NewPC What do I save in Prog Files?

franontheedge

Hi
My husband has made me a new PC,

I've saved a lot already on the old one, but what do I need to save in Program Files (x86) so that Daz Studio doesn't loose everything when I move to the new one?

Do I need to save anything else?

jestmart

Personally I don't install anything to the Program Files folders if I have a choice. Programs and plug-in need to re-installed they can't just be copied to the new computer. This is a great opportunity to start fresh and take control of the computer, don't let a machine tell you what to do.

Subtropic Pixel

First off, the OP didn't tell us which OS is in use on the new system, so it's difficult to even see where her mental point of reference is.

But beyond that, I agree with Jest.

"Moving" folders just isn't reliable for your executables because you can't know "everyplace" that those applications are hooked into. For example, is it only in X86? Or is it a 64 bit application, which might require components in Program Files (not X86), Program Data, and maybe even the Windows Registry? Are you going to take this entire engine apart and put it all back together just to satisfy some personal need for it to "be just like the old one"?

I caution against that. As end-users, we are overtweaking our systems. This wastes time and sometimes isn't the right thing to do for the new technology.

Use the installers. Get on with life.

NOBODY has as much installed software as me. Upgrading to new hardware with a new version of Windows always costs me an entire weekend. It's the cost of doing business, but the benefit is that I rarely bring the old system's problems with me to the new system.

If you have used DIM (DAZ Install Manager) on the old system, then you may be able to save some time re-downloading your stuff by copying your DIM downloads folder to the new system. Then when you run DIM the first time, set your folders to point to the correct location, and hit "refresh". DIM should see them and know that they don't need to be re-downloaded, they can just be "installed". Done. Easy. Fast.

Oh yeah, one other thing. For everybody: STOP THE ENDLESS TWEAKING! We are wasting our lives away doing all the tweaking. Okay, I'm done. :smirk:

Zilvergrafix

franontheedge said:

Hi
Do I need to save anything else?

if you have a windows machine, maybe you refers to runtime content, saving or rescueing the program files when resides Daz main program is irrelevant, even if you have customized menues.

My own technique involves this:

if you have runtime folders inside my documents/DAZ then you need just synchronize folders but you need a small network in home and shared folders between both machines, that's the way I do actually. I have 2 laptops sharing the same runtime folders but one is only for backup purposes mainly.

google for "synkron sourceforge" if you fill the requisites above, I used that software for synchronizing +100Gb of 3D content.

Subtropic Pixel

Zilverg's suggestion is good for keeping your runtime (eg Content Library) in sync between two systems. I have done something similar except that I maintain a synchronized version of my DAZ download folders between my desktop and laptop and I do install the content separately on each machine.

But let's be clear, this is only for the content, not for the installed applications such as DAZ Studio, Carrara, Hexagon, Bryce, etc.

So here's how it works for me:

A. Desktop has its own download folder for DAZ on an internal hard drive partiton.
B. Laptop has an external USB 3.0 1TB drive dedicated only to downloads of content (and mountable ISO images of install CDs, etc).

The download folder structures are exactly the same on both desktop and laptop, and I use the free Microsoft SyncToy to keep them the same. Synctoy allows me to download on either system (laptop must have the external drive plugged in, however), and then to later sync them at my leisure. This saves me from having to download everything TWICE.

So here's my basic task flow for a fictional DAZ store purchase. I use DIM, and the DIM download folder is inside my sync-pair folder.

1. Use DIM to download my purchase. Let's say I bought this item and am installing it on my desktop.
2. Use DIM on that same system to install my purchase.

3. Repeat 1 and 2 above until I decide it's time to bring the laptop up to date (like just before I go on a trip).

4. When I want to bring the laptop up to date, I will carry the external hard drive over to the desktop, and plug it in.
5. Run SyncToy to syncronize my two download folders (desktop internal and laptop's external now plugged into the desktop)
6. Unplug the external drive from the desktop, plug it into the laptop.
7. Open DIM on the laptop. As long as DIM on the laptop points to the correct folder on that external drive, DIM will see my downloaded items.
8. Use DIM on the laptop to install all of my purchased content. No new download needed, whoohoo!

Now let's say I'm "on the road" with my laptop and I make a purchase. I always carry my external drive with me.

9. Make my purchase on laptop's browser.
10. Open DIM on laptop with external drive plugged in, and proceed to download to the target folder on the external drive.
11. Use DIM on laptop to install and use my purchases.
12. When I get home, I need to bring the desktop up to date. So now I plug the external download drive into the desktop and follow steps 4 thru 8 above on the desktop.

This method DOES require that I use DIM to do the installs on both systems. But in my opinion, this is the safest way to ensure that everything I've purchased gets properly installed to BOTH computers.

This process actually works for ANY downloads that I do on one system or the other, so I have directed my browser download folders to the sync folder structure too; this way I won't have to re-download anything more than once (that's just annoying!). Internal hardware device drivers may not always apply because these are different computers with different CPUs, motherboards, memory, etc. But that's okay. I know what should and should not be installed on each of my systems.

CAUTIONS ABOUT SYNCING:

Must be careful, however. If you rename, move, or (eek!) delete a file from one of your "sync pair" folder structures, then that operation will be replicated the next time you sync. So bear this in mind, SYNCING IS NOT THE SAME AS BACKING UP.

You must have a separate backup strategy and you must make sure your backups are kept LONG ENOUGH to ensure that you have a chance to discover any mistaken deletes or updates you may have made. For me, that is 3-4 months. Yes, 3 to 4 months. You'd be surprised how long you can go before you realize that you made a real boneheaded move!

sriesch

On the old computer, back up your database, your list of content/runtime folders, and your workspace if you customized it.

On the new computer, install all your applications/plugins, and copy your content/runtime folders over there (you could also reinstall it via DIM if you have nothing but DAZ content that is all in DIM.) Then restore your database, your list of content/runtime folders, and your customized workspace. Make any customizations to your applications (and write them all down so next time you can just follow your previously-written instructions.

(I know you were only asking about DAZ Studio, but if I remember correctly you also use Bryce, so remember to also back up all your Bryce presets if you haven't already, since they are in the program folder.)

If needed, I can provide the somewhat complicated, wordy instructions on how to do the backup and restore for all the DS stuff, just let me know.