Migrating UE to new computer

[Hubert]

I recently got a new pc and I would like to know what is the best way to set up UE just like I have it on my old pc. Are there any shortcuts or do I have to set it up manually? In the latter case I'll have to dig out all serials and passwords etc.

[Josef K]

Copy your entire UE directory to the new computer, start UE and you will be presented with a 'Browse for database folder' dialogue. Select your DB directory and at some point I imagine UE will ask you to input your serial. Other than that, you'll probably have to set up your default save directories. It's possible that if you recreate the same directory structures (on the same drive letter) that you had on your old computer, UE will retain the information and reuse it (although that's guesswork).

UE save its configuration in reg.dat but if the directories are different, they will need setting again. You should be up and running again very quickly. I've done this myself a few times and because I don't really remember anything mind blowingly difficult or any problems then I can tell you it's very straightforward.

Make a backup of your Database\Settings directory Just In Case (tm).

[Hubert]

Thank you Josef K: I'm going to try it this way. I already suspected that it might be not too difficult. I maintain the same directory structure on my new system.

[Hubert]

Just did that: no servers nor groups show up. Is that still manual labor?

[Josef K]

I've just run a test of the same procedure in VMWare (clean XP Pro snapshot) and it worked as I expected: all groups and servers are present. I copied over everything minus the Bodies directory, which UE just recreated itself.

Did you make sure to copy your UE directory and everything inside it? Was your database directory originally somewhere outside of the UE executable directory? If you can, compare the directories and make sure that the structure is the same, i.e. same layout with all files/subdirectories in the same locations beneath the main UE directory.

Edit: UE didn't ask for a serial number at any point. I assume it will again if I extract a new version.

[Hubert]

I see now what I did wrong: I forgot to set the correct path for the database. It runs now like a train! Thanks again.

[MilesAhead]

Unfortunately I have to use a different drive letter. Am I hosed?

[Josef K]

Not at all. Copy the entire UE directory/subdirectories/database directory to the destination, recreate a shortcut to UE.exe, start UE and point it to the correct location of the database. As ever, make a separate backup of your Settings directory in case of something unforeseen.

It'll take a bit more manual work to input all the save paths (if they're to a different drive letter) but that will be about it. On the plus side, see it as a bit of housekeeping: you can use this opportunity to tidy up your save paths a bit or categorise them more efficiently.

[MilesAhead]

So far so good. Unless I'm blissfully ignorant.. it looks like all I have
to do is change the drive letter when it asks me where to save stuff.
The subfolders seem to have been updated on the latest download so
hopefully all is cool.

Much easier to move than a lot of newsreaders I've used.
Man I dread that business of selecting newsgroups yet again.
So glad I didn't have to do it!!

[Hubert]

Likewise here! I have been in business ever since my last post...

[MilesAhead]

Very cool!! Another bonus.. I'm using Giganews Accelerator and I didn't have to do the setup, then change the server settings bit. I just installed GNA and copied the folders over and everything worked!!!

Hmmmm, maybe we should stick a couple of frowns in here so the price doesn't go up? Oops! I mean ..

[dl marshall]

I multi-boot between XP Pro 32-bit and Vista Ultimate 64-bit.
Already had UE installed on Vista.
Installed it on XP, and rebooted into Vista.
Backed up (copied) the Vista "Database" folder to a partition visible to both OSes.
Rebooted into XP, and copied the Vista "Database" folder to its new location. Fired up UE and, in the pop-up, clicked on the folder named "Database".
The database was read by UE, and everything was configured. And I did a search and downloaded a small 1MB file from the results.
3 minutes including re-booting.

This has got to be the baddest newsreader on the planet.

Robert

[alex]

why not to use the same database from both systems, since you cannot run both systems in the same time.

if you keep it on a folder accessible from both systems you can just launch UE on the same database from either system (point from both systems to the same database in properties->general, database folder, change) and there will be no need to download headers in both or remember what was downloaded where.

[dl marshall]

Yes, ofcourse.
And it works. Why didn't I think of that right away ?

Thanks Alex.

When you've written the best news reader on the planet, offering it at a bargain price, and giving good advice, you gotta be bad!

[MilesAhead]

why not to use the same database from both systems, since you cannot run both systems in the same time.

if you keep it on a folder accessible from both systems you can just launch UE on the same database from either system (point from both systems to the same database in properties->general, database folder, change) and there will be no need to download headers in both or remember what was downloaded where.

It's cool that it's an option but one side effect could be thrashing. For instance on my HD I have a large Vista partition and a fairly small XP partition so the travel on the disc arm during access could be excessive.
I guess I could put the database on my external USB drive... but that
would be cheating.