Installing new os but want to retain currently installed applications

nRiTeCh

nRiTeCh

Level N
My sisters pc is running very slow as it has been 2 years the os was installed. She wants a clean installed os but want to retain all her currently installed software's. As it a big pain installing them again as its very time consuming as she is a graphics designer and an animator, so time is of utmost importance for her business.

Major concern is about these big softwares-- maya, 3ds max, cs3, corel, autocad.
It takes a hell lot of time trying to reinstall and then reconfigure them. Also, sister has set her own settings in these softwares and it will be very difficult for her afterwards to again find, rectify and do the same stuff.
And Yes, she has licensed stuff for all this.

So please suggest a tool which can save her softwares incl. registry keys and dll etc and safely move or carry them to her new os and then just install that stuff and she is good to go!
Re-registering the softwares wont be a hectic process as she already has legal licenses for the same.
 
Use Windows Easy Transfer. Only hitch - you have to be on the same version of the OS - x86/x64. When moving from x86 to x64, I could not retain the app settings. You will have to install the apps though.
 
I don't think it would be possible to do this. When you install any software, files are copied to many different places and some of them are shared files with windows etc. Some programs store settings in registry or their own DB etc.

So when you reinstall windows, all programs are removed to maintain system integrity. Reinstalling programs is the only choice.

What you can do if you don't want to go to all this trouble is run a system file check in windows. It will repair any damaged system files if found.
You need to run the command with admin privileges in cmd prompt.

pcsupport.about.com/od/toolsofthetrade/ht/sfc-scannow.htm
 
vivek.krishnan said:
Use Windows Easy Transfer. Only hitch - you have to be on the same version of the OS - x86/x64. When moving from x86 to x64, I could not retain the app settings. You will have to install the apps though.
Click to expand...

yes the os will be the same but just will format the drive and reinstall the os again. But will it be able to successfully transfer such big applications?
 
@6pack - sfc /scannow will repair only Windows files, not app files.[DOUBLEPOST=1382511913][/DOUBLEPOST]
nRiTeCh said:
yes the os will be the same but just will format the drive and reinstall the os again. But will it be able to successfully transfer such big applications?
Click to expand...

You could try with another drive - I too am in a similar condrum, since I am formating a Sony VAIO machine - I like some of the Sony apps.
 
ok. I just installed windows Easy Transfer but it only moves our data from my documents, desktop etc but moves/copies nothing from program files. :(
no use.
 
I am not sure if anything can be done now, but if you are left with no other option than to install a fresh copy of windows and all applications, make sure to create image of disk when everything is installed. That image can be restored later for situations like this.

I am using Symantec ghost but its very old. There are other opensource utilities too like clonezilla etc
 
sky said:
I am not sure if anything can be done now, but if you are left with no other option than to install a fresh copy of windows and all applications, make sure to create image of disk when everything is installed. That image can be restored later for situations like this.

I am using Symantec ghost but its very old. There are other opensource utilities too like clonezilla etc
Click to expand...

Ya me too using symantec ghost but on my own pc and not on sister pc.

Can we create portable versions of the installed stuff? That will be really great to achieve this motive.
 
Back
Top