tallahassee

So yes, the old drive is in the computer and I have been able to retrieve
documents, etc. from it, just can't figure out how to start the programs.

Thank you.

Go to Control Panel>Add or Remove Programs.
Is the program listed? You may have to reinstall the program.
[You didn't say what the reason for the new drive was, or what you had
installed on it. Unless your old drive was 'cloned' to the new one, probably
only the OS was installed to the new drive. (If the drive was a replacement)
Is the old drive ALSO in the computer? Need more info, here.]

I had a new hard drive installed and now I can't figure out how to use my
programs that are on the old hard drive. I thought I could just go in to
Program Files from the c:\ drive in Windows Explorer, but when I find the
program I want, I can't figure out how to start it. For instance, I am
trying to start MS Publisher but dont' see any *.exe icons in that directory.
Where are the *.exe files or how do I access my old desktop?

Thank you.

 

[Guest]

I would reinstall (or rather, Install) any programs you have the software/cd
for.

As for Publisher, you might try P.C.magazines "Change of Address
2",available here:
change of address 2: (may require free memebership application for download)
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1556307,00.asp

LONG, detailed article about program/usage, here: (precedes download page)
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,88432,00.asp

Note:100% success (if any) is questionable. ( I have not used the program,
though the source IS reputable.)

No, the program is not listed on Add/Remove Programs.

The new drive was installed on e:\ because we were having trouble with the
c:\ drive and couldn't get the computer to do anything when booting to it
unless it was started in safe mode. I did reinstall some of my programs,
such as Office, but I was hoping not to have to go back and reinstall
everything I own. I can't actually even find my old Publisher CD, so I was
hoping to be able to access it without reinstalling.

So yes, the old drive is in the computer and I have been able to retrieve
documents, etc. from it, just can't figure out how to start the programs.

Thank you.

Go to Control Panel>Add or Remove Programs.
Is the program listed? You may have to reinstall the program.
[You didn't say what the reason for the new drive was, or what you had
installed on it. Unless your old drive was 'cloned' to the new one, probably
only the OS was installed to the new drive. (If the drive was a replacement)
Is the old drive ALSO in the computer? Need more info, here.]

I had a new hard drive installed and now I can't figure out how to use my
programs that are on the old hard drive. I thought I could just go in to
Program Files from the c:\ drive in Windows Explorer, but when I find the
program I want, I can't figure out how to start it. For instance, I am
trying to start MS Publisher but dont' see any *.exe icons in that directory.
Where are the *.exe files or how do I access my old desktop?

Thank you.

 

[Guest]

DWedge:
Reading thru the detailed article, it appears COA2 WON'T WORK for your
situation!
Sorry if I got your hopes up. Your original install has to be working when
you move the program; yours is not.

As for Publisher, you might try P.C.magazines "Change of Address
2",available here:
change of address 2: (may require free memebership application for download)
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1556307,00.asp

LONG, detailed article about program/usage, here: (precedes download page)
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,88432,00.asp

Note:100% success (if any) is questionable. ( I have not used the program,
though the source IS reputable.)

No, the program is not listed on Add/Remove Programs.

The new drive was installed on e:\ because we were having trouble with the
c:\ drive and couldn't get the computer to do anything when booting to it
unless it was started in safe mode. I did reinstall some of my programs,
such as Office, but I was hoping not to have to go back and reinstall
everything I own. I can't actually even find my old Publisher CD, so I was
hoping to be able to access it without reinstalling.

So yes, the old drive is in the computer and I have been able to retrieve
documents, etc. from it, just can't figure out how to start the programs.

Thank you.

Go to Control Panel>Add or Remove Programs.
Is the program listed? You may have to reinstall the program.
[You didn't say what the reason for the new drive was, or what you had
installed on it. Unless your old drive was 'cloned' to the new one, probably
only the OS was installed to the new drive. (If the drive was a replacement)
Is the old drive ALSO in the computer? Need more info, here.]

:

I had a new hard drive installed and now I can't figure out how to use my
programs that are on the old hard drive. I thought I could just go in to
Program Files from the c:\ drive in Windows Explorer, but when I find the
program I want, I can't figure out how to start it. For instance, I am
trying to start MS Publisher but dont' see any *.exe icons in that directory.
Where are the *.exe files or how do I access my old desktop?

Thank you.