A couple of weeks ago I was fretting about how to move all my programs to a new system without reinstalling everything. In the journey, I found a couple of great utilities, so I would like to pass along the info.

First thing I tried was cloning the HD and booting that in the new computer, but that sucked. I could only get Windows to use 65MB of memory, and I kept getting an unrecoverable error in the registry. I shot a couple of days trying to make it work. The cloning program is excellent, though, and I'm going to keep using it to back up my hard drive:

Acronis True Image

I then found a relatively new program called Move Me by Spearit Software. The way it works is that you network the two computers together (there are Locost ways to do this) and transfer your programs, data, and settings from the old computer to the new one. Software is free, but a license for one migration costs $40. Well worth it, IMO.

Transferring 7G of files (67,000 files, 149,000 settings) took just a little over an hour. I went from a Windows 98SE machine to Win XP Pro, and my programs work just fine on the new computer, with no reinstallations. The only exception, and it's very minor, was Microsoft Exchange, that I was using for sending and receiving faxes. I haven't yet figured out how to import my historical files, or my fax telephone directory, into XP. This is not a big deal.

Another minor glitch is that in Add/Remove Programs, some items having titles beginning with a number (3Deep Color, 3ivx video decoder), do not delete.

If you ever use this program, make sure that you know very well what's on your old system, and how your new operating system is structured. It does not move your operating system, but a lot of flotsam and jetsam in the Windows directory gets moved. Except for just a couple of options (desktop scheme and internet cache for example) EVERYTHING gets moved, so it's imperative to have your old system in good order.

Pete

Don't forget Nortons Ghost programme.

If the old hard drive will fit in the new computer I find the easiest way is to just plug it in and transfer the files directly. You can even leave it in there as a second drive.

Pete

This obscure program moved all my old programs to a new computer and a whole new (and different) OS. I didn't have to reinstall hardly anything.

http://www.spearit.com/about_MoveMe.html


I guess I don't have much of a future in advertising

Pete

Yeah I did see that bit, I didn't realise you were bothered about reinstalling stuff. Personally I prefer to just copy my files over and reinstall all my programs, but I guess you prefer to copy the lot - I suppose it is a lot less hassle!

Pete

This thing will copy software you don't have the disks for.

Theoretically