Installing Windows 7 on new HDD

haqeem18 · 05 Nov 2012

Hi everyone!

I'll be installing windows 7 on my new HDD but can I still run some of my games and application on my old HDD?:)

richnrockville · 05 Nov 2012

Welcome Haqeem18 to the windows 7 forum.

The simple answer is NO. Unless you install your games and applications on your new HDD.
Normally when applications and games are installed, they install .dll and other files in the windows system
or system 32 directory. If you try to run the games on your old HDD, these files will not be on your new HDD.

Rich

gregrocker · 05 Nov 2012

Some games will run from the .exe in their Program Folder but it's not a permanent solution, so you're best to reinstall them as Rich suggests.

Besides you'll eventually want to delete the old OS on the HD to recover that space, moving the data off to another partition you shrink to create first. Then you can delete the old OS partition when ready.

haqeem18 · 06 Nov 2012

Thanks for all of your answer.So now I just gona reinstall my fav. application on my new HDD and let say if i want to play some game on my old HDD,I can just boot on my old HDD.Thanks :)

bobkn · 06 Nov 2012

haqeem18 said:

Thanks for all of your answer.So now I just gona reinstall my fav. application on my new HDD and let say if i want to play some game on my old HDD,I can just boot on my old HDD.Thanks :)

What operating system is on your old HD?

If it's the same version of Win7, why not clone it onto the new drive? There are utilities for that. I've used Acronis True Image. (It's not free.)

gregrocker · 06 Nov 2012

To try running a game from the new OS browse to the Program Folder on the old OS HD, run the .exe. Steam will run this way, as will some others. If not you'll know you must reinstall it.

haqeem18 · 06 Nov 2012

bobkn said:

haqeem18 said:

Thanks for all of your answer.So now I just gona reinstall my fav. application on my new HDD and let say if i want to play some game on my old HDD,I can just boot on my old HDD.Thanks :)

What operating system is on your old HD?

If it's the same version of Win7, why not clone it onto the new drive? There are utilities for that. I've used Acronis True Image. (It's not free.)

I have a win7 home premium on my old drive.i want to have a clean install of win7 ultimate on my new drive since my old drive is kindda heavy now.

haqeem18 · 06 Nov 2012

gregrocker said:

To try running a game from the new OS browse to the Program Folder on the old OS HD, run the .exe. Steam will run this way, as will some others. If not you'll know you must reinstall it.

Okay,thanks for the info!