I just purchased a new computer, and, because I lost them during a move, no longer have the installation disks for my main programs, such as Office, Illustrator, Acrobat and Photoshop. Is there some way that I can transfer the programs from my old computer to my new computer? Is there somewhere on my old computer where the original installation files would be, so that I could burn them on a disk and then reinstall on my new computer? I looked, but couldn't find them anywhere, but then again, I'm not a major computer whiz. My old computer is a Dell and my new one is a Toshiba. Both are laptops. Any ideas?
2006-07-11 08:33:48 · 7 answers · asked by Charlie L 2 in Computers & Internet ➔ Software
I have a 160 GB external hard drive, so there's no problem with size of file issues. I could transfer from laptop #1 to the external drive, and then transfer from the external drive to laptop #2, one program at a time, if needed....
2006-07-11 08:41:48 · update #1
No I'm afraid you are pretty much screwed. Moving to a new computer these days involves reinstallation of the programs on the PC operating systems. This is why it's extremely important that you keep track of your installation media and licenses. The only thing I could suggest is that if you registered the software, try contacting adobe and microsoft and see what they'll do for you. They may have low cost media replacement options, where they will send you the CD's for your software. They have to have these types of programs because sometimes CD's are defective.
With the software you mentioned, having the CD's is not enough, you'd also have to have the product keys.
There are other alternatives that are certainly gray area at best. If you have no other recourse (and again assuming that you did pay for the software) there are various peer to peer networks where people share software illegally. I suppose you could justify using those avenues to get the software you had, although you'd be getting cracked versions or versions with someone elses registration number.
2006-07-11 08:55:13 · answer #1 · answered by Gizmo L 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I remember Norton used to have a program that did that. It would find all the files related to a program and then package them all up so you can back it up and reinstall it if the program ever failed. I think the program is now called Norton Save & Restore. Provided both computers use the same operating system, it may be possible to backup the original and then load the backups on to the new computer. I'm not certain this is the same software I used to have but it might be worth looking into.
Try out the trialware and see it can do what you want it to.
2006-07-11 08:51:18 · answer #2 · answered by Hector S 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No because when a program is being installed, it creates 'regisitry' entries, that a embeded into the operating system also programs files tend to 'spread' them selfs across the operating system makeing it harder to just drag and drop a folder such as office, also depending on the version of photoshop your using, it will trip the activation notice makeing the program useless, the only thing i could say is the you can download adobe acrobat reader (its free) that will work. as for preinstall, you *might* find the install files but usually when a program has completed its install, it will automaticly delete the temporary install files. sorry for the bad news :(
2006-07-11 08:54:26 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
What I do is after I install a software program I would like to keep I
burn the complete files and install files to a data CD . if your old computer is still working you could look into program files and move them with a usb jump drive to your new computer.
sometimes the files come with the setup files included sometimes not
2006-07-11 08:48:14 · answer #4 · answered by Bob C 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Don't think so. I tried that some years ago and it did not work. The installation does things in the registry that you can not just copy over to the new computer.
I also tried installing programs on a partition thinking that if I reformattted the c drive, I would not have to reinstall the programs. Did not work.
2006-07-11 08:40:35 · answer #5 · answered by Steve Wood 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your pc must have a USB port the position you could plug in a memory stick. it is the way you may move records and application on your pc. i'm assuming that your own computer has quite some USB ports too. You plug the memory stick in and the application gadgets each and everything up. You deal with the memory stick as an externalcontinual.
2016-12-01 02:02:51 · answer #6 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am afraid you cannot transfer large programs of the sort you named. For smaller files, internet favorites, music, pictures etc, I found HP's Intellimover excellent and fast.
2006-07-11 08:38:27 · answer #7 · answered by ringocox 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋