Member Avatar for Recon1775

ok long story short.

recently i have bought a entirely new computer. built it my self so that rules out the manufacturer bs.

so i have windows vista and i recently hooked up my old hdd (that had windows xp) as a slave drive.

when i try to use any program on there such as CS3, itunes, winamp, or any game such as Americas army, Armed assault, combat arms or any other game it will not work.:confused:

1. the error for the games are "cannot find instalation files" or enable to locate "americas army" registry entry. and with Arma its something about the registry and re-installing. i have alot of games on this HDD and don't i'm using reinstall as a LAST RESORT.:icon_sad:

2. as for the software programs such as adobe CS3 it says i need to re-install or repair the problem? says that for all other software.

now is this because Windows XP is installed on my old slave hdd? and i know for a fact that all these games and software are compatible with Vista.


is there a fix? or do i really have to re-install all these programs that would more than likely take a week?

all help is wanted. dont care if its off topic or not so significant. all help is very much appreciated.

thank you for your time

-James

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by Adam255

Dani AI

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Short explanation: a Windows installer does far more than drop files into a folder. Installers create registry keys, register COM/ActiveX components, install shared libraries and redistributables, add services/drivers and write user data under the OS profile. Attaching an XP disk as a slave leaves the program folders intact but not the registry and system-level pieces the programs need — which is why some self-contained titles (as noticed) may run, while more complex suites or protected games report “registry entry not found” or “installation files missing.”

Quick checklist of non‑destructive steps to try before a full reinstall:

  • Run the program EXE from the old disk with Administrator privileges and in Windows XP compatibility mode.
  • Look inside the program folder on the old HDD for a Setup.exe, .msi or a “repair” option; running the original installer on the new Vista system will recreate missing registry entries without re-downloading everything.
  • Install needed runtimes present in many game/app folders (DirectX redist, Visual C++ runtimes, .NET).
  • If an error names a specific COM DLL, register it from an elevated command prompt: 
    regsvr32 "E:\Path\To\component.dll"
  • Back up the old drive (image) before making registry changes.

If many programs must move, migration software (as mentioned) can copy files and attempt to rebuild registry entries, but these tools are commercial and not guaranteed. For a long-term, reliable fix, reinstalling or running each program’s installer on the new Windows instance is safest. For data preservation, copy saved games and config files from XP’s "Documents and Settings\<user>..." (AppData/Local Settings) into Vista’s "C:\Users\<user>..." rather than trying to migrate whole installations.

Answer to : installing Vista beside XP (dual‑boot) does not make XP’s registry entries visible to Vista — the same migration rules apply. Final caution: avoid editing the registry without a backup and be aware that older kernel drivers or copy‑protection components can be incompatible with newer OS versions.

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Member Avatar for OlyComputers

You need to reinstall the programs. Complex software can not be moved from one PC to another without A LOT more trouble than just reinstalling them. This is a NEW computer, these programs are not installed on it and will not run.

With that said there are programs (I've used laplink PC mover) that let you transfer files and programs from one system to another. You take a functioning system, run the program and it creates a data file, you then open the data file from the new system (using their software) and it will put everything where it should be.

Member Avatar for Recon1775

oh.
soo since i have vista now and the slave has xp im not able to use those programs?

guess it makes sense cause i remember having the same exact setup with the slave drive from and older comp but both hdd's has XP pro on em and i was able to access and use games and software with eez.

Member Avatar for Recon1775

also i just worked it out somehow and got America's Army from my slave drive to work? now im really confused.

Member Avatar for OlyComputers

Some programs don't need the registry files to run, but the more complex the software the less likely it is to work. I really wouldn't suggest trying to use those programs as is because you're bound to run across issues somewhere.

Member Avatar for Recon1775

ic. k well thanks for all your help.

also would that PC mover software help me get those games or software to work? will it look for the registry files on my old hdd and put them on my new hdd?

anyways thanks for your help and comfirmation. much appreciated!

Member Avatar for Adam255

I got a similar question, if I partition my drive to install Vista next to my XP partition, will I need to reinstall the games/programs etc? Is it the same as having the 2 hard drives issue that Recon1775 is experiencing?

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