Old 04-15-2019, 06:28 PM   #1
Timbonh
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Default Moving to a new computer

Hopefully I'm not asking a question that's been thoroughly answered already, if so, feel free to correct/direct me. I just today purchased a new screamin laptop onto which I want to move Reaper and all my VSTs. Wondering if there is an easy (or at least easier) method that I might not be privy to for moving all of these files to the new machine? Asking before I get started and tie myself into a painful technological knot. Many will be rather simple, just move the DLL's and set a new watch folder, but then there's all those that had proprietary installers and iLok things...I imagine those might be a bit trickier. It's a Windows 10 to Windows 10 migration...any thoughts or direction is greatly appreciated!
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Old 04-15-2019, 06:43 PM   #2
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Hopefully I'm not asking a question that's been thoroughly answered already, if so, feel free to correct/direct me. I just today purchased a new screamin laptop onto which I want to move Reaper and all my VSTs. Wondering if there is an easy (or at least easier) method that I might not be privy to for moving all of these files to the new machine? Asking before I get started and tie myself into a painful technological knot. Many will be rather simple, just move the DLL's and set a new watch folder, but then there's all those that had proprietary installers and iLok things...I imagine those might be a bit trickier. It's a Windows 10 to Windows 10 migration...any thoughts or direction is greatly appreciated!
Others might have some tricks, but I think the only super-painless way would be to make a mirror image of the existing (old) drive and re-image that onto the new drive. Or a drive duplicator if you have access to one. If it has an installer then I would say your going to need to install it and start from scratch there.
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Old 04-15-2019, 08:28 PM   #3
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Others might have some tricks, but I think the only super-painless way would be to make a mirror image of the existing (old) drive and re-image that onto the new drive. Or a drive duplicator if you have access to one. If it has an installer then I would say your going to need to install it and start from scratch there.
So basically, hook up my terabyte backup drive and do this? https://m.windowscentral.com/how-set...ncy-windows-10

Then hook it up to my new PC, and use that to create a drive image?
Sorry, kinda new to this - thanks!
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Old 04-16-2019, 01:29 AM   #4
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I can't say with 100% certainty as I have never done it that way. I don't know if that copies 'all' data on the existing drive or not. In this method Windows is already booted, so I don't know how it get's around its own internal copy and shadow services protection when doing this. I am not sure if this just back's up your files/folders or everything on the drive.

By doing this, with the new machine, which will most likely already have Windows on it, your going to run into some problems, mainly in respect to drivers and the registry. As both computers will be different in terms of hardware and architecture. You will end up with a big mess and problem on your hands.

This is more a method to backup your existing drive to an external in the event the existing drive fails - not meant for transferring to a new machine.
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Old 04-16-2019, 01:41 AM   #5
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This is why using separate partition(s) for installing software and storing data wins over using single partition shared with operating system.
If you you don't have stuff separated, you are condemned to installing all from scratch. Saying that I'm aware that it's needed in most cases even if programs don't lay on system partition, but you don't need to dig deep in file stricture to find what is needed to install, and secondly, some programs can reuse their configuration files, keys etc
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Old 04-16-2019, 03:24 AM   #6
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you can clone your old hard drive.moving dlls doesnt work you have to install things again.
i used Samsung data migration software.you could also try this.
https://www.easeus.com/backup-utilit...-software.html

this you will also need.
https://www.orico.shop/de/datenspeic...king-stations/

good luck
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Old 04-16-2019, 03:29 AM   #7
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you can clone your old hard drive.moving dlls doesnt work you have to install things again.
i used Samsung data migration software.you could also try this.
https://www.easeus.com/backup-utilit...-software.html
The cloning probably won't work to well, as he is moving to a totally new computer, with different hardware. And I believe the new machine already has (or will have) Win10 installed.
As for the DLL's I am guessing he meant plugin dll files.
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Old 04-17-2019, 02:59 PM   #8
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you can clone your old hard drive.moving dlls doesnt work you have to install things again.
i used Samsung data migration software.you could also try this.
https://www.easeus.com/backup-utilit...-software.html

this you will also need.
https://www.orico.shop/de/datenspeic...king-stations/

good luck
Thanks for the idea, Bob. I checked out the links and I understand the disk cloning idea, although like EMu points out, won't the installables all recognize I am on a different device and not run?

Also, the second link: Why would I need the drive docking station? Old PC still works great...I don't need to carve it open.
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Old 04-17-2019, 03:36 PM   #9
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although like EMu points out, won't the installables all recognize I am on a different device and not run
It will run, but when you first boot the new computer it will go into a frenzy trying to detect old hardware that doesn't exist. You will have drivers from the previous machine, need to install new drivers for the current one. You could end up having conflicts with drivers and interrupts.

The registry will also be a big mess. Yes you can use registry cleaner, although they are not very effective. Only real reliable way of cleaning the registry is to do it manually - you need to fully understand the registry and what it does and what the registry keys do before going hammer and tong deleting registry keys or you could end up with an un-bootable computer.

Save yourself a lot of pain and frustration down the road and install everything fresh. That way you are on a level playing field.
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Old 04-18-2019, 08:06 AM   #10
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Save yourself a lot of pain and frustration down the road and install everything fresh. That way you are on a level playing field.
I am sensing a lot of reaching out to customer support on those I purchased coming soon to my existence...Hahaha! This oughtta be fun...
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Old 04-18-2019, 12:15 PM   #11
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I am sensing a lot of reaching out to customer support on those I purchased coming soon to my existence...Hahaha! This oughtta be fun...
If you need any help feel free to PM me.
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Old 04-18-2019, 12:36 PM   #12
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It's dead simple. Just keep the file structure (folder names/hierarchy and drive letters) of your audio and plugins exactly the same and Reaper won't know it's on a new machine.

Most free plugins don't require installation and won't have problems, but many paid plugins do. You'll find out which when Reaper tries to scan or load them for the first time. From there you can just make a list of which you need to reinstall.

It's true that a fresh start is better, but it's a load of time and work that I, for one, prefer to avoid. I've recently upgraded my entire system without reinstalling Windows and it's all running very smoothly here.
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Old 04-18-2019, 02:57 PM   #13
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Cloning your system drive for another machine...

This was SOP with OSX up until 10.12. (Some might suggest even earlier. Some might suggest it's supposed to still work and just does. I've seen cracks... so this is IMHO.)

Newer OS's can install only certain packages depending on the target hardware.

My guess with Windows, especially since it is intended to work with so many different hardware sets, is this is the same deal. Clone to the exact same hardware config is bulletproof. Different hardware? You'll be missing something or have something incompatible.

OSX has a migration assistant that works 99% of the time. Perhaps Windows has copied this? The OSX migration assistant fails if trying to go from a newer system to an older one. Apple gets severe amnesia with older products and apparently thinks this would just never come up.

Do a clean install to a freshly formatted drive.
Name your hard drive(s) the same names.
Try the migration assistant if Windows has one.

Otherwise, run the installers from the various 3rd party stuff you have.

Tip: Keep a simple text file of authorization codes you get. Add to it as you go.

The Reaper import/export config feature works flawlessly. (Or just copy the REAPER resource folder manually to ~/Library/Application Support/)


PS. You can always plug in an external drive with your cloned system and try booting from it with the new machine. If you determine everything's fine and fully functional, there you go!
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Old 04-20-2019, 11:27 AM   #14
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Thanks to all for your ideas & input! After reading all of this I sat down yesterday (for some hours - Ha!) and just reinstalled everything on the new machine. Not being a complete novice, I at least had the foresight to keep all my installation executables, and all in the same handy folder. Other than speeding through accepting so many license agreements that I may now have adopted 2 orphans and purchased a time share in Nigeria, it went pretty smoothly. Only ones that appear to have failed during Reaper's first new boot (after updating VST/Plugin scan destinations) were Waves, Equivocate, Melodyne (act shocked - ha!) and Metric AB.

So now I am hopefully just a tiny bit of digging and a couple begging emails away from being fully transported to the new machine. As always, y'all rock, thanks for the help...
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Old 04-20-2019, 01:24 PM   #15
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Only ones that appear to have failed during Reaper's first new boot (after updating VST/Plugin scan destinations) were Waves, Equivocate, Melodyne (act shocked - ha!) and Metric AB.
So you just need to run those installers and you should be gravy.
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Old 04-20-2019, 05:27 PM   #16
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So you just need to run those installers and you should be gravy.
Yup, I am now gravy...if I enter one more serial number or product code I am going to lose my cookies. All worked pretty well after setting up my new Plugin Alliance/iLok/PluginBoutique/You name it installers....except Waves - Ha! I sent the new PC the serial in the Waves cloud as it instructed and re-authed on new machine...rebooted Reap and splat, same message. Oh well, those plugs were junk I never used anyway...
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Old 04-20-2019, 07:28 PM   #17
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if I enter one more serial number or product code I am going to lose my cookies.
Haha, yep. I'm still on Win7 but will stay here as long as possible just cos of that...


Sorry, I should have mentioned that certain plugins require you to deauth on the old machine before authorizing again. Forgot about that. If you sent them an email it should just take until after the weekend to fix.

Every time I install Windows I kick myself for not making a list of all the various tweaks and niggles it takes to get back to normal...
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