Which files are required to keep two installs of NextPVR on separate OSs in sync?

[OTAjunkie]

Due to a recent hard drive failure I've reconfigured my system in a dual boot(this time using TWO physical drives!!) with two identical OSs and programs. Without a functioning HTPC I have no TV and I'd like to be able to recover from any future catastrophic failure by simply re-booting as opposed to recovering a dated back-up or going through another OS install sequence. I think it may be possible to keep the reserve OS's NPVR current by running nightly copy&replace batches. Is this possible and if so, which files are required to keep two installs of NextPVR on separate OSs in sync?

I thought about using one NPVR for both OSs but decided against it because of registry issues.
If someone could create a regedit file that I could merge to clear and point the new folders not on C: then I'd go that route.

Thanks

[bgowland]

As long as you run the npvr installer in both version of your OSes, all the registry entries needed will be created at install time. Under normal circumstances npvr doesn't make use of the registry for storing data.

The two key files are both found in the 'data' directory of the npvr installation and are config.xml and npvr.db3 - they hold everything from user preferences, location of recordings/media folders to all the channel tuning information, genre colouring etc.

In short, for a basic npvr setup, copying those two files will be enough.

After that, any 'script' files such as PostProcessing.bat etc. Be aware though that some plugins maintain their own settings files and/or database files so you'll need to consider those.

Cheers,
Brian

[Reddwarf]

As long as you run the npvr installer in both version of your OSes, all the registry entries needed will be created at install time. Under normal circumstances npvr doesn't make use of the registry for storing data.

The two key files are both found in the 'data' directory of the npvr installation and are config.xml and npvr.db3 - they hold everything from user preferences, location of recordings/media folders to all the channel tuning information, genre colouring etc.

In short, for a basic npvr setup, copying those two files will be enough.

After that, any 'script' files such as PostProcessing.bat etc. Be aware though that some plugins maintain their own settings files and/or database files so you'll need to consider those.

Cheers,
Brian

OR, if you put the data directory on a drive that are common to both OS'es (say a drive that will be D: no matter what C-drive you boot from) you won't have to worry about copying (other than for backup maybe, which is always a good idea).

[bgowland]

OR, if you put the data directory on a drive that are common to both OS'es (say a drive that will be D: no matter what C-drive you boot from) you won't have to worry about copying (other than for backup maybe, which is always a good idea).

Good point...but what if drive D: fails irrecoverably?

Personally if I was going to run two system drives I'd do it in a RAID mirror configuration ( RAID 0 or 1...I can never remember which it is.).

[OTAjunkie]

I considered a mirror as well but it's hard on resources compared to running a batch once a day.
That said, batch is in place and scheduled for 3am.
As far as pluggins:
TVListings plus XMLTVXtras using the new MC2XML with images (I assume these are stored in NPVR.db3)
Weather
Volume

Acronis backup of OS is done and stored far far away.

I'll boot up the "reserve" OS in about 4 days to see how it's doing.

Thanks again

[Reddwarf]

Good point...but what if drive D: fails irrecoverably?

Personally if I was going to run two system drives I'd do it in a RAID mirror configuration ( RAID 0 or 1...I can never remember which it is.).

I think it is raid-1, that would be the most safe yes. I have thought about it but I have to "waste" space :o

[pBS]

there is a software called 'mirrorfolder' that allows you to mirror [raid1] just a folder to another drive or even a network or removable location in realtime..
http://www.techsoftpl.com/backup/index.php $39
i'm using it on both npvr folders[app n data] which i keep on a separate drive..[to isolate it from windows issues]
even allows archiving to a third location periodically in addition to the raid1..
so far it seems to be very resource friendly, and very flexible..
anyways, just a thought..

[martint123]

Acronis backup of OS is done and stored far far away.

Double check you can restore it to a bare drive of different geometry.... I'm now into day three of trying to restore my C and D drives to an SSD and am going round in damn circles with it not booting.

[imilne]

Double check you can restore it to a bare drive of different geometry.... I'm now into day three of trying to restore my C and D drives to an SSD and am going round in damn circles with it not booting.

Have you marked the copied-over partition as bootable? I've made that mistake often enough

Iain

[OTAjunkie]

Double check you can restore it to a bare drive of different geometry.... .

Backed up only files not sector by sector.
I was hoping to clone the "WorkingOS" to a partition of equal size(to the byte!) but Acronis wouldn't allow me to select it from the others on the drive that has the "ResreveOS" partition.

I have now added TVListings.db3 to the batch.
I think both NPVRs are synced.
My only goal here is to have a working (and up to date) HTPC ready for use as quickly as possible after some kind terrible unspeakable event that may occur during a live "Must See" TV event (Heaven forbid). I think that a single reboot is pretty simple and swift. And a scheduled batch run is the minimum of disk write work.
My media libraries are separate and under control.
So the "ReserveOS" just lies in wait, unused appart from every second Tuesday/Wednesday of the month (if I'm vigilant) for MS updates.