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"Question for the more computer knowledgable"

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seern (30 posts)
Jan-22-02, 06:35 PM (EST) "Question for the more computer knowledgable" I am installing a new 10 gig HD just for MSTS. What is the best way to handle the transfer? Reinstall to the new drive then copy over the files that are different or just copy the whole mess from the Program folder on C: to the new drive and go look for all places that refer to its location as C: instead of D: Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
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Subject Author Message Date ID RE: Question for the more computer ... tro1086 Jan-22-02 1 RE: Question for the more computer ... dgauci Jan-22-02 4 RE: Question for the more computer ... NickF Jan-22-02 2 RE: Question for the more computer ... Bing Jan-22-02 3 RE: Question for the more computer ... asmith46 Jan-23-02 5 RE: Question for the more computer ... akochan Jan-23-02 6 RE: Question for the more computer ... seern Jan-23-02 7 RE: Question for the more computer ... Bing Jan-23-02 8 RE: Question for the more computer ... Bing Jan-23-02 9

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tro1086 (121 posts)
Jan-22-02, 06:38 PM (EST) 1. "RE: Question for the more computer knowledgable" It would probably be eaiser to copy the TRAINSET folder, uninstall MSTS, reinstall it to your new drive, then paste the TRAINSET folder back in so you have all your locos and such, might want to copy your add-on routes also so you have those still.Trevor Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
dgauci (396 posts)
Jan-22-02, 11:26 PM (EST) 4. "RE: Question for the more computer knowledgable" LAST EDITED ON Jan-22-02 AT 11:27 PM (EST)I agree with Trevor and Nick, make a backup copy of your Trains folder, Consist and Trainset, and then uninstall and re-install MSTS on the new drive. Then copy the Consist and Trainset folders back to their new location. This should preserve everything and keep the Registry happy. Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
NickF (658 posts)
Jan-22-02, 08:20 PM (EST) 2. "RE: Question for the more computer knowledgable" MSTS makes a number of system registry entriesw, several of which reference the specific location where the program was installed. Copying the entire folder to a different location doesn't modify these entries, so MSTS will become terribly confused. You can manually edit the registry but I don't recommend that to beginners. One solution if you have a large number of custom trains, trainsets, modified eng and wag files, etc., would be to first make a complete copy of your MSTS folder, run the uninstall, do a fresh installation on the new drive, then copy your backup over the new installation. Sort of a kludge, but it will preserve all customizations. Unfortunatly if you have any problems in your original installation it will preserve those as well.Nick Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
Bing (166 posts)
Jan-22-02, 10:35 PM (EST) 3. "RE: Question for the more computer knowledgable" I'm glad that Nick brought this up, I dislike being the one to broadcast doom and gloom all the time. He's right: You move folders and don't modify registry entries, the exe won't be able to find them. And some reg entries are next to impossible to modify manually. I've had WLin98 path problems I tried to solve with autoexec and ini file entries and it just doesn't work anymore, not like the good old days of Win 3.1. I'd say, if you want trouble you can move folders and screw up the paths. Despite all the hassle of total uninstall and reinstall, it might actually save time - and a LOT of grief. You could try a partial registry export, then uninstall portions, reinstall and try to merge the exported registry file back in - I know I wouldn't even try to do this. Maybe a software engineer could get away with it. Maybe not, either.Bing
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asmith46 (3 posts)
Jan-23-02, 02:10 AM (EST) 5. "RE: Question for the more computer knowledgable" Why not just leave MSTS where it already is, since it's so ornery, and use the new 10 gigs for other stuff that's not as path-sensitive such as new data files from other programs, or new programs themselves? Maybe you could even migrate some smaller and simpler programs like calculators, utilities, audio and video files, etc. to the new drive. This hopefully would still leave lots of space on your original HD for MSTS stuff. Just a thought.
----->Al
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akochan (396 posts)
Jan-23-02, 06:42 AM (EST) 6. "RE: Question for the more computer knowledgable" LAST EDITED ON Jan-23-02 AT 06:45 AM (EST)MSTS is no more path sensitive than any other program with a registry entry (which is nigh every post-dos program out there). And moving all kinds of other programs over is much more work since you'd need to change all those registry entries rather than just MSTSs. And all system files and drivers belong on one's primary drive so should never be moved. And if you don't move MSTS you will quickly hit the addon size limit. 10GB might not be enough space for it though. I wasn't even aware they still made HD that small. I thought 30GB was the smallest one could still find in stores. Basically you can do an extremely rough calculation of needing 1 GB for the game and a moderate amount of addon engines, and 1GB for each addon route. These mind you are VERY rough numbers erring on the side of caution. You have two options: a) move it and edit your registry b)reinstall in new location. Both have their pains and gains. Just don't edit your registry unless you know already what you're doing or you'll end up having some major error and have to reinstall everything on your computer. -Andy
akochan@crosswinds.net Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
seern (30 posts)
Jan-23-02, 08:20 AM (EST) 7. "RE: Question for the more computer knowledgable" Andy you are probably right about finding a 10 gig drive now. This baby is several years old but never used. I bought it to upgrade an older system, but got my new one before it was installed. Thanks everybody for the help, I am going to do it this w/e and will holler if problems arise. Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
Bing (166 posts)
Jan-23-02, 10:55 AM (EST) 8. "RE: Question for the more computer knowledgable" >LAST EDITED ON Jan-23-02
>AT 06:45 AM (EST)
>
>MSTS is no more path sensitive
>than any other program with
>a registry entry (which is
>nigh every post-dos program out
>there). And moving all
>kinds of other programs over
>is much more work since
>you'd need to change all
>those registry entries rather than
>just MSTSs. And all
>system files and drivers belong
>on one's primary drive so
>should never be moved. And
>if you don't move MSTS
>you will quickly hit the
>addon size limit. 10GB
>might not be enough space
>for it though. I
>wasn't even aware they still
>made HD that small.
>I thought 30GB was the
>smallest one could still find
>in stores. Basically you
>can do an extremely rough
>calculation of needing 1 GB
>for the game and a
>moderate amount of addon engines,
>and 1GB for each addon
>route. These mind you
>are VERY rough numbers erring
>on the side of caution.
> You have two options:
>a) move it and edit
>your registry b)reinstall in new
>location. Both have their
>pains and gains. Just
>don't edit your registry unless
>you know already what you're
>doing or you'll end up
>having some major error and
>have to reinstall everything on
>your computer.
>
>-Andy
>akochan@crosswinds.net Agreed, that from Win95 on the registry presented a new challenge for us, which is why the advice still holds good: Don't mess with it unless you know what you are doing (RegEdit DeLuxe helps because of a safe delete feature, you can put the entries back where they were at any time).But Win3.1 didn't have the registry, so path problems were somewhat easier to deal with. I did a lot of them ... and remember how upset I was when I discovered I couldn't so the same with Win95.
Bing Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
Bing (166 posts)
Jan-23-02, 10:56 AM (EST) 9. "RE: Question for the more computer knowledgable" Sorry for that full page quote - I didn't know it was going to string itself out in that manner. Won't do it again.Bing
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