Which DAZ files to Save for a Clean Windows Install?
n.aspros123
Posts: 188
in New Users
Not sure if this has been asked.
Which DAZ and associated files (zips) are need to be copied and saved when performing a complete start from scratch Windows install? Otherwise known as a "Clean/Custom" install.
Reason why? My PC is a Intel Z97 based system and nearing 10 years old. Looking to upgrade to AMD X670/X870 chipset and AMD CPU (Intel Co. is misbehaving RN). I've been told since I'm changing chipsets, it's better to format the main boot drive and install everything again.
Comments
You mean to preserve settings? Unfortunately some are in the registry, but a lot for Daz Studio, Install manager, and the content database are in
%appdata%/daz 3d/
Just make sure that all of the applicaitons are closed before trying to back it up.
If you install through DIM or Daz Central you will also want the Manifests folder, which defaults to the Public Documents folder on C: that is what tells DIM what it has installed, and where.
Thanks for your reply.
I really don't want to lose all of my Scenes, Presets and Subsets that I've created for renders. If it's content purchased elsewhere, I usually unzip them to MyDAZ Library in the Documents folder. I have all of my zips copied to other drives and can re-install those again.
I don't know if it's a dumb question but how do you back up the important Daz files? I haven't performed a file/folder specific backup for quite sometime.
Is the Documents folder still on C:? What about the My daz 3D Library folder, is that still in its default location in the Public Documents folder on C:?
Yes. DAZ and it's plugins and add-ons is installed on Local Disc C:. My Daz 3D Library is installed on the same Disc in the Documents folder.
You can move the documents folder to a diferent drive, I would strongly urge you to do so on the new system (right-click>Properties>Location tab) as it will educe the amount of stuff you have to move following a system reisntall or drive failure. The same is true of the Pictures folder. This will chnage the place Windows looks, and the path used by newly installed applications, but you would have to move the files across manually (which is why moving the folders is about the first thing I do after a reinstall/new system).
You don't need to back up the applications folder - they ae better reinstalled, along with plug-ins - but you will need to back up the studff in Documents - and not just the Daz Studio stuff. If you do then use a different drive for the dicuments the install manifests will have the wrong paths - they can be edited with a text editor, or if you still have the zips in DIM's Download folder you can se;ect them in the Installed tab and right-click>Reinstall Using Current Paths.