Copy paste programs if replacing HDD?

[Valentine_]

My current hard disk is failing and i have gotten a new one for replacement. Can I copy paste the entire old hard disk (E:/) to the new hard disk, and then after that, just change the drive letter of the new hard disk to E:/?

This is a non-OS hard disk and is just programs installed on it? Any potential problems or alternative method without reinstalling everything?

Thanks.

 

[Guest]

Long story short, might work. Some software don't mind, others use tricks to see if it's installed on the same drive (using UUID or similar), and won't work.

If it's Steam, (which is a pain, since it's so huge), the trick is to move them all to the other driver, with it out, uninstall all games, then re-install them on the target, and it sees it's already there.

Your mileage with other software will vary. I suspect it won't work with Adobe or other expensive software.

 

[USAFRet]

My current hard disk is failing and i have gotten a new one for replacement. Can I copy paste the entire old hard disk (E:/) to the new hard disk, and then after that, just change the drive letter of the new hard disk to E:/?

This is a non-OS hard disk and is just programs installed on it? Any potential problems or alternative method without reinstalling everything?

Thanks.

As long as the new drive ends up with the same drive letter as the old, and the structure is the same, this should work.
However, don't try to grab the whole drive and copy at once. Do a few folders at a time.

 

[COLGeek]

MERGED QUESTION
Question from Valentine_ : "Copy paste programs if replacing HDD?"

My current hard disk is failing and i have gotten a new one for replacement. Can I copy paste the entire old hard disk (E:/) to the new hard disk, and then after that, just change the drive letter of the new hard disk to E:/?

This is a non-OS hard disk and is just programs installed on it? Any potential problems or alternative method without reinstalling everything?

Thanks.

You would be better served by cloning the old drive to the new drive. That way you get all the system and hidden files that are on the old drive transferred.

If the new HDD is as large or larger (in capacity) than the original HDD, I would recommend Clonezilla. I have used for years for just such purposes.

Afterward, you swap the drive and viola!

http://clonezilla.org/downloads.php