Copy programs folder to new xp installation

[Fortwilliam]

After scanning my XP Pro computer with a Kaspersky Rescue CD it would not boot up. I have two 1Tb HDDs partitioned into 6 drives. The original installation disk would not present me with the option to go into the recovery panel, nor could it find an XP installation. It only showed me the 6 drives and the option to pick one for the installation. Two days later having used BartPE and getting my Warcraft folder copied onto an external disk, all my other docs having been backed up last week, I installed XP on the drive that had the Warcraft folder only on it.

 

The installation was successfull. I now have access to all my files on the other drives including the original Programs folder. The orginal Windows folder has gone.

 

Question: can I replace the new Programs folder with the original Programs folder?

 

I've been through a number of crashed computers with new installations but this is a new one on me.

 

Any help would be appreciated.

[jayden-lee]

I'm not to sure on what you mean but my guess is that you put in 5 more hard drives to you computer and then reinstalled/install windows xp?? so now you want all the programs that were on one of the other drives to be transferred to your main drive?

if so that may prove to be hard because some programs when installed they save things and open things that are on that drive. the one way to change were the program saves and opens thing is very hard because it is usually a 3 page document that says something like c:/program files/some sort or program/301fgh.exe and there some times are 100+ of these and you would have to change all of them.

but if its not what I think then it maybe more simple, but i don't 100% under stand what you said.

[Fortwilliam]

Apologies for not making myself clear. I have 2 hard disk drives. Each is partitioned into 3 logical drives. My orginal XP installation was on the C drive but now it is on the H drive.

 

I expected that all the windows folders would disappear when I did the new installation but was surprised when the original Programs folder remained on the C drive. I didn't really expect it to be straightforward to replace the new Programs folder with the old!

 

Now to dig out all those installation disks! Thanks for the reply.

[jayden-lee]

i beleve the resoin all the files were still there is because you problidy did not format both drives when installing windows again you only would have formattered the one you saved the new operating system to.

[jayden-lee]

sorry about the above i was not thinking, heres what i was ment to say:

I believe the reson all the files were still there is because you probliy did not format both drives when installing windows again you only would have for mattered the one you saved the new operating system to.

When and if you reinstall windows it might be best to make sure you have a back up of all your files and when you get to the windows install screen you format both drives if you want a fresh empty drive.