Need help installing old software on new computer

[wackadoo wabbit]

My 10-year-old Windows 7 machine finally started showing signs of imminent death, so I bought a new computer. (Windows 10 is every bit as horrible as I'd heard, but it is what it is.)

Unfortunately, I'm having trouble installing my old software onto my new machine, and I have a couple of questions that I'd greatly appreciate help with.

The software that I had disks for (WordPerfect), I just reinstalled on the new machine. This worked fine.

However, software that was downloaded and out-right purchased (MailWasher, Fast Photos) now wants me to repurchase it. When I copied the files over from my Win7 machine, I just copied them onto my Win10 computer, then ran the .exe file. While both of these programs run, they now act as if I just downloaded them as a free trial and they both require a new purchase. I'm assuming that the way I copied them over and then ran them isn't the way I should have done this. Is there a way to make this work without buying a new license?

Also, I did have a DVD of my Excel 2000 (yes, a very old Excel!), but I can't find it now. Copying all the files from the old machine onto the new one, then running excel.exe, gave me absolutely nothing. Any ideas of what I should do? There are some executable files besides excel.exe; is one of them the one I should run?

I greatly appreciate any help anyone might be able to give me. Thanks in advance!

[BootinUp]

1. The license info must be on the old computer

Maybe it was emailed to you. You can try googling for tips with particular software. So search on name of software and where do I find my license or key.

[wackadoo wabbit]

8. I thought this might be the case, too

Unfortunately, both MailWasher and Fast Photos were purchased about 20 years (and 2-3 computers) ago, and all the emails, which I hope (!) are on one of my old flash drives, were in Outlook Express. And that program doesn't exist any more.

I spent a fair amount of time last night trying to find a way to read these files. There is a freeware program that might be able to read them, but I'm so cautious about blithely downloading random programs off the internet and then running them, that I'm hoping there might be another way to get these program to run.

[Dan]

2. Can't help but will give you advice.

1. Whenever you purchase some software and download to your computer - Keep the download files. This way you can reinstall them in the future.

2. Some earlier software might have been 32 bit - compared to Windows 10 which is a 64 bit machine.

3. Some issues you might be having might have something to do with running an .exe might be : missing some files from the original install, system files that would have been located in your Systems32. If you don't know what I am referring too, don't mess with it.

[PSPS]

4. All versions of Windows 10 will run 32-bit software

[Dan]

5. when you do an install

it sometimes loads files into the system32 folder. In this case, he is trying to run by selecting the .exe file. It is possible that some files that were included when he originally installed, might not be available in the windows 10 system32.

But see your point.

[PSPS]

6. True, but all versions of Windows 10 can run 32-bit programs, which is what I said.

[Dan]

7. smile, I know.

[ItsjustMe]

11. Windows 10 Is not just in 64 bit

The operating system Is also available In 32 bit.

[Dan]

12. That I did not know....

[ItsjustMe]

16. You can download

Or update Windows 10 from this page.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

[Dan]

18. Oh, hahahahaha, my computer works just fine with 64 bit.

But thanks for the information....

[wackadoo wabbit]

14. Thanks for your advice!

1. This is good advice. Unfortunately, I'm not sure I understand. If I'm just downloading the program off the internet, wouldn't the download files be in the folder with the .exe file? And I assume their extension also be .exe? Or am I totally misunderstanding?

2. These programs all ran on my last computer, which was 64-bit, so that probably isn't a problem.

3. I'm not afraid of mucking around with my System32 folder. (In the past, I've edited my registry, in DOS, more times than I can count.) I just looked at the System32 folder on the old computer, and I didn't see any files that were obviously connected to these two programs. But what exactly should I be looking for?

[Dan]

17. Let me try and answer....as I am retired so working from memory.

When you download software:
1. The files you download - sometimes will load all the files that it needs to some folder. But sometimes the installation
has .zip files, that unzip unload a load of files. Then as part of the install it will also load files into the system 32 (as an example)
folder. These files if loaded during the original install, you probably didn't move when you copied from the folder with the
.exe file. What are these files, I don't know because they're system files.

2. And as numerous people have indicated - Windows 10 handles 32 bit (smiling).

3. If you're running an Excel app (standalone) I just don't know what you should be looking for, a .DLL, or .TLB, or .OCX, I just
don't know.

Sorry, seem like I created more confusion than answers...

[wackadoo wabbit]

26. Thanks for the pointers

Alas, I know that there are no downloaded .zip files, as I've already looked for them.

I'll spend some time tonight looking around in the System32 folder to see if I can see anything that looks related.

I appreciate your help!

[TreasonousBastard]

3. Did you get a key for the software you downloaded? That should work to prove...

you own it.

Or, sometimes developers of old were just bastards and wouldn't let you move software.

I have no idea about compatibility with your old excel work files, but you can try Quattro, which is already in WordPerfect and see if it works. Or, you could pay the freight and activate the latest Excel in Office that comes with Win10. It'll cost you 70 bucks a year, but for a lot of people it's worth it just for the terabyte of cloud storage you get.

BTW, WP hasn't come on discs for a while, so you've got what, WP 5 or 6? The latest one is maybe 150 bucks to upgrade and has all sorts of goodies in it.

Soon's I get another desktop I'm upgrading. "Reveal Codes" has been made even better.

[wackadoo wabbit]

20. Alas, I wasn't given a key

But somehow my late husband (the Win7 computer was his before he died ~6 years ago) managed to transfer Fast Photos and MailWasher when he first got the machine. Damned if I know how he did it; we always thought that I was the one who knew more about computers . . .

I've never used Quattro Pro. It did cross my mind to download it, too, but I wasn't sure it if would be compatible with the Excel data files I already have. (My old-version WP isn't compatible with Word docs, not that I care.)

I've used Paradox in the past. Now that was a clunky program (although maybe it just wasn't suited for my application).

I absolutely, positively refuse to use . . . what should be the word? Ransomware, blackmailware, and hostageware are all already being used for other purposes. Anyway, I refuse to use software that I can only rent. I'm happy to buy it outright, but I don't want to be held hostage for the rest of my life paying for a program dozens of times over. So I figure I can always abandon Excel and migrate to OpenOffice or Libre Office if it comes to that. (Or maybe I'll finally locate my Excel 2000 disk.)

My WP is 12, and I probably bought it about 20 years ago. I just love that program!

How could Reveal Codes be even better?! It's so wonderful now!

[TreasonousBastard]

27. Libre Office is a good alternative. I have it on all my machines "Just In Case" and it has...

a conversion filter for WordPerfect .wpd files, although I haven't used it. I don't think it saves to .wpd, but it reads them to some extent.

The only problem I've had with LibreOffice is sometimes formatting gets out of hand when I add graphics to a page and it's hell to straighten it out. (That's why I love Reveal Codes) So far, the spreadsheet, Calc, is compatible with Excel, as is Quattro, but I haven't used it with complicated macros or formulae. It's database can be a pain, like Paradox, but all relational databases are. I tried to build an application using it and eventually gave up. That was me, though, not the program. I went in cold without any idea what I was doing and the learning curve was steeper than I thought.

Forget about Open Office. It was bought by Oracle or someone years ago and all the staff left to start Libre Office, so Open Office is languishing.

Anyway, good luck,. You should be OK soon enough.

(And I remember Bob-- one of Microsoft's dumber ideas, but once you actually use Win 10 you'll see it's not Bob at all)

[PoliticAverse]

9. First you can make Windows 10 look and feel almost exactly like Windows 7

if you want - search youtube for "making windows 10 look like windows 7" for how-tos.

As to software you've purchased you most likely got some product keys to activate your software when you initially purchased them (They'll look something like ABCD-EFGH-IJKL-MNOP) you'll need to find them again to reinstall and activate those programs. It may be possible for you to recover the keys on your old computer (depending on the specific program).

If you can't find your old Excel product key you can install and use the free (ad-supported) Excel-compatible WPS Office Spreadsheets
( https://www.wps.com/en-US/spreadsheets ).

[wackadoo wabbit]

21. Thanks for the suggestion!

I've only had the computer for a couple of days, so I haven't had a chance to do much customizing yet. But from the little I've read, I can't even get rid of the F'ing picture that comes up when it first turns on. (I believe it's called "Spotlight." ) I really don't need to be clicking through that to get down to work!

There were no product keys for the downloaded programs, and, alas, the product key for Excel is inside the sleeve with the disk. So if I ever find the disk, I'll have that key.

I'm not familiar with WPS Office. Thanks! I'll definitely check it out.

[LuvLoogie]

10. Run Belarc Advisor on your old machine

See if it kicks out any software keys.

https://www.belarc.com/products_belarc_advisor

[LuvLoogie]

13. Also, bite the bullet and learn 10. It's fine.

I like it. Utilities that try to make it act like 7 just add another layer of complexity and eat resources. And it isn't really 7 anyway.

[wackadoo wabbit]

23. No, it reminds me way too much of Bob

In case you're younger and don't remember it, Bob was a program that Microsoft rolled out in the mid-'90s. It was basically a dumbed-down version of Windows. And I do mean "dumbed down."

As I recall, the opening screen was a room with different objects in it. Need to access the word processing program? Click on the pencil! Want to open the calendar. Click on the clock!

It was hideous.

My husband and I laughed and laughed at it. How could anyone use something so infantile and infantilizing?

But with each new iteration of Windows, I see Microsoft making Windows more and more like Bob. Windows 10 looks and feels like the latest, closest step down that road.

[LuvLoogie]

30. I remember Bob, but I was a Mac guy at the time

There are many parts of the Win 10 interface I like, there are some cool things about the settings app. I turn off Cortana and all the reporting options during setups.

I always tell people to create local admins without creating a Microsoft account.

Also if you right click on the start menu, you can get to a lot of the mechanics of the OS. I pin control panel (it's still there) and command prompt to the task bar. You could pin the computer management console as well.

If you click on file explorer in your task bar, the icon for your PC is there. Right clicking on that gives you the same Windows 7 options.

I like Windows 10. It's just a little cumbersome to make it your own, especially if your trying to remove PC manufacturer bloatware.

I don't miss 7, though. Developers are leaving it behind. Schools probably only have a few months left of compatibility regarding testing platforms.

Anyway, I digress. Oh, there's cool stuff about Office 365, too, but I still opt for desktop office.

Best of luck reviving your old software.

[wackadoo wabbit]

22. Wow, I've never even heard of this

Thank you so much! I'll run it on my old machine and see what I get.

[LuvLoogie]

31. You are welcome.

There are other free product key finders available, but Belarc Advisor is considered the best one by many.

[canetoad]

15. Try installing the programs in Compatibility Mode

For an earlier version of Windows.

Right click the installer for your old programs
Select properties
Open Compatibility tab
Select mode to run installer or use wizard

Doesn't always work, but I've been lucky with a few old programs.

[wackadoo wabbit]

24. This sounds very handy! Thank you so much!

I'll definitely try it.

[ItsjustMe]

19. Windows also has a free

(but limited) version of Office online, It may work for you.


https://www.office.com/

[wackadoo wabbit]

25. Thanks for the suggestion

I didn't see a free option on there. I'll look further tonight.

[eppur_se_muova]

28. The few times I've upgraded Windows, I've used the Windows MIgration utility ...

... or something similarly named. Don't know what the current equivalent is called, but it copies over everything that is compatible, including keys and preferences. Not perfect and not even painless, but for Windows, sometimes MS's monkey-see-monkey-do approach is the best fallback. Oh, and it probably doesn't come with the system installation disks, for some reason.

[LAS14]

29. Have you tried the "classic" mode for Windows 10? I don't know how you...

... get it, but I asked that it be installed when I had the computer guy install Windows 10.

[Denzil_DC]

32. MailWasher Pro (which I presume is what you have)

can be downloaded in its latest version here: https://www.mailwasher.net/download-mailwasher-free

MailWasher FAQs here: https://www.firetrust.com/products/mailwasher-pro/support/frequently-asked-questions (includes "How can I retrieve my license key?" - it looks like you need an account set up with them which relies on knowing the email address that was used for registration on your old machine, but they include an email link to [e-mail] , so you could try that if you don't know that address and all else fails)

It looks like the license allows use on up to three machines, so I can't see why they shouldn't allow you to transfer the license to your new machine.

Fast Photos doesn't have a version specifically for Windows 10, but should work. Download here (and elsewhere, such as Tucows): https://download.cnet.com/developer/pixby-software/i-6256891 The trial period last 21 days, so again if you can't find the product key yourself, you could try emailing the firm (I can't find license details telling me how many machines you can install it on).