new pc

Hello,

I'm thinking of buying a new pc.

My main concern is the time & trouble (& cost) it would take to re-install
all my software . I have the original discs for most of my programs, though
some ( I think) only allow a single installation. I also have an awful lot
of downloaded software that I would need to re-install, as well as setting
up my web connection again (it caused a few problems last time).

My question, is it possible to copy an 'image' of my current pc to a new pc
?? including the registry etc ?

My data files are not a problem, I have backups.

I use Vista home premium

Thanks

KK

"KRK" <> wrote in message
news:#...
>
> Hello,
>
> I'm thinking of buying a new pc.
>
> My main concern is the time & trouble (& cost) it would take to re-install
> all my software . I have the original discs for most of my programs,
> though some ( I think) only allow a single installation. I also have an
> awful lot of downloaded software that I would need to re-install, as well
> as setting up my web connection again (it caused a few problems last
> time).
>
> My question, is it possible to copy an 'image' of my current pc to a new
> pc ?? including the registry etc ?
>
> My data files are not a problem, I have backups.
>
> I use Vista home premium
>
> Thanks
>
> KK

I recommend Acronis true image. I've had great success with XP Vista and
Win7. Clone - works like magic
--
John the West Ham fan


<><

"KRK" <> wrote in message
news:#...
> Hello,
>
> I'm thinking of buying a new pc.
>
> My main concern is the time & trouble (& cost) it would take to re-install
> all my software . I have the original discs for most of my programs,
> though some ( I think) only allow a single installation. I also have an
> awful lot of downloaded software that I would need to re-install, as well
> as setting up my web connection again (it caused a few problems last
> time).
>
> My question, is it possible to copy an 'image' of my current pc to a new
> pc ?? including the registry etc ?
>
> My data files are not a problem, I have backups.
>
> I use Vista home premium
>
> Thanks
>
> KK

If you wait until the end of October, you can get a new PC with Windows 7
pre-installed. This will save you having to use an upgrade option from
Vista. The advantage is that you will have a more responsive operating
system which does not have some of the issues which dogged Vista. Support
for home versions of Vista end in 2012, and there will ne no extensions, so
you may as well get used to Windows 7 as soon as you can.

Re installing all of your stuff, I faced the same issue as you, but it is
better to start off clean than go through the process of trying to get an
operating system to work with different hardware. Sometimes it is easy, oft
times it is not.

Install software as you need it rather than taking on the mammoth task of
installing absolutely everything that you have or want, and make sure that
your data backups are in a form which can be retrieved easily in Windows 7.
Data backups are best done by burning to a CD or DVD in regular data format.
The use of backup utilities can fall over when you have backups created
using a utility that has compatibility issues with the new operating system.

Run the Windows 7 upgrade advisor on your present machine, ignoring hardware
issues. Just look to see what possible software issues you might encounter.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/win...e-advisor.aspx

--

Mike Hall - MVP Windows Experience
http://msmvps.com/blogs/mikehall/

Hi, KK.

I have a few comments...inline...

"KRK" <> wrote in message
news:#...
> Hello,
>
> I'm thinking of buying a new pc.

Congratulations! It almost certainly will have 64-bit hardware and will
have Vista pre-installed, with a coupon for a free upgrade to Windows 7 when
it goes to General Availability on October 22. The new machine probably
will have 32-bit Vista, even on 64-bit hardware, but may offer 64-bit
Vista/Win7 for the same price. My personal opinion is that 64-bit is the
way of the future; only a few speed bumps remain and 32-bit is fast becoming
"so 20th Century". Yes, all your 32-bit software will run just fine on
Windows x64, and so will your hardware, with very rare exceptions.

> My main concern is the time & trouble (& cost) it would take to re-install
> all my software .

Yes, this is a hassle - but it will all be over in less than a week, maybe
just a day or two. You could skip some of the hassle by waiting until
October 22 and get your new computer with Win7 already installed. If you
get the new computer now, you will have to make two transitions.

> I have the original discs for most of my programs, though some ( I think)
> only allow a single installation.

I don't know of any software with such a restriction. Some will allow
installation on only a single computer at a time; you may need to contact
the vendor to assure them that it has been removed from the first computer
to allow installation on the second.

> I also have an awful lot of downloaded software that I would need to
> re-install, as well as setting up my web connection again (it caused a few
> problems last time).

Yes, this could be a problem in some special cases, but it is not a general
situation. Of course, if it applies in your case, it doesn't help you if I
report that it "works for me".

> My question, is it possible to copy an 'image' of my current pc to a new
> pc ?? including the registry etc ?

No. The Registry is customized to fit your specific computer - and
continually updated while Windows is running. You can certainly copy the
Registry to your new computer - but it probably will not make Windows run on
the new machine. Even in "the same computer", if we update the CPU or
motherboard, we usually need to reinstall Windows so that the Registry can
be re-customized to fit the new hardware.

Windows Easy Transfer will make the job much easier. Run it first on the
old computer and store the results onto a thumb drive or other transportable
media that can be plugged into the new computer. Then run WET on the new
computer and import your files and settings from that media.

> My data files are not a problem, I have backups.

GOOD! Everything else can - and probably should - be replaced and/or
re-installed. But your DATA exists nowhere else in the world, so preserve
that at all costs. Just remember that backups are worthless if they cannot
be RESTORED, so be sure that you can restore them to the new computer.

> I use Vista home premium
>
> Thanks
>
> KK

Good luck! Please post back and tell us how your new computer is running.
;<)

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX

Microsoft Windows MVP
Windows Live Mail 2009 (14.0.8089.0726) in Win7 Ultimate x64

"housetrained" <> wrote:

>"KRK" <> wrote in message
>news:#...
>>
>> Hello,
>>
>> I'm thinking of buying a new pc.
>>
>> My main concern is the time & trouble (& cost) it would take to re-install
>> all my software . I have the original discs for most of my programs,
>> though some ( I think) only allow a single installation. I also have an
>> awful lot of downloaded software that I would need to re-install, as well
>> as setting up my web connection again (it caused a few problems last
>> time).
>>
>> My question, is it possible to copy an 'image' of my current pc to a new
>> pc ?? including the registry etc ?
>>
>> My data files are not a problem, I have backups.
>>
>> I use Vista home premium
>>
>> Thanks
>>
>> KK
>
>I recommend Acronis true image. I've had great success with XP Vista and
>Win7. Clone - works like magic

You are a moron. What you recommend cannot be done.

"KRK" <> wrote in message
news:%...
> Hello,
>
> I'm thinking of buying a new pc.
>
> My main concern is the time & trouble (& cost) it would take to re-install
> all my software . I have the original discs for most of my programs,
> though some ( I think) only allow a single installation. I also have an
> awful lot of downloaded software that I would need to re-install, as well
> as setting up my web connection again (it caused a few problems last
> time).
>
> My question, is it possible to copy an 'image' of my current pc to a new
> pc ?? including the registry etc ?
>
> My data files are not a problem, I have backups.
>
> I use Vista home premium
>
> Thanks
>
> KK

Odds are that your existing Vista installation will not
run on the new hardware, and you will have to
reinstall everything. Also, if your existing Vista is
an OEM copy, it will not reactivate on new hardware.

Your best option is to take Mike Hall's advice and wait
until the October release of Windows 7 to buy a new
system. Then you can reinstall your applications, and
start with a fresh install.

done it many times. Anyone else back me up?
--
John the West Ham fan


<><


"Bill Daggett" <> wrote in message
news:...
> "housetrained" <> wrote:
>
>>"KRK" <> wrote in message
>>news:#...
>>>
>>> Hello,
>>>
>>> I'm thinking of buying a new pc.
>>>
>>> My main concern is the time & trouble (& cost) it would take to
>>> re-install
>>> all my software . I have the original discs for most of my programs,
>>> though some ( I think) only allow a single installation. I also have an
>>> awful lot of downloaded software that I would need to re-install, as
>>> well
>>> as setting up my web connection again (it caused a few problems last
>>> time).
>>>
>>> My question, is it possible to copy an 'image' of my current pc to a new
>>> pc ?? including the registry etc ?
>>>
>>> My data files are not a problem, I have backups.
>>>
>>> I use Vista home premium
>>>
>>> Thanks
>>>
>>> KK
>>
>>I recommend Acronis true image. I've had great success with XP Vista and
>>Win7. Clone - works like magic
>
> You are a moron. What you recommend cannot be done.

"housetrained" <> wrote:

>done it many times. Anyone else back me up?
>---
>John the West Ham fan
>
>

You've never taken an image of an old computer and used it to move the
installation of all your old installed programs to a new PC, you
moron.


><><
>
>
>"Bill Daggett" <> wrote in message
>news:.. .
>> "housetrained" <> wrote:
>>
>>>"KRK" <> wrote in message
>>>news:#...
>>>>
>>>> Hello,
>>>>
>>>> I'm thinking of buying a new pc.
>>>>
>>>> My main concern is the time & trouble (& cost) it would take to
>>>> re-install
>>>> all my software . I have the original discs for most of my programs,
>>>> though some ( I think) only allow a single installation. I also have an
>>>> awful lot of downloaded software that I would need to re-install, as
>>>> well
>>>> as setting up my web connection again (it caused a few problems last
>>>> time).
>>>>
>>>> My question, is it possible to copy an 'image' of my current pc to a new
>>>> pc ?? including the registry etc ?
>>>>
>>>> My data files are not a problem, I have backups.
>>>>
>>>> I use Vista home premium
>>>>
>>>> Thanks
>>>>
>>>> KK
>>>
>>>I recommend Acronis true image. I've had great success with XP Vista and
>>>Win7. Clone - works like magic
>>
>> You are a moron. What you recommend cannot be done.

What you wish to do is not recommended. The image, copied from the old PC
to the new one, will contain drivers and references to hardware that no
longer exists on the new PC and will be missing drivers and references to
new hardware on the new PC. A fresh install is the only way to handle this
type of situation.

"KRK" <> wrote in message
news:#...
> Hello,
>
> I'm thinking of buying a new pc.
>
> My main concern is the time & trouble (& cost) it would take to re-install
> all my software . I have the original discs for most of my programs,
> though some ( I think) only allow a single installation. I also have an
> awful lot of downloaded software that I would need to re-install, as well
> as setting up my web connection again (it caused a few problems last
> time).
>
> My question, is it possible to copy an 'image' of my current pc to a new
> pc ?? including the registry etc ?
>
> My data files are not a problem, I have backups.
>
> I use Vista home premium
>
> Thanks
>
> KK

Thanks all, this has helped. Looks as if I will have to do it the hard way.

I'll be buying at Xmas, so should be able to get win7 ok.

Does anyone here know if my broadband installation disk will work ok under
win 7 , or do I ned to contact Mr. Orange for a new one ?

Thanks again

KK


"KRK" <> wrote in message
news:%...
> Hello,
>
> I'm thinking of buying a new pc.
>
> My main concern is the time & trouble (& cost) it would take to re-install
> all my software . I have the original discs for most of my programs,
> though some ( I think) only allow a single installation. I also have an
> awful lot of downloaded software that I would need to re-install, as well
> as setting up my web connection again (it caused a few problems last
> time).
>
> My question, is it possible to copy an 'image' of my current pc to a new
> pc ?? including the registry etc ?
>
> My data files are not a problem, I have backups.
>
> I use Vista home premium
>
> Thanks
>
> KK