Easy way to get old programs from XP to win7? Migration software suggestions?

[Dackz]

Building a new comp, going 64 bit win7 pro. I will run XP mode they offer. I have some programs that I dont have a disk for and some that are pirated (my college cheap days) that do what I need them to do.

Is there an easy way to just take my info over to win7? I will be getting a NEW HD and starting with 7 then adding stuff from my old HD, and I also have a 250gig USB (238 total gig used on my current HD).

Sorry if this has been discussed but when searching I didnt exactly see this. Dont mind buying migration software to get it done easily.

Also, I know saving an 'image' file of the HD is a great way to make sure things done get messed up...how does one do this?

Thanks in advance.

 

[RebateMonger]

Laplink has sold system migration software (PCMover) for several years. I don't know anybody who's used it and Laplink ignored my email asking about an evaluation copy. Dell offered PCMover with their new PCs for a while, but Dell doesn't appear to sell the latest version anymore.

A quick look at Dell's user forums and a Google search for "PCMover Reviews" gives some pretty pathetic results.

Microsoft has offered utilities for migrating data and settings since XP. But those don't move applications.

Manually migrating applications, by simply moving folders, is reportedly successful in some cases. It depends on the program. If the program relies on Registry information for key data, then there'll be problems. Reportedly, many games can be migrated by just copying folders.

If your software doesn't require direct access to hardware (doesn't deal directly with TV tuners, serial or parallel ports, and doesn't involve 3D gaming), then you could probably virtualize your entire old PC and get it running in Win7's Virtual XP Mode. You'll have to deal with the different disk controllers. The difficulty of doing this depends on your original disk controller. Or it can be done using software that knows how to do physical-to-virtual migrations.

 

[JackMDS]

AFAIK XP mode is a specific installation of XP SP3 that is included in a Download of XP Mode from Microsoft.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtual-pc/download.aspx

It is a full bootable XP SP3 that already pre-set and includes code that makes it specifically seamless in Win 7, thus called XP Mode. When its installation is done, you get a Virtual XP computer that is in the same state as installing fresh WinXP on a new computer.

You can then install into it applications in the same way that you install applications in any existing XP.
However, you cannot take an existing old installation of Win XP and migrate it to work the in this way.

You can take an existing VHD file of XP and make it work as an additional separate Virtual XP on the same Win7 computer.

Making a working bootable VHD file from an existing regular computer for this purpose is a different story. You should try, but the level of success is iffy.

How to make a VHD file, http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/ee656415.aspx

In any case, do make a VHD file from the current XP computer. If it does not boot, the file can be use later to retrieve data, and other info from the new computer.
Try the new VHD on Win 7 as explained in the page above. If it works, enjoy.

Otherwise, make sure that you a new installation of working XP Mode on the Win 7 computer, reinstall into the real XP Mode those applications that you still have the original CD/DVD (floppy).

Then mount the VHD created from the old system as a Data Virtual drive (see this thread http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2035567 ).

If you have application that you do not have, the original installation to, you can try to mirror their Folders to the XP Mode Programs Files folder. Use whatever works, and delete the one that do not.

At the end, you might lose some programs, that you do not have the originals for.

Well this is part of life, you lose some and you gain some.

.

 

[tcsenter]

Application mover programs typically need to be installed and running before the application to be moved, not after. These programs monitor and log the changes made by the application during install, then recreate those changes on the target system. Otherwise, there is no good way for them to know what to "move".

 

[Dackz]

Thanks for the replies. Jack I will try that. At the very least, the programs that I would lose are not terribly expensive anyways.

 

[Laplink]

RebateMonger,

I apologize that no one got back to you regarding a complimentary copy of PCmover. I would be happy to send you a copy if you'd still like one. Please contact me directly at daniel.donohoe@laplink.com and I can send you a complimentary copy ASAP.

Thanks for your patience!

Daniel Donohoe, Public Relations
daniel.donohoe@laplink.com