Is there a way to add programs from a old computer hard drive toa new one? I'm running Windows 98 on old computer and 98SE upgrade on the new one. I'm rather new at this and didn't realize I shold keep the product key codes. I also have programs I downloaded. I purchase a KLM switch to move back and forth but when I go to old machine it will not reconize the key board or trackball. I'm disabled on life support  unable to use my right hand (I'm right handed) so must use a track ball.. Thanks for any help you can give me.  Jim

   No, there really is not a way to do that.  If you knew which files were associated with that program and copied those files to the other computer, you still would have to move the registry entries associated with that program (since most programs rely on entries in the registry) and all of the shortcuts linking to it.
   If you have the installation file for that program, you could install the program on the other computer.
   The only other possibility is to copy the entire system including all the programs from the one computer to the other.  I don't think you want to do that.  It is difficult to do and it may not work.

I take it this would also apply to transfering from WINDOWS ME to WINDOWS XP? I'm thinking of buying a new computer and there are so many programs I don't want to loose. I can't remember where I got some of them. Also finding re-downloads can be a pain with some downware centres.

Click on 'Help' and then 'About' and it should tell you where your prog came from i.e. web address

   The only reliable way to move programs to another computer with another system is to install them on the new computer which would require that you still had the installation file or CD for those programs.
   Without that you can try the following:
   You could try copying the program's folder to the new computer.
   You should also look in the registry of the old computer for that program, export what you find (if you find a whole folder, export everything in that folder) to a reg file.  Then run that reg file on the new computer to enter those entries in the registry.  You would also want to make sure that the program on the new computer is in the same place on the new computer (for example, if it is in c:\program files\program, then it should be in c:\program files\program on the new computer).  If it is not in the same location, you will need to change any entries in the reg file which point to the location.
   After doing all of this, try running the program on the new computer and see if it works.  If it does, put shortcuts in the Start menu and on the desktop pointing to the program so that it is easier to start.

I disagree with Ray on one point (sorry for that !) : there are good programs which alow to clone an entire disc or partition ; for example I use Paragon Drivebackup pro ; but other programs will do the same I will not compare them ; if you make such Disc Image and save it on any media (best is an external hard disc , you get just to RESTORE the disc image wherever you want ; and you do not have to reinstall anything . Of course Ray is right on one major point : if you wish to make a selective restore , that is part of the image , say program files , on a new PC then all these programs will have to be reinstalled manually in order them to work . If you have saved the confirmation letter of the payament (the bill records , or if you know through which e-commerce you did the transaction , there is a chance to retrieve the license keys ; otherwise and unless you bought them on the direct STORE (e-store ) which was selling the program , your keys are lost forever. OLIVIER GEBUHRER
I was not aware of all these subtleties when I bought my first PC , and I lost a lot of money ....

   I never said that there were not good programs to clone a drive.  I even allude to cloning in the last paragraph of my first answer.
   This person does not want to copy the entire drive.  This person wants to move a program from a computer running one version of Windows to another computer running a different version of Windows.  That cannot be done with cloning.  If cloning is used, one of two things will happen depending on whether the system is on the cloned drive or not (and whether you restore the system to the destination computer or not).  Either the destination computer will end up with the operating system of the source computer (with all of the programs which were on the destination computer uninstalled) or the program will not be installed in the system of the destination computer.

Ok !you are right!I did not understand the allusion !
But if I understood the question and probably I was wrong , it was a problem to get your configuration existing on the first PC to another one (the issue of a particular program beeing minor ) ; of course , if this question is really of implementing a particular program , then you are right totally of course . OLIVIER GEBUHRER