New computer, migrate from Win7 to Win10

[razorback]

Hey guys, wondering what is the easiest way to migrate the programs from my old Windows 7 computer to my new Windows 10 computer.
I see PCmover Ultimate and EaseUS Todo PCTrans. Just wondering if anyone has any experience or advice on the subject.

Much appreciated.

[Hunter Noventa]

It depends on what kind of programs you're talking about. If it's stuff like, say, steam games, it'd just be a matter of copying them over and pointing steam at the right directory. But anything that would classify as some kind of utility or other software would be more stable if you just re-installed it on your new PC.

[razorback]

It's everything, basically. Honestly, I don't know if I still have the discs for everything and, if I do, if I have the codes to make them work anymore.
Just looking to make my life easier rather than trying to locate and install dozens of programs.

[tyckspoon]

It's everything, basically. Honestly, I don't know if I still have the discs for everything and, if I do, if I have the codes to make them work anymore.
Just looking to make my life easier rather than trying to locate and install dozens of programs.

No generally reliable way to do this that I know of, unfortunately. More modern OS design principles have suggested/enforced programs that are more self-contained and portable, but on older OS's programs were allowed to and usually did create a number of hooks and setup configurations in the operating system that basically customized them to that install. If you rip the program loose from those hooks and drop it somewhere else it won't know how to operate without being fully reinstalled. Data files like documents, music files, spreadsheets, and the like are usually movable. The actual programs that created and read them, often not.

[M0rdecai[QC]]

Are these computers desktops? Would it be possible for you to simply take the hard-drive out of the old computer and put it into the new computer as a secondary drive?

[razorback]

No generally reliable way to do this that I know of, unfortunately. More modern OS design principles have suggested/enforced programs that are more self-contained and portable, but on older OS's programs were allowed to and usually did create a number of hooks and setup configurations in the operating system that basically customized them to that install. If you rip the program loose from those hooks and drop it somewhere else it won't know how to operate without being fully reinstalled. Data files like documents, music files, spreadsheets, and the like are usually movable. The actual programs that created and read them, often not.

When I went from XP to 7, Windows 7 had a backed in program that allowed the transfer. I don't think I had a single issue with any programs, but this was XP to 7 and not 7 to 10. Both PCmover Ultimate and EaseUS Todo PCTrans claim to do this but I've read mixed reviews online and was wondering if anyone has had any personal experience with either. PCmover is endorsed by Microsoft, for whatever value you want to assign to that.

Are these computers desktops? Would it be possible for you to simply take the hard-drive out of the old computer and put it into the new computer as a secondary drive?

Yes, both are. I've cloned both drives, so I have backups, but do you know if Windows 10 will read programs from a secondary?

[M0rdecai[QC]]

Yes, both are. I've cloned both drives, so I have backups, but do you know if Windows 10 will read programs from a secondary?

I don't see why not, my current computer is a Windows 10 with 2 hard-drives in it, and I haven't had any problems with reading from either drive.

[razorback]

I don't see why not, my current computer is a Windows 10 with 2 hard-drives in it, and I haven't had any problems with reading from either drive.

I'll give it a try this weekend.

Thanks everyone.

[snowblizz]

Have you looked into the Windows 7 Back-up feature?

My Windows 10 says it can still use the Windows 7 Back-up and Restore feature.


Physically moving the hardrive or even cloning it all accmplishes the same thing with the same general problem. You get the data physically, but for most software it's going to be a reinstall anyway.
Because almsot all software rely on those hooks into the OS which no longer will point to anything running.

The only way I've so far found where it works to migrate stuff like that is when you install a new OS vevr the older one, ie an upgrade.

Moving the stuff from a HDD to a SSD might not be entirely problematic either, especially if you are trying to switch bootdisk in the process.

[razorback]

Have you looked into the Windows 7 Back-up feature?

My Windows 10 says it can still use the Windows 7 Back-up and Restore feature.


Physically moving the hardrive or even cloning it all accmplishes the same thing with the same general problem. You get the data physically, but for most software it's going to be a reinstall anyway.
Because almsot all software rely on those hooks into the OS which no longer will point to anything running.

The only way I've so far found where it works to migrate stuff like that is when you install a new OS vevr the older one, ie an upgrade.

Moving the stuff from a HDD to a SSD might not be entirely problematic either, especially if you are trying to switch bootdisk in the process.

Sorry, that was above my head.
From what I gather, since it's a new computer and not an upgrade, but I'm transfering the old HD to the new computer, that it might now work?

[snowblizz]

Well putting the old HD in the computer you'll be able to access the stuff on it. Opening and copying pictures, documents and so on. Most programs won't run from the other HD because they will no longer be properly installed though.

Windows 7 has a built-in Back-up and Restore function. However I've never used it so am not sure what it actually can back-up.

In theory you should be able to do a full back-up from Windows 7 and then Windows 10 can restore from that back up. This *might* mean you can actually get everything migrated over fomr old hd to new one easily. I've just never tried it so don't know for sure.

[razorback]

Well putting the old HD in the computer you'll be able to access the stuff on it. Opening and copying pictures, documents and so on. Most programs won't run from the other HD because they will no longer be properly installed though.

Windows 7 has a built-in Back-up and Restore function. However I've never used it so am not sure what it actually can back-up.

In theory you should be able to do a full back-up from Windows 7 and then Windows 10 can restore from that back up. This *might* mean you can actually get everything migrated over fomr old hd to new one easily. I've just never tried it so don't know for sure.

I'll do see some research and see what pans out.

[Fri]

I distinctly remember I don't need to do anything, honestly. I was worried about this, but when I upgraded windows 7 to windows 10, I just let the updater do their job, and at the end most of my programs are still there, in their proper folder, as with all my files. Some of the programs might be missing, but honestly those are things I never use anyway, since I don't even remember what are those! I guess those programs I need are the ones that are compatible with both version of windows.

[snowblizz]

I distinctly remember I don't need to do anything, honestly. I was worried about this, but when I upgraded windows 7 to windows 10, I just let the updater do their job, and at the end most of my programs are still there, in their proper folder, as with all my files. Some of the programs might be missing, but honestly those are things I never use anyway, since I don't even remember what are those! I guess those programs I need are the ones that are compatible with both version of windows.

You will probably find you have a html file on the desktop called something like "removed programs". I once spotted it and wondred and found out it contained a list of what was removed when updating form Win8 to Win10.
However, note that the OP's scenario was 2 different physical computers with different OS, which means it's not as straight-forward.

[Fri]

Ah, makes sense. And yes, I remember that folder now.

I honestly had stopped caring about customizing my desktop after a while, that's why I missed that. I mean, when I was in college I heavily set up my desktop, custom folder icon, program shortcuts, etc. But now I don't even put a wallpaper and just leave my documents and program wherever. I guess I get old and lazy.

[razorback]

I didn't update from Win7 to Win10 on the same computer. Had a Win7 computer and bought a new Win10 computer and just wanted to transfer everything.
Ended up dropping the old drive in the new computer and just reloading all of the programs I cared about.

[snowblizz]

One day in the future I'm looking forward to buying a new computer, plopping in the old drive or a ghosted copy of it in the new computer, have it think for a bit and then carrying on as if nothing happened. Maybe Win10 will be that OS, it seems like MS intends it to be. I keep thinking it should be possible. I've yet to be able to do this however. Maybe if this "virtualization" my friend talks about that they sue at his work becomes easily deployable for homeusers.

[razorback]

One day in the future I'm looking forward to buying a new computer, plopping in the old drive or a ghosted copy of it in the new computer, have it think for a bit and then carrying on as if nothing happened. Maybe Win10 will be that OS, it seems like MS intends it to be. I keep thinking it should be possible. I've yet to be able to do this however. Maybe if this "virtualization" my friend talks about that they sue at his work becomes easily deployable for homeusers.

You and me both. XP to 7 mostly did this with a built in program, though not everything worked as advertised. I think 98 to XP might have, but that was a long time ago.

[Silfir]

One day in the future I'm looking forward to buying a new computer, plopping in the old drive or a ghosted copy of it in the new computer, have it think for a bit and then carrying on as if nothing happened. Maybe Win10 will be that OS, it seems like MS intends it to be. I keep thinking it should be possible. I've yet to be able to do this however. Maybe if this "virtualization" my friend talks about that they sue at his work becomes easily deployable for homeusers.

There's nothing in principle that prevents you from doing this today, as long as you're not artifically motherboard-tied (OEM license) - only the fact that you're migrating to different (hopefully much newer) hardware, and driver conflicts can occur. If everything works just enough that Windows 10 can go online and fix up all the missing drivers ("think for a bit") you don't have to reinstall.

It's still good practice, of course. To be honest, so much cruft accumulates across a lifetime of daily use I'm always grateful for the excuse to start from scratch whenever I have a new PC to set up.

[factotum]

If everything works just enough that Windows 10 can go online and fix up all the missing drivers ("think for a bit") you don't have to reinstall.

Yeah, I was quite surprised the last time I did a motherboard upgrade that Windows (I think it was 8.1 at the time) just booted up, installed the right drivers for the new mobo and then worked just fine thereafter. That's not something Windows XP ever did--you'd just get the dreaded INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE bluescreen.

[snowblizz]

--you'd just get the dreaded INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE bluescreen.

With my current computer I took my old Vista install and put that into the new hardware. Blue screen.

So I ended up having to get a Win8 copy with the expectation to upgrade to 10 when it was offered.

Like I said, I'm hoping the next step from Win10 to I guess Win10 won't be like that.
Last time it was 7 years between hardware upgrades. I'm hoping to go 5 years at least. But who knows how it looks 5 years from now.