I need to move a program

[sg]

Hi
   A while back I installed a second HD, added XP to it, moved MS Office programs from the old to the new by simply using COPY and PASTE. The programs failed to start on the new HD. I forget what I did but probably found the original disks and reloaded them.
  Now, I'm reformatting the HD on my laptop. This time I don't have the CDs for some of my programs. How do I reinstall my exisiting programs? They didn't come with the laptop. I can get the keys from "Help" on the programs. Will simply COPY and PASTE work? Did I forget to copy something the first time I tried years ago? On this laptop I have XP Pro (supplied w/laptop).

[Dusty]

Unless a program is portable you cannot simply copy/paste the program from one disk to another and expect it to work.   Installed programs can create entries in various locations, such as the Registry.   These entries can be essential for the program to run and if not found on the new disk the program will not perform.

You will appreciate that formating your laptop hdd will remove access to all files on it and you will need an Operating System cd to reinstall an OS.

[sg]

So Dusty,
   Any suggestions on the best way to format this HD and get those programs back on and running?

[Dusty]

First gotta ask why you want/need to format the laptop hdd?

However, if you're dead set on formatting, what I would look at would be a very good clean-up of the laptop hdd to remove all accumulated junk then I would attach the laptop hdd to a desktop and clone the laptop hdd to an internal hdd on the desktop.  Then format the laptop hdd and clone the data back ensuring that I made the laptop hdd bootable when cloned.  That means you get the laptop hdd back to the same contents before you formatted and all programs should run.   (This is pure theory, I've never had to reformat any laptop hdd even my 6-year-old).  BTW I use the XXClone free version.

But what's the point of formatting if all that's needed is a good bit of housekeeping?

[Carbon Dudeoxide]

Yeah, if you have a problem, we may be able to help you fix it.
Trust me, reformatting can be very annoying....