Transferring Programs to CD

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jay Cee
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J

Jay Cee

I want to buy a new computer. How can I copy to CD the programs I bought
online that came only as downloadable (no CD) and that I want to keep? Is it
as simple as copying pictures (something I do a lot)? I have Roxio Easy
Creator 6 installed and XP Home. Thanks for any input.
 
You need to copy the files you downloaded, not the installed versions
so that you can reinstall the programs later if you need to. Copying
the files is the same as copying any other type of file (such as
pictures).
 
Hi, Jay Cee,

Jerome is correct, but a little explanation of why wouldn't hurt...

In Windows, almost every program uses information that it puts into the
Windows registry. Some of that information is written only by the installer
that sets up the program. If you copy the installed program's files but you
don't get the registry information, then the program won't function properly
(or maybe at all) when you copy it to the new computer.

You should also be aware that when you customize a program -- tell it what
buttons to put on its toolbars, or what to use for keyboard shortcuts, or
where to look for files -- usually those customizations also go into the
registry. When you reinstall the program on a new computer, the
customizations will be lost unless there's some way to tranfer them.

I assume you're asking at least partly about Word, since you're posting in
this newsgroup. The list of things you need to save from Word to make the
new installation look like the old one is at
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/General/FilesToBackup.htm. In addition to the CD
with the installation program on it, you'll need the 25-digit product key
that came with it.
 
Thank you all for the input.

Jay Freedman said:
Hi, Jay Cee,

Jerome is correct, but a little explanation of why wouldn't hurt...

In Windows, almost every program uses information that it puts into the
Windows registry. Some of that information is written only by the installer
that sets up the program. If you copy the installed program's files but you
don't get the registry information, then the program won't function properly
(or maybe at all) when you copy it to the new computer.

You should also be aware that when you customize a program -- tell it what
buttons to put on its toolbars, or what to use for keyboard shortcuts, or
where to look for files -- usually those customizations also go into the
registry. When you reinstall the program on a new computer, the
customizations will be lost unless there's some way to tranfer them.

I assume you're asking at least partly about Word, since you're posting in
this newsgroup. The list of things you need to save from Word to make the
new installation look like the old one is at
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/General/FilesToBackup.htm. In addition to the CD
with the installation program on it, you'll need the 25-digit product key
that came with it.
Click to expand...
 
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