Linking programs from windows 7 into 8.1

[QuestinMarks]

I just installed Windows 8.1
(before i used to use Windows 7, which is still on my PC, there in separate disks)

I like to know, is there a way to link all my programs (like MS office, Adobe, Browsers, etc...) that are located in the Windows 7 disk to Window 8.1?

I don’t want to go into the program folders and do it all separately

 

[ex_bubblehead]

They have to be reinstalled.

 

[boosted1g]

The short answer is no.

While you could use a script to move all of your program folders but that wont allow you to use most programs.

Some programs are completely self contained in their program folders and those will work just fine.

Most programs though are not just in their program folder, they are in program data folders, in your user accounts app-data folders, and then there is all of the registry entries for that program. None of this would be on the windows 8.1 installation and thus it would not work. While you could manually move everything over if you knew every file/folder/registry key, it would be much faster to just reinstall the program.

 

[QuestinMarks]

say if i were to install everything program from Windows 8 and save them in my W.7 disk
would i still be able to use the programs on windows 7 even though i installed them while on windows 8?

 

[ex_bubblehead]

In order to have them available to each OS they must be installed while running each OS. You can choose the same location for both installations. Some packages will also require a separate license for each installation, so you may want to check with the vendors before you proceed.

 

[boosted1g]

If you install it to the same program director in the windows 7 drive, then the program might not work correctly if you try to boot it form the windows7 drive latter.

Also some programs are poorly programed with static directories (the coder programs it to c:/Program Files/program-folder-name insetad of <drive letter>:/<folder path>/program-folder name) and if it is then it will not work being on any drive besides the C drive.

 

[USAFRet]

say if i were to install everything program from Windows 8 and save them in my W.7 disk
would i still be able to use the programs on windows 7 even though i installed them while on windows 8?

No, it doesn't work like that. As said previously, each application needs to be installed with that particular OS.
Some of the larger applications, Adobe and Office for instance, make dozens/hundreds/thousands of Registry entries, among other things.

That only happens during the actual install.