System Rebuild -> Save Existing Config?

[Brian_W]

First time poster here, and new to GBPVR as of 96.12. Great program and loving it, even got the WAF pretty high after a week of nagging from fiddling with the initial config and setting it up. Then it all came crashing down when my Mobo decided to move onto bigger and better things. So now I am going move my setup over to a faster computer I have sitting around. Can I just copy the folder structure of GBPVR to a temp drive, then format the new computer, install GBPVR, then copy the old folder structure back over and be good to go? (And yes, planning to retain the same drive letter assignments and partitions as before, I just want to save the DB and config files and the shows I already have recorded) Or if there is a better way to move an existing setup to a new machine while retaining all data, I would love to be educated Looking forward to hanging out around here, great info in the forums.

Brian

[Brian_W]

And just to add, I am unable to boot the computer at all to be able to export all recordings. I was trying to get the system bootable enough to be able to do this, but no dice. The Mobo just doesn't like me anymore.

Brian

[Decadent Fool]

Yes, I've done what you suggested and it worked for me

There's also an app to import recordings, although I have an additional virtual folder in my config that points to the recordings location, so I access them from there as stored files not via the database.

Hope this helps

[bgowland]

My preference would be to do a clean install of GB-PVR on the new system then stop the rec. service and tray app. and THEN drop the old folder structure on top of the new install.

As long as the versions of GB-PVR are the same and, (as you said you intended to do), the drive letters etc. are the same this should be fine.

The reason I suggest a clean install first is that the GB-PVR installer registers various components during setup.

Cheers,
Brian

[Brian_W]

Couple of questions to satisfy my curiosity. The new computer I am moving everything to has more space inside so I can add another HD. If I have to move drive letter assignments around, can I just open the MDB file in Access and change the reference locations for all of the recorded programs to the new path or are there other dependencies that would interfere with this? I ask as I want to make sure this computer is setup with as much possible space for recorded programs as I have a different computer that stores my MP3's and miscellaneous videos. Thanks for all the help.

Brian

[bgowland]

I shouldn't really be recommending this (in fact I don't if you're not comfortable with editing Access DBs )...but yes you can.

The recordings info is all in the [RECORDING_SCHEDULE] table in the filename field. Some of it is placeholders for pending/reocurring recording info. The ones with actual paths to files are obviously the existing recordings. You can just do a Find/Replace on that field. You'll also need to do the same in the [PLAYBACK_POSITION] table.

As ever, backup your original DB and, urrrm, on your head be it.

Cheers,
Brian

[Brian_W]

I have no problem directly editing an Access DB. Quite easy. I'm actually going to start brushing up on my GDI programming so I can help out on some Plugins for GBPVR. I can sometimes be too anal about backups, I will most likely copy the DB over to a completely different computer in a couple different locations just incase the planets align in the worst possible way and I have a catastrophic failure of everything

Thanks for the warnings and the info. Now I just need to get this new system running before the WAF drops to levels where she forbids me from doing another box heheh.

Brian

[bgowland]

OK - that's cool. It's just sub doesn't recommend people tinkering with the DB and you won't get any sympathy from him if it goes wrong.

Hope you get things going soon - I had a PSU drop out on me a few months back. I temporarily borrowed one out of a PC at work (the owner was away for a couple of days and never found out ). We'd got so used to GB-PVR as a way of life in my house that I paid a £20 charge for priority Sat. morning delivery for a new PSU which itself only cost £12. Madness!

Cheers,
Brian

[Brian_W]

It's good advice to not tinker with the DB. I am just in a situation where I am unable to export the recordings to move them to a new computer, and when the Mobo decided to take a permanent vacation, the wife had just recorded about 7 hours of shows and she will be extremely upset if she can't watch them soon =X

GBPVR is definitely becoming an integral part around our place too, which puts the pressure on me to get this running fast lol. Didn't realize how important the WAF truly is until it drops to a level where she wants to throw the computer out the window. Two words on that "not good!". I'm already thinking of my next computer setup for GBPVR so that it will be the central component in our entertainment center with one of those home use NAS devices that can hold 4 SATA drives (gonna stuff 4 750GB in there) in RAID 5 so we can rip all of our DVD's to ISOs and watch them on demand without swappin discs out on the player. Thanks again for the help.

Brian

[Brian_W]

Just wanted to thank the both of you for the advice. I had a few issues at first with copying the folder b ack over, so I just uninstalled gbpvr, deleted the folders, reinstalled from scratch, copied over my config.xml and gbpvr.mdb and everything is working great. Now just getting the few plugins I use reinstalled and working. Thanks again.

Brian