Apps not syncing once signed into google account

[AMTrombley0924]

I got my mom a new GS3 for her birthday, and tried to help her set it up today.

I activated the phone, but wasn't prompted to sign into a google account like when you normally set up a phone. So I went into accounts and sync settings and added her account. However, the play store didn't start downloading the apps she had downloaded to her old OG Droid. I then tried to go on my PC to the Play store and view her downloaded apps and remotely install them on her new phone, but when I click "Install" and am asked to choose a device, her new GS3 does not show up as a choice.

So how do I sync all of those apps from her OG Droid to her new GS3 short of installing on the phones play store one by one.

On a related note, I know that she has a number of her apps on the SD card. If I transfer the SD card to her new phone, is there a way to install those apps onto the phone from the SD card? Where do I find the apps to do this if so?

Thanks for the help, all!

[TisMyDroid]

Wow, can I adopt you? I'd love it if my sons bought me a new phone for my birthday.

I know it seems like it would be easiest to install from what she already has installed but it will take about the same amount of time and ensure less conflicts if she does it one app at a time. If she goes into play store from her Sg3, logged into her gmail account, her apps will be listed (under my apps in settings). From there she can install the ones she wants and ignore the rest. It will ensure a cleaner install.

[AMTrombley0924]

Ok, I can deal with that, but then what happens to all of the apps that she stored on her SD card? They are taking up space, so where do I find them to delete them? I have a hard time telling what is critical android stuff (as well as photos and stuff) and what are just stored apps.

Sent from my DROID4 using Tapatalk 2

[TisMyDroid]

Ok, I can deal with that, but then what happens to all of the apps that she stored on her SD card? They are taking up space, so where do I find them to delete them? I have a hard time telling what is critical android stuff (as well as photos and stuff) and what are just stored apps.

Sent from my DROID4 using Tapatalk 2

A few possibilities. Copy her entire sd card onto the pc, so if she needs something, it is saved somewhere or copy the folders that you think she may not need on to the pc, then once copied onto the pc, you can delete those folders from her sd card. If she has a lot of space on her sd card, then you could just leave it as is without deleting anything. You could also copy the entire sd card onto a pc, and then delete the contents on the sd card but that is probably over kill. When I switch phones, I usually only delete things off my sd card that I know I don't want or need anymore... clean it up a little.

Edit: most all the apps that she had on her old phone are actually not stored on her sd card but stored on the phone. Data and settings from some of those apps may be stored on her sd card. Most will get overwritten/replaced by any new data and settings as they are updated on her new phone.