Registered: May 2000
Location: Aurora, CO
Posts: 15

Hi all,

Just built a new box, and am ready to re-setup my VDX. My questions:

1. Should I just install the Palm Desktop from CD, or can I copy that directory from my backup drive?

2. I registered BackupBuddy and a couple others, I assume having to reinstall all that stuff, along with the reg #'s, correct?

3. My VDX is also backed up at work, I guess I better be careful though which way the conduit is on the first sync...

Any advice welcome

Registered: Dec 1999
Location: Connecticut USA
Posts: 2682

You'll certainly need to reinstall the Palm Desktop in order to get all the registry settings right. If the Visor is "current", the first sync on the new box should be done as "Handheld overwrites Desktop"... that should get everything back into the Desktop app... You might also be able to reinstall everything and then copy the <user> and <backup> directories to the new box, though I'm not completely sure about this.

Just in case, make sure you have a complete backup of the Visor data before you do anything.

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MarkEagle - Ice is nice!

Registered: May 2000
Location:
Posts: 209

Re: 1

You'll have better success (that is-- the Palm Desktop and the HotSync actions) if you reinstall the software. With the HotSync manager in particular, some attributes are stored in the Windows registry (I'm presuming you're using Win32). Just copying file contents over will not carry over those attributes. And, I can already here something thinking: "What are those registry settings? Can't I just export them out and merge them back on the new computer?"

Well...yes, but if you're gonna go through the trouble of mucking around in the Registry, you might as well stick the CD the in the new box and run SETUP :-)

After you reinstall the HS Manager and Palm Desktop, you can copy over the ToDo, MemoPad, Address Book, DateBook, Expense and Mail databases back over but to play it safe, I'd rather just temporarily configure the conduit actions to have the "Handheld Overwrite Desktop"-- presuming that the data on your Visor is up-to-date.

Re: 2

It'll depend on the software. Some of them store additional information in the registry, some will store important stuff in a .DAT or .INI located in their own program directory (or Windows directory or in the Palm Desktop directory).

My lazy man-but-play it safe approach is that if I had the registration information available and handy, I'd reinstall them again.

All of this is based in the belief (that you or others may or may not share) that most software developers test their applications based on a "proper" installation procedure (i.e. SETUP, INSTALL, etc.). Not a file-by-file copy (although some of the apps I've seen use that as a program installation method).

Re: 3

You can never have too many backups. Just be careful how you performed it and know which is the most current :-)



[This message has been edited by ProjectZero (edited 08-17-2000).]

Registered: May 2000
Location: Aurora, CO
Posts: 15

Thanks all, yeah, I forgot that the HotSync also needs to do registry settings for USB... but I'm glad I asked to get myself thinking straight... appreciate it!