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how to transfer program files to new computer

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I'm confused on how to transfer my files to a new computer after I clone my hard drive on my old computer. Do I have to install my OS on my new computer or will the True Image allow all files to be installed on new computer?

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If your old and new computers have significantly different hardware components then you will face a number of challenges if you attempt to move your old hard drive (via clone or otherwise) to the new computer.

Acronis provides the Universal Restore tool to allow for images to be restored on different hardware but there are a number of caveats with regard to doing this in terms of needing match BIOS settings, drive controller settings etc.

See post https://forum.acronis.com/forum/114216 for a recent similar question and answers in the same area.

Personally, if your new computer comes with an installed / activated version of Windows, i.e. 10 or 8.1, then I would consider jut moving your data across rather than trying to take your old version of Windows (which will likely fail on Activation due to new hardware).

If you "clone" (in Acronis True Image parlance) your old disk to another disk, all your data will be on that disk and it will be bootable on the same computer. If you put the cloned disk on a new computer it won't boot because of the hardware differences.

If you image your disk (disk and partition backup in ATI parlance), you get an image image that you can restore on your new computer. As Steve said, you would then have to go through the Univeral Restore operation after that restore to make the disk bootable on your new computer. The problem is that you will find yourself with the same OS as the old computer.

ATI is not capable of moving only your programs and files to your new computer. THe old OS comes with everything.

If your image your disk, you will be able to extract any file from the restulting archive file. The (low) risk is that your backup archive file could be corrupted for some reaon. Then no data is accessible within that file.

If you just want to move data files, don't use Acronis True Image or any backup software that doesn't leave the files as they are. Just copy your files to a USB disk before copying them back to your new computer.