Here is the old age problem that we can never solve

kronoSX

kronoSX

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Is there really no program out there on cyberspace that can back up installed programs.I mean a program that will 100% save that installed program so you can install that on a different computer.Extracting registry values,exe's..etc
I was googling for a bit on this and :(.
I know that sometimes windows keep the installation program in windows folder and some in common folder in program files,some in temp folder and some hidden like msoffice folder which all is in compressed format.

We are always crossing our fingers when we take that file out the programs folder and back it up,and try to make it work on another pc.Sometimes it works and sometimes we lucky there is a dot reg file which we can add to the registry...pheww.

SO what i am saying is this,do we really have nothing out there guys and girls.Here is a link to a potential one
http://club.cdfreaks.com/f3/backup-installed-program-176419/

what about softrescuepro ??will it work:D
 
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I think Microsoft make it a requirement that programs have to write to the registry. Well something like that anyway.

You aren't supposed to be able to copy the programs file folder and have it work.

Why not just use the original install file to run the app?
 
It's not a requirement, but most application are written on the assumption that they have been installed on the computer they are running on and that certain things have been done during the install.

There are a class of applications called portable apps. They're designed to run off a USB stick, so they don;t make the assumption about having been installed. Everythign they need to run are on the USB stick.
 
Qwikslver said:
I think Microsoft make it a requirement that programs have to write to the registry. Well something like that anyway.

You aren't supposed to be able to copy the programs file folder and have it work.

Why not just use the original install file to run the app?
Click to expand...

And that is the whole point. If you bought it legally, you have the disks and license keys, why would you need to backup the programme? The data i understand, but thats not the problem.
 
All in all if you had a game right and your beloved disc2 got damaged.You still have the game installed but you upgrading your pc..whatta you do now,Go out there and buy another game,n.a.f.
There has to be a well coded program out there that can extract and put together the original exe and all the files,its called reverse engineering.If a program was expanded and thrown all over the windows registry and windows files,its understandable to surmise that it can be drawn back...i know its a bit confusing ..hold with me here
 
There is software that allows you to install applications into a container, thus making it portable; application virtualization. Unfortunately, in your scenario, "backing up" could be synonomous with "piracy" so there may be no commercial software to do this. Y

ou could try process monitor from www.sysinternals.com, this will give show what files and registry entries entries are being accessed by an application; you could then manually back these up?
 
Files and settings transfer won't do the whole program, but it's very useful. I have made use of it a few times to transfer my personalised Office settings across PCs.
 
sysinternals ...if only i could download the whole package instead of going through all of them...i am lazy today:D
not to worry i see the suite there...i need glasses:D
 
dablakmark8 said:
sysinternals ...if only i could download the whole package instead of going through all of them...i am lazy today:D
not to worry i see the suite there...i need glasses:D
Click to expand...

There are uninstaller type apps that track registry changes when a program is being installed,should be one that can save these changes to be reapplied
 
Surv0 said:
Windows has a Files and Settings transfer wizard, never used this though... could work?
Click to expand...

Works quite nicely, used it between Vista and Windows 7. It will take over all your documents and settings for all your installed apps, BUT you have to install the apps on the new machine for the settings to mean anything :)
 
Qwikslver said:
I think Microsoft make it a requirement that programs have to write to the registry. Well something like that anyway.

You aren't supposed to be able to copy the programs file folder and have it work.
Click to expand...

Care to show your source for either of those revelations?

Wow :rolleyes:
 
dablakmark8 said:
All in all if you had a game right and your beloved disc2 got damaged.You still have the game installed but you upgrading your pc..whatta you do now,Go out there and buy another game,n.a.f.
Click to expand...
You should have made a backup of the CD's to begin with.
 
Isn't this whole issue mostly got to do with security and piracy of software...? Some other posts mentioned the files and settings transfer thing. If you have the installation disks, why not use them...? It would be a way better and stable approach, than trying to "force" a program to work by tampering with the registry, etc...
 
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