Idiot Question Time!!! Laugh at me, or agree with me... You decide
07-03-2010, 09:17 AM
Here's the situation:
I was asked by my boss to "remove a program from one computer and put it on another computer."
The 'one computer' is a HP 1.2GHz Windows 2000 Business.
The 'another computer' is a Dell Celeron 2 2.4 GHz Windows XP Home (SP2).
No installation disks. Expected me to basically pull the program onto a thumb drive and dump it into the other computer. And there is proprietary hardware that goes with the program. (USB)
I informed him that what he was asking for isn't possible. You can't transfer programs between 2 different OSs. Find the installation disks.
Am I in the right? Or am I blowing smoke out of my ass?
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It's possible, depending on the program. How well it works when you copy it that way and don't install it properly... well, again, that depends on the program.
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Um? Yes.
Windows 2000 and Windows XP both use the same kernel. You can even install drivers from one on the other.
Even if they didnt, windows has rather extensive legacy support. You can run windows 3.1 programs under windows xp for example.
I was under the assumption that you couldn't do that to a installed program.
So, I could go in the Win2000 hard drive, grab the destination folder from the install, pull it onto a thumb drive, put it on the WinXP hard drive, and it'll work?
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it really depends on how consolidated/self-containted the program is.
A simple little program like wordpad that doesn't install any drivers/other bits of itself in any places besides the program folder? sure!
Something a bit more complex like photoshop, which spreads it's tendrils into all sorts of crevices? no way!
As for the propriety hardware (if they installed any drivers), and you can find those, you might be able to get it to work.
I'm assuming this computer is used drive whatever is attached to the usb port, and we are not talking about a hardware dongle to prevent piracy. You might be able to get another disk/installer from the manufactures website.
-Terry
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"so listen up boy, or pornography starring your mother will be the second worst thing to happen to you today"
TF2: Spy
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Good Luck
07-03-2010, 10:36 AM
Most installations for the MS operating systems are like Mice - they leave their shit everywhere.
Just transferring the program files is unlikely to work.
Is the vendor still extant? Most vendors will have legacy versions of the software, and as you already have the dongle, rock and roll. Alternately user groups for the software may be your best chance at finding a cd-image of the program; just be very, very careful to scan prior to install.
Cheers,
Shayne
Before I say the name of this program and try to describe the hardware, is this thread publicly viewable? The program and hardware are kinda secret. (You know, hush-hush... (Business-related))
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The Drunkard's Walk forums are world-readable, so don't say anything here that you don't want to see in the newspaper tomorrow.
Find the install discs, or keep the Win2k system going - those are your only reasonable options.
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."
- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012
Thanks. I hate it when I question my own answer, but it's nice to have you guys as a backup.
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I would have said the same thing. I will add that its theoretically possible to do, but given the way present day programs stick bits of themselves in wierd places I'd expect that trying to find them all and move them as well is what makes this not feasible.
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Is it still available commercially? If so, you can likely get media, and look uber-up-for-it in the process if you can secure media for it.
(If you are worried about the title you can PM it to me.)
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If all else fails, you might be able to image the windows 2000 system and run it in a virtual machine on another system.
That might be a path of immense suffering though.
-Morgan.
I already told him to go find the installation disks... in a warped kind of a way, was very satisfying.
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That doesn't even come close to hiding it you know..
-Morgan.
Fixed.
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Morgan has cleared this post, due to what seem like fairly serious privacy issues.
While I normally don't feel like I ought to be doing this sort of thing, it seems like a good idea this time. You shouldn't re-reveal things people have decided they don't want to reveal!
Let's just say it's business-related, and is very sensitive... and I was in the right by telling my boss that he should put in the effort of finding the installation disks. (his locked cabinet, his problem)
Apologies for inadvertently setting off a bomb here. Didn't expect a Mod intervention. Sorry.
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Neither did I, sorry about that. I was mostly complaining out of petty nosiness.
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