To transfer old PC apps to a fresh machine, you can use cloning software or just install Windows 10.
To transfer old PC apps to a fresh machine, you can use cloning software or just install Windows 10.
Yes, copying the whole drive works. But my point is: even if you could copy all the files from one computer to another by just pasting things in, that only means moving specific folders and apps. It's not making an exact disk clone. Since you're going into a new system, your old drivers and hardware info will mess with it instead of helping you. You need a completely new setup for the OS. And why would how old you are or where you work matter to whether you can transfer that license?
The best way to move a hard drive is always to do a fresh start on everything. If you still need your stuff safe, just buy another drive to act as extra space and keep a new PC with Windows ready in case the old one breaks down. Even if you thought you could copy all your files or programs over, that is risky. Let's say you put an Intel part into an AMD box, it probably won't work at all. If it does, you'll have a bunch of problems later because drivers for stuff that isn't officially made for those parts don't exist.
I use a tool called 'pctrans' to copy big data files from one computer to another. The program often talks about copying installed programs, settings, and data files across machines too. I've never had a reason to check that part of the software so I don't know how good it really works. It might be worth trying in your situation. Or if you told me which program you're worried about and if you have it on my main computer, I can test transferring it to another one of my secondary computers and let you see how it goes. Here is the link to the software: https://www.easeus.com/pc-transfer/copy-...tware.html
Is that like those 'trans' people who walk down the street corners and spread sickness from one person to another? But seriously, unless every single list of where each app's data lives was written into the code beforehand, I don't think it can just magically know all its data is right there. It only lists a few really common programs that it says it can move around effectively, so I guess everything else has been pre-set for those specific apps. Maybe we should try out a trial run to see how real it actually gets.
Yeah... I get those worries, just like you said. I haven't tried this feature before, so I'm just curious if maybe worth a shot for the OP. It works really well at moving data files between machines. But my built-in Windows way never worked at all for me. At some point, I need to copy one of my programs to another computer. I'll pick one where both settings changed and the default place for files is also different. See what happens when it actually tries that. Not really sure if it could do it yet, but... who knows.
I think this thing is able to copy programs from one hard drive to another on the same PC while keeping all my settings. For example, maybe I can move my Microsoft Office files from C: to D:. I just haven't even tested it yet.
Answers to those questions are way above my pay grade. But then I think about software removal programs like CClean. They seem to magically find well hidden registry entries and whatever traces some programs leave behind. I have no idea how they remove all the hidden traces of programs. If you can find all the traces ... why wouldn't you be able to copy them over to another computer? Maybe ... sort of on the edge of possible ... mystery to me lol.
Each PC gets its own unique ID called a GUID in the system. When you run an app, installing is really complicated because there are so many entries all over the computer, often thousands of them. Sometimes you can move just one thing easily, like deleting something old or moving files manually. But for most apps that aren't Office or Adobe, this isn't easy at all. The trouble comes when people think they should do everything themselves and end up with a mess where some parts work but others don't. It feels broken, confusing, and full of mistakes.