[PGH]

Is it possible to transfer installed software from one computer to another (in the same way that files can be directly transferred), without having to reinstall it from scratch?

I am changing to a new laptop soon, but there is some software (like Photoshop - which I've had for ages - and which you don't change often due to the $$$ cost) for which I no longer have/can find the install disk, so can it be moved onto a new computer by simply transferring the install file/Program Files data file?

The same would apply for MS Office, except I've already purchased a new version of that (partly because I wanted to upgrade to the latest version) because I don't have the install/back-up disks, because it was pre-installed on my computer, as an extra option, when I purchased it.

I presume that this would be legal, if it is possible, as long as the software was only used on the new computer and removed from the old one after transferral.

Thanks

[Neil Jones]

Software, or to be more correct, modern software, cannot be transferred without reinstalling from the original CD. Older software sometimes can just be transferred easily and still work.

Most Microsoft programs are licenced in such a fashion that you can only use the software on one computer, so it needs to be removed from the old one first before going on the new one.

The other issue is that if your Office came preinstalled, it was probably OEM software which most likely ties it to that system it came on originally, but now you've got the upgrade edition, that shouldn't really be an issue IIRC.