Transferring Disc-Based Games from One PC to Another

Hello all, was wondering if someone could confirm this for me:

I originally got into PC gaming in early 2012 primarily so I could get into the racing and flying sims. I've had the same PC since then, but recently picked up a new one. So now I need to transfer my games from the old PC to the new one.

As far as the Steam games go, no problem there as there's plenty of tutorials on that. However, there are two disc-based games I need to transfer over: GTR 2 and Nascar Racing 2003 Season.

I've got lots of mods on both so I'm hoping I can just copy the game folders over from the old PC to the new. Is it that easy? I somehow get the feeling this won't work because the games will somehow recognize it's not the same PC when attempting to play them.

If that's the case, what about all the mods?

Or is it one of those things where I have to do the base re-installation of the game on the new PC, then I overwrite the new game folders with the ones I already have so that all the "work" I've done with the games on the old PC will now appear on the new?

Please bear with me if this is a basic question. I'm hoping that I don't have to do a bunch of mod "re-work" just because I'm transferring over to a new PC.

Thanks!
 
in my experience copying over game folders from one pc to another is a lottery, it sometimes works, sometimes doesnt, the ones that work usually the files are all contained in the one folder and they work fine, on other games where the content is spread out into diffrent folders and registry values then they might not.

your idea of reinstalling the games on the new pc then copying over your content is the better idea here. you can at least try copy the full games over and if it doesnt work then at least you know you still have your original content to copy over when you reinstal the games.
 
David is right lottery

Use the same user name on both PC

Microsoft store like Forza will need re-install

Steam just copy over all partitions, run exe, Steam will say repair say yes , log in

Copy your entire Users\YourName folder to a temp
Go through it and keep anything that relates to any sim and delete everything else
Copy folder to your new PC, that will help with saved configs

Go through registry. find any sim titles and export their registry to thumb drive
Merge / import registry to new PC

Copy your complete start menu, keep all sim shortcuts, delete the rest
Copy to new PC
If you use Classic Shell do the same for its startmenu


I have a folder called xxxCOPY TO Cxxx
When I do a new OS I copy that over, saves probably hour of work for apps
"MY BACKUP" is 16GB USB3.0 thumbdrive contains all that plus other apps drivers
personal, etc.

new-os.jpg
 
Last edited:
ALL REGISTRY SAVED


WINDOWS UPDATES IN ORDER AND INCLUDES DRIVERS W10 WILL RE-INSTALL AGAIN !


Beside that I need to install Canon printer and Thermaltake headphones before OS goes online
or windows stuffs it up

NEVER leave a new install online after you finished then re-connect


Do Like that you get only 2 sections in updates ( "Drivers and Others" sections don't exist )
and no "failed" driver installs as it's all done manually ;)
Click on any Quality Update will take you to microsoft scroll down you see links to downloads
this way is HEAPS better then letting windows control it

update-2.jpg
 
Last edited:
To the contrary of the posters above I have succeded copying my NR2003 + the GTP mod install from one PC to another.
Several times;)
There is no problem because NR2003 does not install any serious/urgent keys in the registry.
Hehe I have even transfered an install from Win98 to Win7 without problems.:laugh:

CatsAreTheWorstDogs: If you try it and get into problems then just report back here and I will help you.:thumbsup:
The only thing that can give problems if your orig install was running flawless!!! can sometimes be the UAC thing - because Windows dont like NR2003/GTPs way of starting the game up via a tmp.exe.:x3:

CatsAreTheWorstDogs2: Urgent. After copying NR2003/mods over dont start the game before you have been running the graphic thing: Config.exe:p
 
The only way to reliably do this is to:
- make full dump of registry
- install game while doing nothing else with windows
- make another full dump of the registry
- use the diff(1) program of your choice to pick up keys you might need later

Later, when moving does not work, add back the registry entries.

IMHO this is one of the most disgusting aspects of windows. Very few people know how to move an existing install to a new piece of hardware, but reinstalling windows gets you down a rabbit hole of reinstalling applications.
 
The only way to reliably do this is to:
- make full ...
- while doing nothing else....
- make another full .......
- use the diff(1) program .....

Later, when moving does not work.....
No reason to get too paranoid when we are talking about exactly 2 games (NR2003/GTR2) some of us have reasonable knowledge of.
Taking a full dump of the registry is pretty much way out of line here.
I dont know if you actually have read my post above:
"There is no problem because NR2003 does not install any serious/urgent keys in the registry".
So why should I make a HUGE dump of the registry when NR2003 (and some of its mods) under a normal full install only apply a few lines in the registry about uninstall paths.

Im not patronizing you but talking about myself then Im very hesitant to listen to advices when people as example says you have to reinstall Windows to solve this or that minor problem - or be sure to make a full backup of your registry before you even dare to copy or install this little file.

Hehe Im still running my orig Win7 install (from 2009?) without any reinstalls - because I know what Im doing.:whistling:
And furthermore Im running a Windows without any anti-virus thing - without having some nasties I couldnt easily remove/delete myself - in all these years.;)
No reason to make things harder than they are.:thumbsup:
 
but reinstalling windows gets you down a rabbit hole of reinstalling applications.

But reinstalling applications/games (apart from those that don't touch the registry), rather than trying to copy them across, does guarantee the best chance of complete success. Even games which don't have registry entries often have remote folders with setup information in them.
 
Just for the record I use a rather old program Total Uninstall 5 to display both a programs installed files and its HKEYs in registry.
Thats the reason I can say that both NR2003 and its mods dont impress me by the numbers of files/HKEYs.:laugh:
 
My ideas were based on doing a fresh W10 and things you can do to make it easier

Take saving registry for file extensions, takes 1 minute to click on all for me
Alternative method ? Go to each file type and multi clicking to set extensions
In music and video alone I have over a dozen spread across partitions

Wasted time to me and if you don't do extensions, drivers and updates long before going online the first time W10 will just take over

You don't have to add product key when you install just say you don't have one for time being
and say no and untick everything in the setup prompts otherwise W10 becomes a monster

When you certain you got every single setting in W10 menus all right then go online install software needs online ( like AVG / VPNs ) ..check for updates if you did right you should only get 1 anti virus definition added nothing else
 
Last edited:

Latest News

Online or Offline racing?

  • 100% online racing

    Votes: 76 7.1%
  • 75% online 25% offline

    Votes: 114 10.6%
  • 50% online 50% offline

    Votes: 157 14.6%
  • 25% online 75% offline

    Votes: 299 27.8%
  • 100% offline racing

    Votes: 425 39.5%
  • Something else, explain in comment

    Votes: 4 0.4%
Back
Top