It can be a real timesaver to store the setup files of your CDs on your local machine, especially if you have a lot of hard drive space. I was recently doing a re-install of Windows XP and some basic software on someone’s machine as a favor. I spent most of the time, other than waiting for the machine, looking for the CDs I needed. If I had had the setup files copies to my hard drive, then at the very least, I could burn a copy of the setup files to a CD-R and install from that. Also, if a situation arises when you need to install a component, you can do so quickly from your hard drive rather than track down the CD you need. Its also a lot faster than using a CD-ROM.
So, just make a directory somewhere called “Software” or something of your choice. Create sub-folders for all software you copy over. Then, just select all files on the program CD and copy-paste over to your hard drive.
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Do I need a boot disk if I am replacing my old hard drive and if so how do I create one?