New Install - What to do about existing applications


  1. Posts : 17
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit Going to Win 10
       #1

    New Install - What to do about existing applications


    I'm planning on moving from Win 7 to Win 10 via a new install (although it seems I should upgrade first - I'll read about that).
    My questions have to do with my Win 7 applications...

    #1) Is there a list someplace of applications that need to be "de-registered" so they can be registered on the new Win 10 clean install? For example, I'm pretty sure the Adobe suite has to be deregistered - maybe MS Office too?

    #2) Is there a way to move an application? By that I mean I either don't have the original install files anymore or in some cases I've found some useful software from http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/ where you download the install file but it has to be installed and registered that day. If you wait a day, you can't register it. Any way to "move" these programs? I realize generally you can't just move applications and then the added complication of going from Win 7 to Win 10.

    Thanks,
    \Dave
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 5,452
    windows 10 Pro ver 21H2 build 19044.1348
       #2

    In a nut-shell.
    If you chose to do......................
    1. Upgrade Install. You get to keep your files, settings and most of your apps. Some programs that are not compatible with Win 10 will be either left out or become unresponsive.

    2. Clean Install. You keep nothing but you will have a clean slate with no carry-over "baggage".
      My Computer


  3. whs
    Posts : 1,935
    Windows 7
       #3

    The upgrade install is good for the programs you want to keep, but it is also good for all the gremlins you have. Those move right along too. It is a matter of personal judgement which solution is most suitable.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 460
    Windows 10 Home x64
       #4

    It would be good to take a backup/image of your present install before doing anything just to have it on hand.

    You do need to upgrade from a qualifying OS and activate first before doing a clean install. W10 will activate automatically from the upgrade. After W10 is installed and activated you can do a clean install if you feel it's needed, but an upgrade will probably be fine, as whs said, it's personal preference.

    You might want to check for any registration emails you received from those downloaded programs that would have registration links or activation keys you could reuse to get those programs back. Some might move through an upgrade to the new OS but probably not all.
      My Computers


  5. Posts : 65
    Win 10 1803
       #5

    CmmTch said:
    It would be good to take a backup/image of your present install before doing anything just to have it on hand.
    Yes absolutely!
    CmmTch said:
    You do need to upgrade from a qualifying OS and activate first before doing a clean install.
    Actually upgrading first is now no longer necessary. See this tutorial here on this site for how to do it: Clean Install Windows 10 Directly without having to Upgrade First - Windows 10 Forums
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 17
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit Going to Win 10
    Thread Starter
       #6

    Thanks for the update. I would always have a backup. In fact, I'm going to image the drive with an identical size drive in case I have to just swap it in if I do the upgrade and something goes very wrong. - Although going a new install I would not have that issue.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 1,249
    Windows 8.1, Win10Pro
       #7

    nhbeachbuy:

    LapLink makes a product known as PC Mover that allows you to "migrate" applications from one PC to another and one OS to another.

    You need to buy the Pro version -- as only that version migrates apps.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 17
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit Going to Win 10
    Thread Starter
       #8

    Thanks, I'll look into that.
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 42,737
    Win 10 Pro (22H2) (2nd PC is 22H2)
       #9

    "Microsoft offers an Upgrade Advisor that scans your system and informs you if it finds any applications or hardware devices that won’t work properly on Windows 10. This is built into the new “Get Windows 10” application that’s been rolled out to Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 users via Windows Update. Click the Get Windows 10 icon and go through the process.

    If you have important applications that you use for business purposes or anything else irreplaceable, you should consider contacting the developer or company that produced them and asking if the applications will be compatible with Windows 10. These applications should be if they were compatible with Win 7 and 8."

    (Should you choose to upgrade first, uninstall AV and anything that modifies the GUI.. that's a basic hint).

    I used Laplink PCMover Image Assistant in conjunction with a disk imaging program very successfully.
    As you will have a disk image, this could be more convenient, as you simply mount the image and run PCMover I. A. rather than the back and forth procedure with PCMover and huge files.

    You will then find
    a. some programs will not be transferred and you will be told.
    b. you need to check the programs transferred and see if they
    i. Run
    ii Are licensed (some will be, some not)

    A few will need reinstalling.

    The majority of my 300 or so were fine, and I very quickly had all my POP3 email, Firefox and addons and favourites, and appearance modifications and Classic Shell (most important!) running.

    I had C: (Windows) and programs installed in categorised folders on D: and I moved this lot from a HDD on my old PC to an SSD on my new PC.

    Aomei Backupper did not work here (permissions bug) but O&O Diskimage (which Laplink promotes alongside this, did. Fortunately I had giveaway licenses for both I'd kept, planning ahead. Macrium Reflect (free) is said to be fine too.
      My Computers


  10. Posts : 17
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit Going to Win 10
    Thread Starter
       #10

    dalchina - thanks for all the details. I've run the Upgrade Advisor some time ago and the only app it complained about is my backup software Acronis True Image 2012. I've been using Acronis for a while now so I'll probably upgrade to 2016 verion which supports Win 10. I'll do that first.
      My Computer


 

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