But why can't you just...

Quite often one of the guys over at How-To-Geek writes an article that makes me think "now why didn't I write that?"  This is one of those.

http://www.howtogeek.com/172701/why-you-cant-just-copy-a-programs-folder-to-a-new-windows-system-and-when-you-can/



When moving to a new Windows system, either after getting a new computer or reinstalling Windows, you may be tempted to copy a program’s folder to your new system just like you’d copy your files. But this normally won’t work.

Some programs — games especially — do allow you to copy their folders over and run the program. Other programs specifically designed to be “portable apps” will also be able to do this.

Why Do Programs Require Installation?When you install a program on Windows, it appears to only install to a specific folder, generally under Program Files. For example, Apple’s iTunes software installs to C:Program Files (x86)>iTunes by default.

In a simpler world, you could copy the iTunes folder to a new computer and run iTunes from the folder without any additional work. However, it isn’t this simple. Programs actually scatter their data all over the place:

• Registry Settings: Many programs save settings in the Windows registry. These settings may be scattered all over the Windows registry — for example, there may be several registry keys for program settings, other registry keys for context menu options, and keys that make the program the default program for certain files. If any of these registry keys aren’t present, the program may display errors when you try to run it.
• Other Program Folders: Certain programs also install other software that they require. For example, iTunes installs the Apple Application Support application, among others. If Apple Application Support isn’t present on your computer, iTunes won’t run. Apple Application support installs to its own folder and has its own registry settings, like any other program.
• Windows System Files: Some programs dump DLL files and other files into the Windows system directory and won’t run if these files aren’t present.
• System Services: Many programs install Windows services that they require. For example, Adobe Flash Player installs an Adobe Flash Player Update service. While you could copy the Adobe Flash plugin files to a new system, you wouldn’t have the update service and you’d have to manually update Adobe Flash. Installing Adobe Flash with the installer would ensure that the updater service is present. Some programs may not even run without these services available.
• Hardware Locking: A few programs may use DRM that ties the program to a specific computer’s hardware. They may refuse to run when you copy their files to a new computer.
• User Data Folders: Most modern programs don’t save their settings to their program folder. Whatever they don’t store in the registry is likely stored in each user’s Application Data folder. Even if you could copy the program’s files over, these settings would have to be copied or you’d lose your programs’ settings and data.

Theoretically, it would be possible to locate everything — registry settings, program files, system files, user data folders — and copy them to the new computer, reinstalling any system services and putting everything in the exact same place. However, this would be extremely tedious and would often require using some sort of program that monitors the changes an installer makes. In practice, simply reinstalling the program is much faster and easier. The installer will set up everything the program needs on your system.



When You Can Copy Programs Over: Some programs are designed to be portable, not writing to the registry, storing their data in their own folder, and running from an .exe file without any installation required. These programs are the exception rather than the rule, but they do exist.