how to backup ONE program?

[Chinox22x]

My father has a win98 system. He has a couple of programs that i'd like to "extract" out of it since we no longer have the cd's for them.

Is there a utility out there that anyone knows of that "backs up or extract" a program and all related files to it regardless of where those files are?

If someone has an idea please post here. Thanks guys!

 

[GhettoFob]

If it's an older program, you might be able to just copy the program file folder. This probably won't work for new applications.

 

[Looney]

That's going to be tricky. You'll need to find all it's DLL files and registry stuff, and back those up as well. And no backup program would be able to identify all the parts to a program unless it could record the installation process (Installrite does that... but like i said, you need to run the original install so that installrite can know what it needs to back up.)

 

[DaveSimmons]

If you have proof of ownership, get replacement CDs or an upgrade from the vendor.

If this is warez, you might as well just infringe it again from some warez site.

 

[Chinox22x]

its a legal program, but we've lost the cd's. i've tried copying just the folder but it asks for dll's. god knows how many dll's there are involved with the application...not to mention where to find them.

so i guess we're s.o.l. can't reinstall nor can't upgrade.

 

[Savarak]

just do a file search for each and every dll it asks for and copy it to the same place in the new machine

 

[Apathetic]

Unfortunately, there's no way to know what DLLs are required by an application. It's simply trial and error. Not to mention that those DLLs can have other DLL dependencies. It can get quite ugly very quickly.

Dave

 

[Chinox22x]

would this work? the new system is running winxp.

how about i copy the program directory from the old pc and also the win98 folder and put those folders in the new pc?

any conflicts with that? u think it would try to dual boot?

 

[DaveSimmons]

Originally posted by: Chinox22x
would this work? the new system is running winxp.

how about i copy the program directory from the old pc and also the win98 folder and put those folders in the new pc?

any conflicts with that? u think it would try to dual boot?

No, unfortunately it won't dual-boot and won't find the DLLs in a W98 folder. If you try copying DLLs into the NT system32 folder be very careful do not write over any existing DLLs! or you could destroy your XP install.

Copying into the system32 folder (carefully!) is your best chance, but the program still may not work if it needs any startup or license informaiton in the Windows registry.

 

[AtTheGates]

You could try Dependency Walker. Copy the folder from the Program Files of the old computer and move it to the program folder of a test computer. Find all registry entries for the program. Open the exe with Dependency Walker and see what dlls are missing. Copying over the missing files and test. Write down everything you do so that it can be undone if it fails.

Edit: spelling