Agree that it would be cool to just copy the program and paste it somewhere else on your Windows computer. Unfortunately, if you bought a new hard drive and want to clean up the old one a bit, then you'll need to use a special method to transfer software from one drive to another. Otherwise, after transferring the program, you may receive an error message.
This happens because the installed program on your computer goes far beyond the folder you want to copy. We're talking about various registry data and other hidden corners of your PC.
This article will tell you how to transfer programs from one drive to another so that they continue to work without errors. For this we will use Symlink. I won't go into detail about what this is, I'll just say that using Symlink (symbolic link) we will transfer the program from the old disk to the new one.
Transfer a program from one drive to another using a symbolic link
In my example, I will show you how to transfer MSI Afterburner.
The program is actually in a new location, but Windows thinks that it is still where it was before, so it will continue to work. Clever, isn't it?
Special program
If you're unable to transfer a program from one drive to another, or you think it's too complicated for you (even though it's actually quite simple), you can download separate programs that will do all the necessary steps for you. One of them is Steam Mover, which allows you to transfer games and programs. Also you can try Application Mover. 
All of these programs are very easy to use. They ask for the current location of the program and the new directory you want to move it to. Just follow the instructions and you'll be fine!
The easiest way to transfer
In order not to clog up your system with third-party utilities that you will use only once, and also not to suffer with command line and symbolic links, you can transfer programs to another disk in the most in a simple way, no different from installing this very program. Actually, this is the installation of the program.
So, when we need to transfer some program from drive C to any other drive or partition, we simply go to the home page of this application, download the latest distribution, that is, the installation file and initiate the installation of the program. We simply run the installation file. From here we try to be careful, we shouldn’t mindlessly click anything further, wherever there is a link to settings or details, we click, open, study, configure.
This will happen in one of the windows; you will be asked to configure the installation. You simply select the disk or partition that you need. If it is possible to configure user data (files) in terms of a specific location, also change to the desired disk. When all the paths are registered, click on continue installation. After installation is complete, look at the paths where the program files themselves are located, and where the user data files, profiles, and so on are located. Without third-party programs and programming skills, we transferred the program to another drive. Everything will work stably, correctly and without errors.
Conclusion
In most cases, your programs will work even if you just copy and paste it on another drive. However, in situations where errors occur, you can use the symbolic link method or special tools to move the program from one drive to another.
We all know that a newly installed operating system works much faster than an old system with many different applications installed. However, the joy of the speed and stability of the new OS quickly disappears when it turns out that all your favorite games and frequently used programs were removed along with the old OS. Today we will share our knowledge on how to avoid losing programs and games when reinstalling the system and how to correctly transfer programs to another computer.
Modern world And modern technologies made us look at the concept of moving differently. If previously we associated only a change of residence with this concept, now we also associate a change of operating system. In one case or another, a lot of problems are associated with moving (moving things/programs, setting up a new meta/updating, setting up configurations, installing programs, applications and games).
The most difficult task when migrating to a new OS is to transfer to it the software necessary for operation, all kinds of applications, files with personal data, of course games, multimedia libraries, email client messages and settings of installed programs.
A classic move to a new PC or new OS looks something like this: the user deletes the old operating system, formats the partition hard drive and installs a new OS into it, let’s say Windows 8. After this, the most tedious, long and tedious work begins: installing programs necessary for work (of which there can be a large number), favorite games, transferring personal files to the new OS. Everything would be fine, but this approach takes a lot of time, and most importantly nerves, and no one is immune from losing any files or important correspondence in this routine once and for all... The question arises: how to speed up and simplify process of moving to another computer or new OS? Is it even possible to do this? Nothing is impossible, there is one solution or another for everything.
Today we will tell you about what programs exist for transferring applications and user data to a new OS. In addition, we will analyze the difficult moments when moving, and also decide what data needs to be transferred and what not.
Difficulties when transferring programs to a new OS
The most difficult thing when migrating, no matter to a new OS or to another computer, is transferring programs and their settings. Normally copying a folder with program files installed in it is unlikely to be useful in this situation; it will only work with portable programs. Regular copying will inevitably lead to loss of application functionality for a number of reasons:
- At the time of installation of programs into the system, various program files are written to the entire hard drive, in different folders (Windows, Programs Files, Document and setting, Common Files, etc.). Of course, you can collect all these files manually if you try, but then you will have to put them all in their own folders in the new OS.
- Having transferred the application to another computer in this way, when it starts, it will certainly begin to access the Windows registry in search of the keys necessary for operation, which are written in it when installing the program. Of course, when accessing the registry, the program will not be able to find the necessary entries in it, as a result of which it will work with errors, if it can start at all. For this reason, in addition to program files, it is also necessary to transfer system registry entries.
- After installing those programs that are “tied” to the hardware, some of their files and registry keys contain information about the current system configuration. By transferring such a program to another computer, the configuration of which is different from the old PC, you can not expect normal operation from it, or, for example, activation.
- Archives of mail messages.
- “Saves” of games.
What data needs to be transferred to the new OS from the old one?
- First of all, these are, of course, installed programs, such as office suites, programs for editing images and video files, translators, email programs, browsers, archivers, in general, all those that we use every day.
- User files, including working documents, photo and video archives, file archives, music libraries, e-books, etc. When transferring this type of data, an ordinary flash drive or USB disk can help. For them, simple and sequential copying (PC-Flash drive-PC) is sufficient. But there is another way, for example, using Windows programs Easy Transformer (we will give it a separate review).
- Archives of mail messages.
- Bookmarks and “Favorites” of browsers.
- “Saves” of games.
What data cannot be transferred?
Unfortunately, not all information can be transferred to another PC, even when using specialized tools. Of course, you can try to be more precise, but the result will not be guaranteed. Most often, some applications fall into the category of such data, for example:
- Device drivers - cannot be transferred to another system. After installing the OS, they will have to be installed again, since the system configuration will be changed. It is customary to prepare drivers in advance, before starting to install a new OS.
- Complex software packages, such as 3ds Max Design. Of course, you can try to transfer this application package, but in most cases the attempts will be unsuccessful. In addition, when transferring such application packages, you may need to re-activate them by entering a license key. If a program is tied to a hardware, then it is unlikely to be reactivated on another hardware.
- Antivirus and other software to protect the system from viruses. Popular antiviruses such as Kaspersky Internet Security, Norton Internet Security or Avast Internet Security take into account all the features of the operating system when installing, working at the kernel level. For this reason, antiviruses, in principle, cannot be transferred to another system.
- Some data simply may be incompatible with the operating system to which it is being transferred. For example, the commercial program PCmover immediately warns the user about incompatibility with music that is protected by digital rights.
In order not to bore you with reading, we decided not to include reviews of data transfer programs in this article. There are enough programs for this, and for some of them reviews are already being written with examples of how they work. Therefore, soon, we will continue to develop the topic of transferring programs to another computer or operating system.
Transferring installed applications and games to another disk, disk partition, or memory card will help you save free disk space on the drive of a device running Windows 10. How to use it will be discussed further.
It’s worth immediately making a reservation that the transfer is only supported for games and applications installed from the Windows Store. Classic programs (Win32) cannot be moved this way. If you are satisfied with this condition, all you have to do is follow a few simple steps:
1. Go to panel Settings → System → Apps & features, select the desired application from the list and click on the button Move. Sorting by size will help you find the most “bulky” application or game.
2. Select from among the disks detected by the system the one to which you want to move the application and use the button again Move.
2.1. If applications from another device are found on the selected drive, you will be prompted to delete them. If you don’t want to delete them, you need to refuse this offer and select another drive.
3. To avoid manually transferring applications every time there is a shortage of free space on the system drive, you can select a different drive for all new applications. To do this you will have to go to the section Settings → System → Storage → Save locations, select the desired drive from the list New applications will be protected here: and click on the button Apply.
If you still have any questions or have anything to add to this advice, feel free to contact us in the comments.
When partitioning a hard drive, those who carry out this software operation often forget that the days of low-demanding Windows XP, minimalistic programs and casual games are long gone. Windows 7, 8/8.1, professional software packages and resource-intensive large-scale games from famous developers require much more space on the system disk than some 3-5 GB, which a few years ago was quite enough for full-fledged work with a PC.
This problem can be thoroughly solved by re-partitioning the hard drive - you need to snatch a certain number of gigabytes from non-system disk partitions and transfer them to the system one. But this is a serious operation that requires certain skills, and it is unlikely that all users will be able to do it on their own. Moreover, if the disk is repartitioned inappropriately, the installed operating system may crash and you will need to install it again. So it is better to entrust this procedure to experienced users.
But if the computer’s system drive is already full, you can solve this problem yourself by simply installing games and programs on another drive - a non-system drive, where there is plenty of space. Since all programs and games are installed by default on drive C, usually in the “Program Files” folder, you can change it to a folder located on a non-system drive by selecting another appropriate path during the installation process - for example, “D:\Installed programs\Installation folder for a specific program." And so that every time you install another program or game you do not have to manually register your installation path, you can change the automatic installation directory - for example, from drive C to drive D.
To change path automatic installation programs and games will need to make some changes to the Windows registry.
To get to the Windows 7 system registry editor, you need to enter “regedit” in the search bar and go to the registry editor. In Windows XP, you need to select the “Run” command from the “Start” menu and enter “regedit” in its field.
Windows 8 users can use the search feature that appears when you hover your mouse over the corners of the right side of the screen and type “regedit” into the search form.
A system editor window will open, and here, in the mass of directories, you need to find the one you need in order to make the planned settings. We go this way:
"HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE" - "SOFTWARE" - "Microsoft" - "Windows" - "CurrentVersion"
The desired directory has been found, then you need to double-click on the right side of the registry editor to open the “ProgramFilesDir” or “ProgramFilesDir (x86)” parameter - this is the entry for automatically installing programs and games on a particular computer drive. And in most cases the default here is classic version values - “C:\Program Files”.
Before setting a new value for automatic installation of programs and games on a non-system drive, you need to create a separate folder on this drive, which will be a kind of analogue of “Program Files”. It doesn’t have to be called “Program Files 2”, it can be any name, as long as no stranger who has access to the computer thinks what is stored there unnecessary files and did not delete this folder.
So, if the folder for installing programs and games on a non-system drive has already been created, all that remains is to change the value of the “ProgramFilesDir” parameter. You need to remove the existing option - “C:\Program Files” - and enter a new one, for example, “D:\Installed programs”. The changes made, of course, need to be saved - click “OK”.
That’s it – you can close the system registry editor and test the software installation. By default, programs and games will be written to the newly designated folder.
If, after installing dozens of computer programs on the system drive, it jammed to the brim and began to slow down and glitch, then it’s not at all necessary remove some of them— in this article I’ll tell you how to correctly, quickly and easily move a program, game or browser profile to another drive without reinstalling.
Moving a program or game to another drive
Most inexperienced users mistakenly believe that they can simply cut out a folder with an already installed program or game from the system disk, and then paste it onto another disk.
No, friends, using primitive copy-paste (copy-paste) in this case will not work - when installing a program or game on the Windows operating system, the latter clearly writes and remembers the path to its folder.
But don’t be sad, there is a way out - you just need to mislead the system and slightly confuse it (exclusively from good intentions), slip a tiny file instead of the folder with the program or game being moved, which will “move the arrows” to their new location. Windows will honestly think that the folder with the program or game is in its original rightful place.
We will be helped by a free and simple, as three kopecks, program for creating symbolic (symbolic) links called FreeMove.
FreeMove - symbolic link creator
By the way, using the method described below, you can move the “My Documents”, “Downloads” and “Desktop” folders to a non-system drive or any browser profile to a fast RAM disk in the computer's RAM.
So, let's finally get to the point - how to move a program, game or browser profile to another drive without reinstallation using FreeMove.
Run as administrator (via context menu) our tiny portable utility, downloaded from the link at the end of the article...
...and in the first line we indicate the location of the folder that we want to transfer to another drive, and in the second line we indicate the new address of residence (I specially created the “Test” folder...
We press the “Move” button and watch for some time as the folder with the heavy program moves (I’ve already tortured my Photoshop with experiments 🙂)…
…ready…
Let's check...
Everything worked out - the folder is on another disk, and the system disk has significantly increased free space. I launch the long-suffering (compressed) graphic editor... and it works wonderfully (I processed the screenshots for the article in it).
How to return moved program or game folders to their original location
A logical question is how to return everything back, if anything, or how to cancel a symbolic link? I couldn’t find a sane answer on the Internet (or maybe I just didn’t search well)—I had to experiment on my own.
I did this - on the system drive I simply deleted the “Adobe” folder (symbolic link file), and from the “E” drive (where the editor was transferred) I cut out a folder with the same name (from “Test”) and pasted it into “Program Files” (to its rightful place).
It may be a “collective farm” method of returning a folder with a program or game, but it works. You can describe another working algorithm in the comments to the article.
To summarize, with the help of a simple, free and portable program called FreeMove, you can quickly move a program, game or browser profile to another drive without reinstalling it and thereby free up a lot of free space on your system drive.
Nuances when using the FreeMove program
First, you need to understand what you will get after transferring the folder with a program or game to another drive. For example, I showed this operation above using the example of a graphic editor, but I returned everything back because my system drive is a very fast SSD drive (of sufficient capacity), and I transferred the program to a regular hard drive.
I increased the free space on the main drive, but experienced severe “brakes” in the editor’s work (I even forgot that it works this way on obsolete disks). Before transferring, do not forget to think about what, where and why you are transferring.
Secondly, for its operation, the FreeMove program needs the Microsoft .NET Framework 4 package installed on the system.
