Question What to do with my old installations

[GDeerfield]

I initially had Windows 8.1 installed on my desktop but when I took my PC to fix a hardware issue, the computer shop service guy upgraded my os to Windows 10 (with my agreement of course). He used an ssd drive on which Windows 10 has been installed so that I wont lose my old work data (that was stored on C drive or on desktop). So it seems I have both 8.1 and 10 installed. Now the problem is some of the software that I had installed on the old os are still there. Obviously Windows 10 is not using those (i.e I am able to use the software but those are not being recognized as installed). I tried to uninstall some of the software and instead download a fresh copy for Windows 10 but when I double click on the uninstall option, in the end it says software uninstalled but the files remain in the folder. Can I simply delete those files and if I install a fresh version in the same drive will I be able to use it?

 

[Lafong]

Is this correct:

You have Windows 10 on one drive.

You have Windows 8.1 on another totally separate drive.

The PC will boot properly with only the Windows 10 drive connected.

The PC will boot properly with only the Windows 8.1 drive connected.

Both operating systems are officially activated and appear to be working well.

Is all of that true?

 

[GDeerfield]

Is this correct:

You have Windows 10 on one drive.

You have Windows 8.1 on another totally separate drive.

The PC will boot properly with only the Windows 10 drive connected.

The PC will boot properly with only the Windows 8.1 drive connected.

Both operating systems are officially activated and appear to be working well.

Is all of that true?

Thanks for the reply...yes windows 10 is installed on ssd drive and 8.1 on my original internal hdd. Seems both the os versions are still installed and working (though I have not tried to boot the system using only 8.1 and there is no option given when i boot up) The problem seems to be that some software are working fine while others have disappeared. For example I had steam installed with a couple of games in the "Steam Library" folder that was on the old F drive. Now it is G drive and the games have disappeared though the "Steam Library" folder is still there. An old game is asking me to install something called Direct Play....

 

[Lafong]

The first thing I would do is:

CONFIRM that the PC will boot with ONLY the Windows 10 drive connected. You need to find out by actual test after disconnecting the Windows 8.1 drive.

Yes or no?

Is the Windows 10 installation activated? Yes or no?

I assume you want to keep Windows 10 as your only operating system. If that is NOT true, say so.

Generally....if your PC tech gave you a clean install of Windows 10, you would have to reinstall all of your old applications onto the Windows 10 drive.

 

[GDeerfield]

The first thing I would do is:

CONFIRM that the PC will boot with ONLY the Windows 10 drive connected. You need to find out by actual test after disconnecting the Windows 8.1 drive.

Yes or no?

Is the Windows 10 installation activated? Yes or no?

I assume you want to keep Windows 10 as your only operating system. If that is NOT true, say so.

Generally....if your PC tech gave you a clean install of Windows 10, you would have to reinstall all of your old applications onto the Windows 10 drive.

Yup I would like only windows 10 to be activated. Does that mean I have to take the system back to the shop?

 

[Lafong]

Yup I would like only windows 10 to be activated. Does that mean I have to take the system back to the shop?

Not at this point....unless you CANNOT personally disconnect the Windows 8.1 drive to find out if the PC will boot without it. And then later re-connect it.

Can you do that?

Do you know how to also check the activation status?

We don't know for certain exactly what your tech has done.

One thing at a time.

 

[TerryLaze]

Thanks for the reply...yes windows 10 is installed on ssd drive and 8.1 on my original internal hdd. Seems both the os versions are still installed and working (though I have not tried to boot the system using only 8.1 and there is no option given when i boot up) The problem seems to be that some software are working fine while others have disappeared. For example I had steam installed with a couple of games in the "Steam Library" folder that was on the old F drive. Now it is G drive and the games have disappeared though the "Steam Library" folder is still there. An old game is asking me to install something called Direct Play....

Install steam on your new OS, go to steam settings -downloads- and the first option will be -steam library folders- if you click that you can add the steam library folder in your g drive and all games will be back.
Anything they need to run like direct play will be downloaded the first time you try to run them, if it's not part of steam dependencies which is a package that gets downloaded right away.

For all your other software you will have to re install them to your new OS, either using a new folder or the old one.
Or just make new shortcuts if the apps work fine otherwise.

Your 8.1 OS is not working unless it boots into it, installed apps are just collections of files and if they don't need any registry entries they will work fine just from their folder.