Is this fatal?

[Ubique]

Then as above, export the VM image (there isn't a 'baked in' option in W10/11 to run a VM so you'll need a copy of VMWare prior to the monthly rent version)
If you don't know the name of it, it'll be (probably) the biggest single file on your PC, once you've located it, copy the entire folder it's locate in to a USB or external HDD along with any other files you want to save.

 

[Gragson]

Feel your pain mate, I had Kawaski's ancient KIC parts software which was really useful to find interoperable parts numbers between bikes. Always kept a CD backup of the 1980's software itself but MS OS was always a challenge although got the software to run on various PCs

Can you still get the your hands on the old parts software?

 

[gaz1]

Lots of good tips thanks but the tech stuff can be a bit challenging
The pc is an old non Internet connected Windows 7 machine that only runs an Excel spreadsheet and the parts software program which has to run in a virtual pc as the software is so old. Can I copy the software and run it on a Windows 11 machine somehow? That's the bit I'll struggle with!

no and software wont run in windows 10 or 11

if you had the drivers like i have you could run windows 7 on a newer machine they still work on 939 systems am3 which will speed you up

oh and i still run windows 7 on and off the net

 

[Nomad]

I try to keep files on my disks in dedicated folders, I had problems with a failing disk last year and spent a while copying the data off...
Put the failing disk in a usb disk caddy, connect that to a working PC, copy the folders one at a time (in case of a failure) to the working PC.


Do you have / can you get the original install software?
Do you need an access key to activate it?
Just wondering if you can ignore your old pc and do a fresh install on your new pc?

 

[daleyd]

Copy the VM and get hold of VM Ware player.

I’m pretty sure it’s free again now, they started charging for it when VM Ware got taken over but there was some uproar and I think they’ve added the free version again.

I use the paid for workstation pro version in work, but if you are struggling to get hold of the free VMware player give me a shout, I can send you a copy.

 

[Blobber]

Feel your pain mate, I had Kawaski's ancient KIC parts software which was really useful to find interoperable parts numbers between bikes. Always kept a CD backup of the 1980's software itself but MS OS was always a challenge although got the software to run on various PCs

Can you still get the your hands on the old parts software?

It's absolutely invaluable for the vauxhall/Opel models that's why I just run it on a standalone machine

I try to keep files on my disks in dedicated folders, I had problems with a failing disk last year and spent a while copying the data off...
Put the failing disk in a usb disk caddy, connect that to a working PC, copy the folders one at a time (in case of a failure) to the working PC.


Do you have / can you get the original install software?
Do you need an access key to activate it?
Just wondering if you can ignore your old pc and do a fresh install on your new pc?

I still have the original discs, some genuine and some hooky copies, no access keys needed from what I can remember but it was never the easiest thing to get working

Copy the VM and get hold of VM Ware player.

I’m pretty sure it’s free again now, they started charging for it when VM Ware got taken over but there was some uproar and I think they’ve added the free version again.

I use the paid for workstation pro version in work, but if you are struggling to get hold of the free VMware player give me a shout, I can send you a copy.

I'll have a rummage on the net tomorrow and see what I can find on vmware

 

[daleyd]

It's absolutely invaluable for the vauxhall/Opel models that's why I just run it on a standalone machine

I still have the original discs, some genuine and some hooky copies, no access keys needed from what I can remember but it was never the easiest thing to get working

I'll have a rummage on the net tomorrow and see what I can find on vmware

I’m almost certain the player is free again - I’ll check tomorrow but if not I can send you a version if needed.

 

[knighty]

Then as above, export the VM image (there isn't a 'baked in' option in W10/11 to run a VM so you'll need a copy of VMWare prior to the monthly rent version)
If you don't know the name of it, it'll be (probably) the biggest single file on your PC, once you've located it, copy the entire folder it's locate in to a USB or external HDD along with any other files you want to save.

Isn't hyper V included still?

I thought it was... it is for me but maybe I installed it at some point idk

what are you using to run the virtual machine right now? whatever it is it'll probably have an option to "export virtual machine" if you right click... that's the best way to do it - you'll get pop up instructions/options to make a copy of the virtual machine

(it might make you turn the virtual machine off / save it's state before you can export a copy of it)

 

[Blobber]

I’m almost certain the player is free again - I’ll check tomorrow but if not I can send you a version if needed.

Might be thick but is it something that can be sent as an email attachment?

Isn't hyper V included still?

I thought it was... it is for me but maybe I installed it at some point idk

what are you using to run the virtual machine right now? whatever it is it'll probably have an option to "export virtual machine" if you right click... that's the best way to do it - you'll get pop up instructions/options to make a copy of the virtual machine

(it might make you turn the virtual machine off / save it's state before you can export a copy of it)

It would have come with the windows 7 software back in the day I guess, certainly don't remember having to download additional software back then

 

[knighty]

I think it was called "Windows Virtual PC" back then

it's pretty much the same thing

as long as you stick with Microsoft the virtual machine 'should' copy over no problem

but... I've had it before going from one server to another and get "computer says no"

 

[voipio]

A backup shouldn't be necessary, because you're already backing up on a regular basis.... You are performing regular back ups, aren't you!!

My apologies, but on reflection, my comment might have appeared a little unhelpful. It was as much me chastising myself for not having performed a decent backup for a while, as anything :-)

 

[Blobber]

So I down loaded the vm ware player but it's all beyond me, no idea what I'm doing setup wise so not wanting to screw my main pc up I've ditched it
I'll just have to keep my fingers crossed and pretend I haven't seen the error message

 

[daleyd]

So I down loaded the vm ware player but it's all beyond me, no idea what I'm doing setup wise so not wanting to screw my main pc up I've ditched it
I'll just have to keep my fingers crossed and pretend I haven't seen the error message

You can’t really screw your pc up installing VMware player, it will only open a vm that you ask it to. I understand if you’re not confident but I can walk you through installing it and using it if you want.

 

[Blobber]

You can’t really screw your pc up installing VMware player, it will only open a vm that you ask it to. I understand if you’re not confident but I can walk you through installing it and using it if you want.

That's very kind of you, what I might do is see if I have another hard drive hanging about that I can swap into the old pc and copy everything over which I'm sure will bring it's own issues

 

[knighty]

if you have a spare drive, you could put it in the old pd, disconnect the original one and put a fresh windows install on it

then no matter what you do it doesn’t really matter, it's the new drive and the old one is safe

once you get the new install up and running (and you're happy with it) you can plug the old drive in and copy stuff from it to the new drive


windows install is painless... drivers can be a bit of a pain after but nothing you can't find with google/asking here

on the old PC, right click my computer then click properties, it should show you the spec of the PC (cpu, ram etc.) (depending which version of windows you have you might have to click something or scroll down a bit etc)

post a photo of it here?

what you have will let us know which version of windows it will run - newer ones are a bit easier :-)

 

[gaz1]

a new install only works if you have the all the install files that your using already to be reinstalled onto the new machine

if you have not got them your wasting your time

whilst a clone of the old drive onto the new drive will copy everything over onto the new hard drive

an image copy will do the same

 

[knighty]

a new install only works if you have the all the install files that your using already to be reinstalled onto the new machine

if you have not got them your wasting your time

whilst a clone of the old drive onto the new drive will copy everything over onto the new hard drive

an image copy will do the same

unless it's really old... a fresh windows install will have almost all the drivers he needs (if not all of them)

it's worth a try first, got nothing to lose

 

[Blobber]

if you have a spare drive, you could put it in the old pd, disconnect the original one and put a fresh windows install on it

then no matter what you do it doesn’t really matter, it's the new drive and the old one is safe

once you get the new install up and running (and you're happy with it) you can plug the old drive in and copy stuff from it to the new drive


windows install is painless... drivers can be a bit of a pain after but nothing you can't find with google/asking here

on the old PC, right click my computer then click properties, it should show you the spec of the PC (cpu, ram etc.) (depending which version of windows you have you might have to click something or scroll down a bit etc)

post a photo of it here?

what you have will let us know which version of windows it will run - newer ones are a bit easier :-)

a new install only works if you have the all the install files that your using already to be reinstalled onto the new machine

if you have not got them your wasting your time

whilst a clone of the old drive onto the new drive will copy everything over onto the new hard drive

an image copy will do the same

Is it as simple as sticking another drive in and copying it all over then booting up with the new drive?

 

[gaz1]

Is it as simple as sticking another drive in and copying it all over then booting up with the new drive?

its really simple you will kick yourself for not using it

i create an image so i create a whole disk 2nd video

first i use the hard drive that needs backing up and use a spare hard drive to copy an image to it
if you have bad hard drive its handy this way more than clone from one to another ( its a speed/time reference the same can be said if you use ssd its better than usb backup )
then i fit the new hard drive into the machine and then install it from acronis again

both videos are here

Post in thread 'SSD no longer recognised - recovery software?'

Jul 5, 2024

like you ed i found fathing around with reinstalling all my software was a right pain to do

save info from old drive reinstall said drive again and then reinstall the programs have taken me well over into 24hrs

i found the image tib via acronis its like clone but not and that does take 6 mins to fully reinstall the hard drive back to a basic fully reinstalled operating system and then its just small updates way better than reinstalling all the software onto a new hard drive

• gaz1

one thing with an image i will tell you if you catch a virus or your machine crashes you can get the files off using a boot disk and do a fresh install again fastest speed with an image is 6 mins for 60gb or 80gb of windows and programs allready installed on the install disk

 

[Jack_K]

Is it as simple as sticking another drive in and copying it all over then booting up with the new drive?

You can't just copy and paste the files, you need special software to clone it. It isn't difficult.

I would use clonezilla (put onto a USB flash drive using rufus). You have to boot to that USB drive and then follow the instructions on the screen with both drives connected.

If it was for my own personal use then I'd create an image of the drive but that isn't quite as simple.