Swapping an old HP Model 24 a220xt 64 bit software to a new HP desktop drive.

[PJMICHAELS]

I have an HP desktop with Win10 64bit software. I'm very happy with it and the software I've bought and use on the machine for several years.

I'm wondering if I could swap this software (all of it) to a new HP computer's disk using backup retrieval software. Since the old computer is an HP and the New computer is an HP, would there be that much difference in the hardware that would make the new computer not accept the old software?

[WAWood]

Basically NO. Why? Because applications are not simple files that can be copied; instead, they are complex collections of files and data, including Registry entries.  You have to use special software to "migrate" the applications from one machine to another.

The best of these I have used is EaseUS ToDo PC Trans -- but it is not free.  The free version only migrates user data and settings, not applications.

[PJMICHAELS]

Thanks for the  information. I'll look into the software. I have a lot of  old software that I could copy over but there are always favorite software that you get use to and it has changed from a "Buy it" to a "Rent it" situation. I'm happy with the old version and just want to keep using it.

Thanks again for the great lead,

Paul

[WAWood]

Yeah, I know about the new "rent it" trend as some of my key apps have gone to subscription.

One went from $100 one-time for a 4-license pack, to $50 per license per year. That's 4 times the cost for only one year. Since they upgraded every two years, that amounts to 8 times the cost!

Either they can't do the math and just presume that 50 is less than 100, or they are just plain greedy.

So -- I have quit using it.

[PJMICHAELS]

Referring back to your "need to migrate the software". Can I purchase a second drive, make it a virtual drive, and then migrate my Win10 program to the virtual drive?  I've tried a virtual drive before, but I restored my drive to the disk instead of migrating it to the disk. I've read about virtual drives but have not successfully done it yet. It sounds like I should be able to run Win10 on the second drive in theory.

I see the site you suggested also has software to make virtual drives.  Just asking, thanks for the comments.

Paul

[WAWood]

I've not used virtual drives, so I have no idea if that migration would work.

How the tool works is that it does not reinstall the apps; instead, it knows how to find all the pieces of an app, including the Registry entries.  Then, depending on how you use the app, if the target PC is connected over a network, it simply copies the pieces to the same filesystem locations on the other PC.  If you do not have it connected, then it saves the pieces to a file, and when you then install the app on the other PC and copy over the file, it then copies the pieces to the filesystem.

My guess is it would do the same with a virtual drive, but as I said, I have not used those, so I do not know.

[PJMICHAELS]

Thanks, when I get the time, I'll try it. I'll let you know how it worked,

Paul

[WAWood]

OK, good luck.