Reassurance for new 64 bit Win 7

J

jaygatsby9

Weaksauce
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Dec 2, 2008
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So I got a new system and it will run Win 7 64-bit. I plan to transfer my files and games/save games, including steam games, to the new system by making my former "internal" drive as an "external" drive. But my former drive was 32-bit. Anything I need to do specifically to account for the change, or will it be as straightforward as going 32-bit to 32-bit? I know it's a newb question, but thanks for your help.
 
Not real clear what you intend to do, as long as you don't try to 'upgrade' the old OS by reinstalling win 7 x64 over previous windows 32-bit to keep settings and installed programs, there should be no problem. If you install Win 7 x64 to new formatted drive, and just run non-installed programs from your old drive that will work, but you can't run programs/games installed on an old OS in a new OS, typically. There's exceptions, for things like steam, that will re-install the games when you run them from a new OS even if they were installed in an old OS however.
 
Sorry if I wasn't clear. The new computer will come with a brand new 64 bit OS. I just want to send over pictures, music, documents, saved games, my contacts, etc. Then I would also run some old programs on the new OS so I won't have to download everything again.
thanks.
 
Most old programs won't work without a re-install, steam games will however because they automatically re-install when run if necessary. The other stuff (pics, music, docs, saved games, contacts, etc.) will be fine.
 
If you are just copying data files over, it won't matter. I suppose it might be possible that some saved games file may be different but I think that would be very very unlikely.

With some very rare exceptions, you will not be able to copy over any installed programs.
 
Thanks. But if I run the executable that I downloaded, which is located on my old hard drive, and then when it asks me where to put the program, I point it to the directory on the new drive, will that work, or do I have to re-download?
 
The one thing I think that you need to be aware of is that on x64 windows, most applications are 32 bit, so they install in Program Files (x86) folder, rather than just Program Files, which is for 64 bit applications. Just reinstall your applications fresh, drag game data over, then drop saved games in My Documents or wherever they are saved.
 
I've been on 64 bit full time since 2008 and there hase been only two times I've had issues running applications. One was with a custom application that some guy built to modify the Windows start menu button, and the second was a few applications that were not compatible when Windows 7 came out (they since have been patched). Of course there are some issues with running older Windows 98/2000 games but that's a different issue that even 32 bit Win 7 suffers.
 
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