Need some help, a client wants to move a program from one computer to another

[WarDemon666]

For example, program abc.exe has 3 reg keys, and they are needed to run. When abc.exe is run, the program automatically finds the keys being accessed, and creates a backup of them so it can be installed on another computer?

Or is there an easier way?


He absolutely needs this to be done, but he doesnt have the install cd any more. Is it possible somehow?

I'm going to be going over this weekend to see how the program works and to see if its possible.. I have an external hard drive and it wont be very complicated as long as I have the right program..

I know theres a program called "RegMon" but I dont think it does exactly what I want..

Thanks in advance!

 

[notfred]

I'd just replace the media.

 

[Harvey]

If he owns it legally, he may be able to contact the manufacturer for help. If they can help him, it's got to be easier than trying to crack it.

What's the prog?

 

[WarDemon666]

Originally posted by: Harvey
If he owns it legally, he may be able to contact the manufacturer for help. If they can help him, it's got to be easier than trying to crack it.

What's the prog?

No idea what the program is yet. He couldnt tell me the name.. lol

 

[WarDemon666]

anyone?

 

[EagleKeeper]

The registry keys may be able to be discovered by doing searches relevant to the application name.

Then if found, they could be exported to the new system.

Other than brute force detective work, you are SOL.

As others stated, if the app is legit and/or regestered, contact the maker for new media.

 

[Apathetic]

What you're asking for can be either really easy for simple apps or a living nightmare for complex apps. Basically, you have three areas you have to deal with:

1) The application directory and all the stuff in it
2) Supporting DLLs and the like in the \winnt and or \winnt\system32 directories
3) Registry information

Regmon won't copy extract the keys for you, but it will tell you WHICH keys a program accesses. Once you know this, you can use REGEDIT to extract the keys to a file.

The nightmare really begins with figuring out a programs dependencies and sub-dependencies with registered DLLs (the stuff that usually goes into the system32 directory). Even if you figure out an application needs a particular DLL, you need to make note of the EXACT version number of the DLL (and ALL of it's dependencies) and move that entire chain over to the new PC and register it properly with REGSVR32. If one or more files already exist on the new PC, you may be in trouble because if you simply replace the old file with the new ones, you may easilly break other software which is already installed on the box.

Dave

 

[WarDemon666]

Originally posted by: EagleKeeper
The registry keys may be able to be discovered by doing searches relevant to the application name.

Then if found, they could be exported to the new system.

Other than brute force detective work, you are SOL.

As others stated, if the app is legit and/or regestered, contact the maker for new media.

it is possible..

Every time a reg key is accesssed, it is possible to see which ones with regmon, so im sure theres a way to find a spec. programs reg key entries..

Im too lazy to call up, think its a legit program though

 

[WarDemon666]

Originally posted by: Apathetic
What you're asking for can be either really easy for simple apps or a living nightmare for complex apps. Basically, you have three areas you have to deal with:

1) The application directory and all the stuff in it
2) Supporting DLLs and the like in the \winnt and or \winnt\system32 directories
3) Registry information

Regmon won't copy extract the keys for you, but it will tell you WHICH keys a program accesses. Once you know this, you can use REGEDIT to extract the keys to a file.

The nightmare really begins with figuring out a programs dependencies and sub-dependencies with registered DLLs (the stuff that usually goes into the system32 directory). Even if you figure out an application needs a particular DLL, you need to make note of the EXACT version number of the DLL (and ALL of it's dependencies) and move that entire chain over to the new PC and register it properly with REGSVR32. If one or more files already exist on the new PC, you may be in trouble because if you simply replace the old file with the new ones, you may easilly break other software which is already installed on the box.

Dave

Thanks for posting, I was going to do that,, was just hoping there was a program that could do it for me.. heheh