Hi guys!
I have a laptop with a small hard drive with hundreds of installed programs and their plug-ins.
It's time soon to buy a secondary laptop as the main weapon :-)...the question is that is it possible to copy many of the programs and their plug-ins directly to the new laptop without installing them ? (I want to save time and avoid the mess of installing so many progs and their folders; I just don't know if you can do that. For example Bryce itself has its own 1 GB library with user folders...and Vue...and Cubase...you get the picture)
 
I don't want to reinstall the whole HD either because there are many junk files on that old drive; I only want to transfer certain programs, up to 40-50.
Thanks for your suggestions!

Well it's very possible. The easiest way is probably via memory stick which you get in different capacities. I have a 4gig memory stick which cost me about £5uk and in your case I would just load it up via a usb port on your old laptop and then transfer the files by sticking it into a usb port in your new laptop. But, then I don't know how many or how large your files are.

Of course you could just burn files to a dvd or cd and transfer them that way. This means you also have a permanent dvd/dc copy of your files.

Quote - Well it's very possible. The easiest way is probably via memory stick which you get in different capacities. I have a 4gig memory stick which cost me about £5uk and in your case I would just load it up via a usb port on your old laptop and then transfer the files by sticking it into a usb port in your new laptop. But, then I don't know how many or how large your files are.

Of course you could just burn files to a dvd or cd and transfer them that way. This means you also have a permanent dvd/dc copy of your files.

Thanks for your answer but this question is more complicated. (I know of course how to make simple backups, no problem there)

I would like to copy whole working programs from the old HD to the new so that I don't have to reinstall them again. Maybe it's not possible because of the different OS the new laptops have (Vista) while I have XP on the old one.

you can network both laptops by plugging one into the other and share the folders you need. Or just transfer the files over if I am not mistaken but you have to network them together before you do that. you can check online on how to do it or in your help files.

I was checking the web and this situation has to do with "imaging files" or "imaging a hard drive"; it's not about a simple file transfer problem.

Usually, you can't directly copy installed program files to a new hd/laptop; you have to install them AGAIN in order to make them work...but I have too many with "millions" of subfolders so I wondered if there's a possibility (or a certain program) to copy installed programs as they are with subfolders/plug-ins...am I asking a stupid question? :-)

I believe it has to do with "imaging a hard drive"...anyway, it seems that I have to go the hard way and reinstall all my programs and their folders instead of just copying/"imaging" them to a new laptop.
 

If you have a DVD burner you should be able to burn a image file of your HD not sure though

Get a crossover cable if you do not have a home network to make a direct connection with the computers. You can then use the "Files and Settings Transfer Wizard" If you are using Windows XP. This will allow you to basically move everything over to the new laptop. If you have Vista, use the "Windows Easy Transfer". Both of the Wizards are located in, Start Menu, Programs, Accessories, System Tools.

Thank you weezerhopw for that tip! It will make the folder transfer less painfull. (40 GB of folders)

 The main problem is that programs embed files and settings in windows. thats why people suggest making a harddrive image.
You could probably try that imaging idea, but you'd most likely need to install the right drivers for the new system afterwards.

Thanks Rayraz...thank you guys for the tips!

the vista easy transfer thing might work.. im wasnt aware of its existance, and dont know its features...

Your programs must be registered in the computer's registry...that happens when you install them..so you would have to  make sure whatever program you move that the settings go into the registry on your new computer properly.

believe me..its easier to install them again rather than have  messed up registry settings.!!

Aggreed AnnieD. Microsoft has good intentions with the transfer wizards, but its no guarantee that it will be perfect when it's done.

As an alternative, you might just promise yourself that you need to set aside a few hours, back up your important docs, favorites, email, saved games, and of course your ART! And start from scratch on the new system, installing all the apps and customizing it.

Once you are done however, I reccomend getting Symantec GHOST. It's about $30 for the desktop version I think, maybe 40. It will take an exact copy/image of your hard drive, so that even if you have a hard drive go bad, you can pop in a new hard drive and load the image it creates from a backup on an external.

I use the professional version at work, have been for years. Its a wonderful tool. I use it at home as well. It has saved me many hours of frustration. Here is a link to it...looks like they bumped the price up a bit from when I last bought it, but it is worth every penny. http://shop.symantecstore.com/store/symnahho/en_US/DisplayProductDetailsPage/ThemeID.106300/productID.90124600

Best of luck!

WeezerHOPw aka DAM3D

OK; thank you Annie/weezer for your input and suggestion!

I have of course an external HD for instant work backup and the DVDRW so I'm well guarded from losing my Vue/Bryce and even Cubase files.
I felt a bit scared when I was thinking that only in Cubase alone I have 30 softsynths with their own user settings and saved files...it took "years" to install them and make them work not to mention the subfolders of Bryce and Vue.

Thanks for the tips, they were appreciated; I'm going to install these progs/folders during a longer period and will check out the mentioned GHOST app.

just make sure both systems are running the same Operating System. Can't vouch for what will happen otherwise...

When you install (most) programs, usually they'll either install to their own directory, or put one in Program Files.  They also copy dll files to Windows, make changes to the registry, etc. Files get...scattered around.

The best thing is, to actually reinstall the programs on the new machine, whilst keeping your old machine around for settings, missing files, etc.

I usually keep a CD bag full of the programs I've installed over the past, the zips, downloads, etc (but I'm overorganized...;). Saved my bacon more than once.

Quick thought - do you actually use and need all the programs you're talking about? Setting up a new system is an excellent time to prune brush and sort out what's important, vs "looks neat, I'll get around to it someday when I have time" (mea culpa..;) kinds of things.

Quote - Quick thought - do you actually use and need all the programs you're talking about? Setting up a new system is an excellent time to prune brush and sort out what's important, vs "looks neat, I'll get around to it someday when I have time" (mea culpa..;) kinds of things.

That's true;  I don't need all the programs I installed on the old one but those I use have many plugins and user files etc. so they will need some extra attention...   :-) 

Quick Answer:
Think about what you actually use and need and only install those on the new laptop, from their original installation disc or wherever you have them.

Long Answer:  Not responsible if you get a headache reading things.

Making a copy/Backup of Regular Data/Documents vs Installed Programs are two different things.

Data/Documents in most cases do not rely on other data and can be moved around without any consequence.  Unless its something like an excel spreadsheet that has dependencies to another file etc..

Installed Programs in general cannot be moved/copied and althought there are some exception to the rule, they are not recommended.    When a program is installed there are 3 or 4 locations where certain files are copied.

First Place:   c:program filesprogram name  This is where the core of the files are installed.

Second Place: c:windows  or c:winnt  this is where your operating system is installed and depending on the program, certain API's or other modules might be installed here which integrate with your operation system.

Third Place: Windows Registry, this in the simplest form is an index of all sorts of things and one of them being information such as where the program is installed and registration information for components that were installed with said software.

Fourth Place:  Some software companys like to hide files right in your Main Root by default windows does not display Hidden/System files.   This is done for many reasons and licensing is one of them.  So attempting to move an installed program, may invalidate your license or simply will not work because of the previous Steps 2 and 3.

Regarding Imaging/Cloning.   Imaging is a carbon copy of everyting that is installed on your PC.

When cloning from one PC to another PC it is prefered that the destination PC has the same hardware as the source PC.  Which is why Imaging/Cloning is a handy tool for I.T./Companys to save time on deploying new PC's.

If the hardware is different than, there will be some unexpected results, i.e.  Microsoft Home Edition will need to be re-activated and will require a call to Microsoft..  If thats not annoying enough, Windows will detect all the new hardware including your new motherboard, and now you will endup with a dirty installation of windows.  If you go into your Device Manager and take a look, you may need to find new drivers and even if everything looks normal, they wont.  Try rebooting into SafeMode and take a look at your device manager and to your horror you will find that in fact windows has multiple instances of Mouse/Graphics/USB Drivers.

If you've read this far.. than you are probably either confused....Got a Headache or wished you just took my Quick Answer advice.

Quote - .....
If you've read this far.. than you are probably either confused....Got a Headache or wished you just took my Quick Answer advice.

LOL, thanks for your detailed answer; now I know everything I wanted to know about program- and file transfer; I've learned a lesson so  I will install all my important apps to the new system one by one without messing with clones/imaging etc...thanks for the tips guys! :-)

Now I close this thread! :-)

We just installed a new hard drive over Xmas and we were going to image or ghost the old drive across to the new one... did some research into it and found out pretty much what Analog-X64 just said, -- things can go wrong and anyway if you have a problem with your old drive... like a virus you didn't know you had, that will get transferred too...

Well - I say "we", but Ian is the one who looked into it for me, and frankly from what he found out, laborious it might be reinstalling but it's safer, and cleaner, and more likely to leave you with a working machine afterwards.

 the whole idea behind images is that you make an image of ur computer when its freshly installed and clean. At work we use this for laptops and such. If we install one laptop correctly it might take 4 hours to get everything set up right. Then we make an image, and the other 20 or so laptops get the image installed in minutes each! saves so much time

So if ur gunna reinstall ur pc anyways, it might be an idea to make an image of the fresh installation. then if later u need ur installation back, but not the junk that slipped into it over time, you still have an image of ur freshly installed system.