Adding aplications back to windows

wkelly · February 24, 2017

I just had to reset my PC because it was causing me a bunch of problems. On my PC i have a SSD as a c drive and a large hard drive to store all of my applications and other stuff. Now i have reset my PC i still have all of the files for the applications but it does not appear in the apps list.

For example steam: In my mass storage hard drive is all the files for steam and it launches from the .exe file. But when i use the search feature in windows it does not recognise that it is installed.

Is there a way to re link all of my programs so that i do not have to reinstall them all?

dany_boy · February 24, 2017

I just re-install everything after a clean install. Just make sure to keep all the games and files

GoodBytes · February 24, 2017

For most programs on your PC (assuming that they are games, and simple software... Not Office/PhotoShop, etc.), installation is not actually necessary. But, they are just floating there. You won't see them in Programs & Features panel, nor Start menu, nor be file associated (some software has options to handle file association, or/and you can use the Default programs panel, or right click on a file opening with the wrong program, or not recognized, and do "Open With", and pick your program). To add the program to the start menu, simply go where the exe is, right-click on it, and pick "Create Shortcut", and paste it in the Start menu folder.

You have 2 folders for the Start Menu:

- C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs -- Any item inside here will display on ALL accounts on your system

- C:\Users\<Account Name>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs -- Any item inside will only display for the account entered in <Account Name>, in the path (without the "< >").

Alternatively, you can re-install your programs. For games, keep in mind that, if you decide to not install them, you may need to install manually DirectX runtime to them work. (https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/download/details.aspx?id=35)

As for Steam games, once Steam is installed (assuming you install them at the same location as before, and/or point the Steam game folders at the right location) Steam should detect the games, and when you'll run them, it will go on its server, validate all files, download and install anything missing, and run.