[SOLVED] Transfer programs to a new computer

[lewisananda]

I have M/S Office,X-Plane 11 and other programs on an 1 tb. M.2 drive which I will be removing from my old computer to my new computer build. The new build/mobo is a Asus Z490-A with a 10850 K CPU. I understand that I will probably have to reinstall M/S office on the new computer but what if I just left all of my programs on the M.2 and installed it in my new build? I assume some programs would not work but would installing the M.2 with all the old programs on it in the new build cause any problems with the new computer not operating properly? Or would the new computer just not recognize some programs initiating a reinstall of the programs that are not recognized? Thanks for the advice. Lewis

 

[Darkbreeze]

What are the FULL hardware specs of the old system AND the new system? If the platforms are similar enough you MIGHT be able to get away with not doing a clean install of Windows. If they are different platforms entirely, like going from Intel to AMD or AMD to Intel, it's highly doubtful that you will be able to get away with not doing that without ending up having a basket of minor problems that can't be resolved and will drive you nuts, or it just not working at all.

Even if you are going from one generation to another on the same platform, you STILL usually will have to do a clean install. Generally, anytime you change motherboard chipsets you will probably either have to, or are well advised TO do so, because there are simply too many differences in the backend of the chipset drivers, storage controllers, and so on, for it to work without there being glitches somewhere in the registry or old drivers that you can't see but which are still there in the software loading and causing conflicts.

 

[lewisananda]

The full specs are: old rig - Asus Z170-A, Intel 6600K CPU overclocked to 4.5 with an air cooler, 32 gb 3000 ram, 1 tb M.2 and 1-250 SATA SSD . The new rig will be - Asus Z490-A, Intel 10850K CPU overclocked, 32 gb 3000 ram, 240 mm AIO cooler, 1 tb M.2 and 1 SATA SSD for new Windows install. The M.2 has Windows on it right now in the old rig so I will erase Windows from the M.2 before installing it in the new rig. Your advice is very much appreciated but it might be best just to reinitialize the M.2 before install in it into the new rig and just reinstall the programs. I use Outlok calendar and contacts. I saved my calendar and contacts to a flash drive so I assume once Office is reinstalled I can copy my calendar and contacts back into Outlook?

 

[Darkbreeze]

Sure, you can absolutely just backup or export your personal databases, documents, files, folders or settings from any application that allows you to do that, including Windows itself, and then import them back in after doing a clean install of Windows and reinstalling your applications, like Office. That would be the best, least problematic, least likely to result in any sort of additional waste of time or problems for you afterwards.

That is exactly what I'd recommend. Trying to use the existing Windows installation going from a Z170 Intel chipset to a Z490 Intel chipset just involves too many differences in the platform hardware, especially when it comes to the area of storage controller drivers and firmware support. Assuredly though, in other areas as well. You can certainly TRY it, but honestly I'm pretty sure you'd end up doing a clean install at some point anyhow once you got tired of trying to chase down and resolve all the various "ghosts" you'd encounter.

Before you do ANYTHING though, make sure that your Windows license is attached to YOU by linking it to a Microsoft account that is in your name, that you have the credentials and access to.

How to associate your windows 10 license with a Microsoft account

Reactivating Windows 10 after a hardware change

Windows build 1607 (Or newer) and activation after a hardware change



and in case you should ever need to do a CLEAN install of Windows, this guide will help to ensure it gets done properly.

How to do a CLEAN installation of Windows 10, the RIGHT way


​

 

[lewisananda]

I was thinking of leaving all of my programs on the M.2 from my old computer but remove Windows 10 from the M.2. My new build will have a new Windows 10 installed on my SATA SSD. I will install my M.2 (leaving all of the programs on the M.2) into my new computer and see what works. Any thoughts?

 

[USAFRet]

I was thinking of leaving all of my programs on the M.2 from my old computer but remove Windows 10 from the M.2. My new build will have a new Windows 10 installed on my SATA SSD. I will install my M.2 (leaving all of the programs on the M.2) into my new computer and see what works. Any thoughts?

Your new OS will know nothing about those applications.

Some, as in X-Plane above, will work.
Most won't.

 

[lewisananda]

Thanks for the advice. I'll try installing the M.2 as is as long as my new computer won't be freaked out with the programs that don't work on the M.2. I'll just have to reinstall the programs as needed.