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How to merge XP & Vista registries

Started by jossy01 , Mar 04 2009 05:24 PM

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#1
jossy01

Posted 04 March 2009 - 05:24 PM

New Member

Member
1 posts

I've bought a new PC with Vista. I've put my old XP drive into a USB case to access the software. All of the software from the XP drive opens up in Vista but prompts me for registration/serial number info. If I don't enter this info, the program runs OK in demo mode. If I do enter serial no info it runs OK and I don't have to register again. What this says to me is that it's feasible to run software from the old XP drive as a USB device but it looks to the Vista registry for info that is actually in the XP registry. Is there a way to merge the registries so I don't have to re-enter serial no info?

#2
Neil Jones

Posted 05 March 2009 - 03:34 PM

Member 5k

Member
8,476 posts

No. You'll be lucky if the Vista machine ever boots again if you do merge the registry.
Your best bet is to reinstall the software from the original CDs which will put all the registry keys as they should be for the software in question. Not all software runs in this fashion - most of it requires re-installation from CD.