Putting Software on another HDD without being on a PC?

[PapaShand]

I recently have had issues with my PC and want to transfer my Windows 8 Software onto a different HDD. Is there any way to do this but not cloning or anything as i cannot use the PC it is on.

I have access to USB and all, can you copy and paste software or not? I'm new to transfers, can someone suggest something for me?

Also, can i take the software off using another PC, put it in a folder then put it back on my new HDD using a SATA adapter?

Thanks.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

Here's the way I do transfers or OS upgrades.

1. Let's say you have Adobe Acrobat installed in C:\ProgramFiles\Adobe\Acrobat and your new HD is D:\

2. Copy the Adobe Folder from C:\ProgramFiles\Adobe\Acrobat to D:\ so you now have a D:\Adobe\Acrobat

3. So now all the files are there, including all your customizations but the registry has not as yet been setup.

4. Get your install media and reinstall the program, making sure to "change destination folder" and direct the install to the proper folder on D:\ The reinstallation will not write over, at least in my experience, any file that is a later version than the ones on install media.

5. Rinse and repeat with remaining programs.

6. These can come in very, very handy.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&Description=blacx&N=-1&isNodeId=1

 

[USAFRet]

^^^ ??
That does not work with a whole lot of applications

 

[USAFRet]

I recently have had issues with my PC and want to transfer my Windows 8 Software onto a different HDD. Is there any way to do this but not cloning or anything as i cannot use the PC it is on.

I have access to USB and all, can you copy and paste software or not? I'm new to transfers, can someone suggest something for me?

Also, can i take the software off using another PC, put it in a folder then put it back on my new HDD using a SATA adapter?

Thanks.

What, specifically, do you want to end up on the new drive?
The OS? The OS and everything else? Just other stuff?

Why are you wanting to do this?

 

[PapaShand]

I recently have had issues with my PC and want to transfer my Windows 8 Software onto a different HDD. Is there any way to do this but not cloning or anything as i cannot use the PC it is on.

I have access to USB and all, can you copy and paste software or not? I'm new to transfers, can someone suggest something for me?

Also, can i take the software off using another PC, put it in a folder then put it back on my new HDD using a SATA adapter?

Thanks.

What, specifically, do you want to end up on the new drive?
The OS? The OS and everything else? Just other stuff?

Why are you wanting to do this?

Get the OS on to the new HDD

 

[PapaShand]

I recently have had issues with my PC and want to transfer my Windows 8 Software onto a different HDD. Is there any way to do this but not cloning or anything as i cannot use the PC it is on.

I have access to USB and all, can you copy and paste software or not? I'm new to transfers, can someone suggest something for me?

Also, can i take the software off using another PC, put it in a folder then put it back on my new HDD using a SATA adapter?

Thanks.

What, specifically, do you want to end up on the new drive?
The OS? The OS and everything else? Just other stuff?

Why are you wanting to do this?

I want to do this as my Old HDD is dying but i can't access the PC the OS is on, i can just access another pc which hasn't got anything to do with and have the two HDD's to transfer. Is there a way to do this? See what i mean now?

 

[USAFRet]

Does the PC with the dying drive run?
If not, do you have another desktop that works?

 

[PapaShand]

Does the PC with the dying drive run?
If not, do you have another desktop that works?

Yes i have another desktop that is in fully working order. The PC with the dying drive also has a faulty power supply so... xD

 

[JackNaylorPE]

^^^ ??
That does not work with a whole lot of applications

I have had 0 problems from 1992 to present on our own and user builds.... full Adobe Sites, full AutoCad Suites, Office Suites, Games.

Of course if there's no value to doing so as when I haven't customized anything, then I just install fresh (as in AV programs). Browsers and E-Mail apps, I also usually install fresh and then use Mozbackup to restore everything.

We keep OS on a separate partition on all our builds over that time and, for several, less Windows adept users, I would spend my XMas => NY's holiday reinstalling the OS on each computer. C:\ gets wiped, OS installed fresh, WU run and drivers reinstalled. All programs, games, data remains intact on other drives and just install over themselves to set back to "operating condition". Also every system we've added an SSD to was done same way, kept that we except the original Windows install on HD as a backup. If SSD failed or OS got corrupted, enter BIOS and boot from HD and then do repair / reinstall.

 

[USAFRet]

^^^ ??
That does not work with a whole lot of applications

I have had 0 problems from 1992 to present on our own and user builds.... full Adobe Sites, full AutoCad Suites, Office Suites, Games.

Of course if there's no value to doing so as when I haven't customized anything, then I just install fresh (as in AV programs). Browsers and E-Mail apps, I also usually install fresh and then use Mozbackup to restore everything.

We keep OS on a separate partition on all our builds over that time and, for several, less Windows adept users, I would spend my XMas => NY's holiday reinstalling the OS on each computer. C:\ gets wiped, OS installed fresh, WU run and drivers reinstalled. All programs, games, data remains intact on other drives and just install over themselves to set back to "operating condition". Also every system we've added an SSD to was done same way, kept that we except the original Windows install on HD as a backup. If SSD failed or OS got corrupted, enter BIOS and boot from HD and then do repair / reinstall.

OK...including your 'Step 4 Get your install media and reinstall the program'
...Yeah, that would work. You're reinstalling. So why bother copying it over to the other drive first?

Anyway, that's not what the OP is looking to do here.

 

[USAFRet]

Does the PC with the dying drive run?
If not, do you have another desktop that works?

Yes i have another desktop that is in fully working order. The PC with the dying drive also has a faulty power supply so... xD

OK.
Now....what system is this going to end up in? Some different system other than what it was originally installed in?
That probably won't work. Sometimes it does, but often not.

A drive, or a clone of a drive, put into a whole other system may or may not boot.
And if it does, you may run into licensing issues, depending on what you actually have.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

OK...including your 'Step 4 Get your install media and reinstall the program'
...Yeah, that would work. You're reinstalling. So why bother copying it over to the other drive first?

Anyway, that's not what the OP is looking to do here.

From above post

3. So now all the files are there, including all your customizations but the registry has not as yet been setup.

4. Get your install media and reinstall the program, making sure to "change destination folder" and direct the install to the proper folder on D:\ The reinstallation will not write over, at least in my experience, any file that is a later version than the ones on install media.

Examples:

1. You have custom toolbars in your Office Suite, .... page setup defaults, borders, fonts, table text, these remain.
2. You have office CAD standards for screenlayout, setup defaults for new drawings, lineweights, fonts, rulers, units, save file locations, etc.
3. All the license numbers remain intact and no re-registering req'd. This also comes in handy when ya have a site license for X sites and the reinstall makes license verification think you are past ya limit.

Every change you made to the default setup on any of the programs in the last 6, 12, 18, 24 months or whatever since the original install date remain as the procedure skips over writing and file that is newer than the one on the install media.

The OP said that he "want to transfer my Windows 8 Software onto a different HDD" which the above covers.... Now if he wants to move his Operating System to another machine, that's another thing entirely and as we both know is unadvisable when changing hardware.

originally i wasn't sure of the intent but when I read:

" can i take the software off using another PC, put it in a folder then put it back on my new HDD using a SATA adapter"

it reads as if he wants to take a software off an unbootable PC and install it on another HD in which case, as the license is not limited to a specific machine, will work just fine.

If he wants to move everything to a new HD then the advice stands with one modification.

1. Take out / remove HD cable to old HD and install OS fresh on new HD (lowest numbered SATA port) on same machine. Install drivers and run Windows Update 26 times or whatever it needs to say "no mas".

2. Then plug in old HD to 2nd lowest SATA port and do the 5 steps listed above.

Like i said above, this is how we do new SSD installs.... OS goes on first on new SSD, files for software remain on HD. Install over themselves and all is working again and in the same manner it was 1 day ago as opposed to 18 months ago. At that point, two options:

a) Keep the old OS partition (now X:\ as far as SSD is concerned). Programs partition now D:\ as it always was so you can boot to SSD or HD and under either boot all your programs are on and running off D:\ in both versions of the OS.
b) wipe the entire C:\ partition on the HD, merge the two partitions, everything still works.

 

[USAFRet]

Right.
As often happens...an incorrect initial description leads us down the wrong path to a solution that wasn't looked for.

And I jumped too quickly in your series of steps. Mostly after "Copy from C:/... to D:/..."
I've seen people swear up and down that it works perfectly, every time. Of course, they've never actually done it.


I'm thinking the OP just needs to do a whole OS install in whatever hardware this will end up in.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

I'm thinking the OP just needs to do a whole OS install in whatever hardware this will end up in.

In reading his later posts ... he has another fully functional puter, then ... I would think... he doesn't need to move the OS, just the programs. If that's the case, then the original 5 steps works

But I'm still not sure 100% what intent is ...

 

[PapaShand]

Right.
As often happens...an incorrect initial description leads us down the wrong path to a solution that wasn't looked for.

And I jumped too quickly in your series of steps. Mostly after "Copy from C:/... to D:/..."
I've seen people swear up and down that it works perfectly, every time. Of course, they've never actually done it.


I'm thinking the OP just needs to do a whole OS install in whatever hardware this will end up in.

Is there a way i can deactivate it then just use my installation media again? Also, this way to do this is for using on my working desktop not the actual desktop the HDD's will be taken out of? Thanks

 

[PapaShand]

Does the PC with the dying drive run?
If not, do you have another desktop that works?

Yes i have another desktop that is in fully working order. The PC with the dying drive also has a faulty power supply so... xD

OK.
Now....what system is this going to end up in? Some different system other than what it was originally installed in?
That probably won't work. Sometimes it does, but often not.

A drive, or a clone of a drive, put into a whole other system may or may not boot.
And if it does, you may run into licensing issues, depending on what you actually have.

It will be going back into my Faulty Gaming PC but i want it on my new HDD, as the one with OS on is dying and grinding. I can't use the original PC it came from, but i can use another PC and have the two HDD's using an adapter of some sort. Is there an adapter cheap for this kind of thing?

 

[PapaShand]

Right.
As often happens...an incorrect initial description leads us down the wrong path to a solution that wasn't looked for.

And I jumped too quickly in your series of steps. Mostly after "Copy from C:/... to D:/..."
I've seen people swear up and down that it works perfectly, every time. Of course, they've never actually done it.


I'm thinking the OP just needs to do a whole OS install in whatever hardware this will end up in.

Is there a way i can deactivate it then just use my installation media again? Also, this way to do this is for using on my working desktop not the actual desktop the HDD's will be taken out of? Also, It will be going back into my Faulty Gaming PC where it orginated from but i want it on my new HDD, as the one with OS on is dying and grinding. I can't use the original PC it came from, but i can use another PC and have the two HDD's using an adapter of some sort. Is there an adapter available and cheap for this kind of thing? Thanks.

 

[USAFRet]

Right.
As often happens...an incorrect initial description leads us down the wrong path to a solution that wasn't looked for.

And I jumped too quickly in your series of steps. Mostly after "Copy from C:/... to D:/..."
I've seen people swear up and down that it works perfectly, every time. Of course, they've never actually done it.


I'm thinking the OP just needs to do a whole OS install in whatever hardware this will end up in.

Is there a way i can deactivate it then just use my installation media again? Also, this way to do this is for using on my working desktop not the actual desktop the HDD's will be taken out of? Also, It will be going back into my Faulty Gaming PC where it orginated from but i want it on my new HDD, as the one with OS on is dying and grinding. I can't use the original PC it came from, but i can use another PC and have the two HDD's using an adapter of some sort. Is there an adapter available and cheap for this kind of thing? Thanks.

The OS needs to be installed on a drive while it lives in the PC it will be used on. You can't really install an OS on a drive in another PC, then move that drive over to a different PC.

So, put this new drive into 'Faulty Gaming PC', and install the OS.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

Is there a way i can deactivate it then just use my installation media again? Also, this way to do this is for using on my working desktop not the actual desktop the HDD's will be taken out of? Also, It will be going back into my Faulty Gaming PC where it orginated from but i want it on my new HDD, as the one with OS on is dying and grinding. I can't use the original PC it came from, but i can use another PC and have the two HDD's using an adapter of some sort. Is there an adapter available and cheap for this kind of thing? Thanks.

No need to deactivate, use adapters or anything else.

1. Install HD on PC,
2. Install OS, when you activate it, it will recognize that it is being recativated on the same hardware
3. Install Drivers from original hardware CDs
4. Run Windows update over and over and over again until it says "no more".
5. If you want to try and copy data and software over to the new drive, you can use the steps above