Reformatting - saving software installed on separate drive

[Schmiggy]

Confusing title I know, wasn't entirely sure how to word it better.

Basically, I've recently had to reformat my PC because of some error causing considerable blue screens and I couldn't get the system to stay stable for long enough to back up anything on my other hard drives. As a result, I have a hard drive with all my software/games still installed on it and I'm wondering if there's any way of getting windows to recognise them as "installed" without having to actually format or uninstall/reinstall?

[Deleted]

If you formated ... well no ... you cant get them ...
If it was a quick format ... not games but low-size files can be saved ...
You have games on other partion and you formated (let's say C: with windows on) ... if you have games like wow that dont necessary need a proper install (with registry and other little tricks in windows folders) then yes, you have them...
If you just installed windows as an upgrade you still have them and they are working (old windows files are still saved in folders .old) ... so you wont need installs again ...
Try to /repair the program and not install it ... (the installer will look only for the missing files and not for those curently on your system) ...
Depeding on your curent setup, many things can be done ... so pick yours ...

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Many games save a lot of crap on that windows partition so (repair is the best solution as far as i know) ... you cant guess what files are missing and from where (well you can but that will require some .asm and some tools for inspection in the .exe/msi's )
Try to run it and if it is working then gg, else /repair ...

[chazus]

Did you drag programs onto the other drive then format?

[Twoddle]

For Windows programs that install inside the 'Program Files' folder you'll probably have to install again because such is the nature of the Microsoft operating system philosophy stuff relating to said programs can be scattered anywhere on the hard disc as it pleases and this includes inside the 'registry'.

Long gone are the days when you simply copied a game over, nowadays you are forced to 'install' it so that it becomes partially integrated into the OS.

[moremana]

Quick answer, yes and no, some programs and games write to the registry and will only run with the proper dll's from the registry, some games like WoW will write to the registry if you open the game and the it isnt written to the registry.

Best bet, install windows, open the programs and see if you get a error, if so you will have to reinstall them.

[Prokne]

Quick answer, yes and no, some programs and games write to the registry and will only run with the proper dll's from the registry, some games like WoW will write to the registry if you open the game and the it isnt written to the registry.

Best bet, install windows, open the programs and see if you get a error, if so you will have to reinstall them.

Its also possible that you can re-instal some programs on the new windows instal and then copy/paste the old program files over the new ones. You can at least save preferences and settings this way a lot of the time. If anything goes wrong, repair.