Question about buying a new computer.

[Killarney]

I want to buy a new computer, but I'll lose all the software on my PC. I have tons of software installed that I don't have the cd's for anymore. Software to go with my digital camera, Microsoft Office, etc.

Is there any way that I can copy the software from my old hard drive to my new computer?

If not, does anyone know of a cheap way to get MS Office? I'm not shelling out hundreds of dollars for it, that's ridiculous.

[Nimrod]

1. File transfer programs

Cost you about $50 bucks, but they work pretty well and run through an interface cable.

[GCP]

2. Can't you take the old hard drive and put it in the new computer?

I'm sure we've done that in the past.
You can have more than one hard drive in a computer, after all.

[Nimrod]

7. Unfortunately

Most new computers either can't handle a second hard drive at all (no physical space for it), or have to have one installed by technicians as the case is sealed. The days of flipping up the hood of your computer yourself aren't QUITE gone, but they're fading.

[arcos]

10. huh??

What brands are you talking about???

[Nimrod]

14. Quite a few

If you get a "stock" computer, chances are good the case will be sealed. HP, e-Machines, Compaq, and a lot of Sonys have factory-sealed cases for example.

[arcos]

15. that's ridiculous...

Some local retailers here used to sell sealed cases computers. If you opened it, the warranty was void. However, there was no way you could check you were actually getting what you bought...

For me... either do it yourself, or Dell (yeah, I know they are big Republican supporters, but it's a great brand nonetheless).

[Nimrod]

17. I'm a "do-it-yourselfer" too.

Also, some custom places will build you one to your specs. Costs more, but the tradeoff is nice. Also, some smaller retailers will go "half-and-half" with you - install the fans on the motherboard etc, and you take all the parts home and plug them into the case yourself.

The BIG computer companies are twitchy over that. I was going to buy a new HP and wanted a graphics card upgrade. Would have cost me the price of the card AND the labor to install it as it was impossible to replace myself without a crowbar to crack the case open.

[arcos]

11. .

duplicate, sorry

[trotsky]

3. Substitute: OpenOffice.

http://www.openoffice.org

It's FREE, available for nearly every operating system, and can open all different Microsoft file formats.

[Zech Marquis]

4. do you have a cd or dvd burner?

that's one god way to have your files andor apps backed up and ready. Another metod--if you have an iPod, you can store your apps on that too.

I'mgoing to receive my iMac G5 this week (or theresabout) The only minor thing I have is what to do about my iTunes files. I've only brought 44 songs, the other half are n cds. I don't know if I should even bother rasferring those the prchased music over, since they're already on my iPod...

Finayy, if you're a student, youcan get Office for cheper than the street price. Or even beter, look around in eBay.

[ikojo]

8. You will want to transfer any purchased music and other

music for which you don't have CDs onto your pristine Mac G-5. I *think* there is an iPod program that can switch songs FROM the iPod TO a computer but I am not sure. Apple and the RIAA may have done something in the various iTunes upgrades to put a stop to transferring songs FROM the iPod TO a computer.

I have 156 songs I have purchased through iTunes and hundres of Grateful Dead songs I have downloaded from etree.org. I would hate to lose those.

[Zech Marquis]

22. same here

I only have like 45 songs I've brought in iTunes, but I like those songs so I'm going to get a Firewire cable and use the Setup Assistant to transfer them over to my new iMac G5.

I do think that people whoobey the rules SHOULD be able to transfer their songs via their iPods to new Macs--because when you buy a song from iTunes, you ARE the owner. And the encoding is such that should you dare try to upload that music to say, Limewire or something, your name will be front and center on that file.

[tjdee]

5. This is a GREAT question, I have the same problem.

Lots of moving, so I am missing a lot of the software discs.
You'd think Microsoft, since they have a record of you registering/using that special number, would send you a replacement for a few bucks. But nope

[Kellanved]

6. WIN XP comes with a migration tool

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/d...

[Killarney]

12. that does settings, but no applications unfortunately

thanks for the info, though. that will be useful as well.

[Gore1FL]

9. A lot depends on the software

Some you can copy straight over and it will work. Others need registry entries -- this gets a little too sticky to give an easy way to deal with those in a single post.

I am not sure what office will do. It is wortht he cost of the CD to try it.

[Shopaholic]

13. I brought a program

whose name escapes me at the moment. It came with the cable and everything. It moved all of my music over from my desktop to my new laptop but it did move all of my programs, and I'm assuming some of the file registeries have something to do with its failure to do so. Because of the number of music files involved, it took about 5 hours in all. But still, it was much easier than having to do it by hand or even trying to figure it out.

[Berserker]

18. If you did

"Buy" all your software for your computer and I'm not saying you didn't but you must be one lucky person to never have to reinstall windoze or office programs. I do it at least twice a year because of crashes or just wanting to start clean. But having said that here are a couple of free programs that will tell you what you have on your computer and it will also tell you the software lic. number you will need to give to the appropriate software company's to get a new copy.
AIDA32 http://www.webattack.com/get/aida32.shtml
And Belarc Advisor http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html
And as said above you can burn them if you have a CD burner.

[hobbit709]

16. check out

used computer shops, second-hand bookshops. Here in austin there are several places that you buy older software cheap'

[SlackJawedYokel]

19. DIY or pay someone?

<<I want to buy a new computer, but I'll lose all the software on my PC.>>
If you're changing operating systems you'll have to re-install.
If you're not, you can migrate most software with the appropriate program.

If you're *not* buying a prebuilt box, simply move the old hard drive into the new computer(or have someone do this).

<<I have tons of software installed that I don't have the cd's for anymore. Software to go with my digital camera, Microsoft Office, etc.>>
Emule is an excellent file-sharing program you can use to reacquire long, lost software(assuming you can't get it from manufacturer website, etc.), especially if you have the original serial numbers/registrations.

<<Is there any way that I can copy the software from my old hard drive to my new computer?>>
Check your local mega-computer store for the newest versions.
http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/article/0,aid,117329,00....
http://www.iolo.com/sm/5pro/tutorial.cfm?id=119&collect...

<<If not, does anyone know of a cheap way to get MS Office? I'm not shelling out hundreds of dollars for it, that's ridiculous.>>
Any copy will do if you still have your original serial number(you should be able to access the number via the "help" button in most software... write it down and file it away).
Borrow a disk from a friend or from work, etc.

[eleonora]

21. Welcome to DU!

[Rooktoven]

20. OpenOffice or abiword

And if you aren't ready to try linux, consider buying a mac.