Re: Moving Programs

In news:30FEF446-67CC-4A91-9F57-FC2F44BE08CF@xxxxxxxxxxxxx,
Colcap <Colcap@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> typed:

> I have a new external hard drive. Installation was OK. I
> would like
> to move some programs (applications, not just data files) from
> my
> main drive to the new one. Can I just drag the folders or must
> they
> be reinstalled on the new drive?

In general, no, you can not move programs. The problem is that
almost all programs are not simply a single file or even a bunch
of files. Besides the files that constitute them, they also have,
and need, many entries referring to them and where they are
located--in the registry and elsewhere.

So if you try to move a program, those pointers will all be wrong
and the program won't work. There is software that purports to
find and change those pointers (for example, the freeware
COA2.exe) but in my experience these don't always work perfectly.
It's much better and safer to uninstall from its existing
location, and reinstall in the new one.



> If I have to uninstall and reinstall how will this affect my
> data and
> settings?


For most programs, the data will remain intact. But there may be
some programs which store their data within the programs' folder
somewhere. If that's the case, you'll have to find it and move it
yourself after reinstalling.

In general, you'll lose all your program settings. However,
depending on the program, you may be able to find its settings
file and move that over after reinstalling. You should ask for
the file name and how to do this for each program specifically,
preferably in a newsgroup specific to that program.

--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
Please reply to the newsgroup


.

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