Backing up FS2K2

[Guest simpilot]

I will be doing a system upgrade requiring me to reformat my HDD. I want to back everything up on CD's but want to know what programs make registry entries.I know that FS2K2 makes those entries but, I have a number of addons as well including Simflyers (N. America), Airport 2000 v.3, PSS (Airbus, 777, 747), Dreamfleet and PIC 767. DO these make regestry entries. Ideally I would like to back up my aircraft, scenery, and guage files.Can anyone who has backed up to CD give me some pointers so that I will have a non-frustrating install.Thanks!Richard

[Guest UweR]

Hi, simflyerts sceneries and PiC work without the entries (own experience), Airport2000 should (all my other sceneries do). I haven

[Guest simpilot]

Thanks for the info Uwe!I am not overly concerned with my DF and PSS addons as I could probably reinstall those without too much hassle. I guess my concern were some of the aircraft/panels like Paul Goldings MD87 and Yannicks Falcon as well as numerous freeware sceneries. I was thinking of backing up to another HDD however, that would almost defeat the purpose for me in this particular case as it has been my experience that when adding a new mobo without a fresh OS install on the HDD can cause problems but, I will more than likely go with a HDD backup after I have everything up and running again in case of crashes etc.Thanks for the feedback!Cheers!Richard

[gosta 0]

Hi Richard,I'd uninstall FS2002, but make a backup of your scenery.cfg and the FS2002.cfg (not sure, if the scenery file gets deleted when altered, but just in case...), also uninstall the PSS Airbus and the Boeings only, if you have used the web installer, otherwise leave them. All the files that are now left behind are your add-ons. Back up the left-over FS2002 folder, then reinstall FS2002 on your newly formatted HD, copy over your backed-up FS2002 folder, overwriting where prompted, reinstall the PSS planes, and everything, including your settings will be back.Cheers,Gosta.

[Guest simpilot]

That actually make perfect sense Gosta!Thanks!Richard

[gosta 0]

Hi Richard,I just did it, it seems the last time I did it in FS2000, in FS2002, also back up the Scenedb/AFDfiles and Scenedb/ATC folders... I learned the hard way ;). BTW, is Project AI back online...?Cheers,Gosta.

[Guest]

A few more words of wisdom. If you have a second hard drive, the best way to back up Flightsim would to copy the entire folder to the 2nd hard drive. Then you can retrieve what you need, after you install FS2002 again. This way all the file attributes, remain unchanged. If you backup to a CD, make sure you "Zip" all the files, before burning it onto CD. If you don't, then all the files that you burn on CD will be made "Read Only", which will cause problems down the road. Now granted, you can easily change a files attributes, but if you have many files, its a real pain.Just a heads up about CD's Cheers :-beerchug

[gosta 0]

Too true, I never thought about copying them to CD, as I always had more than one HD (or at least more than one partition). A bit presumptious of me to assume everyone else has the same.Good tip!Cheers,Gosta.

[Guest sgreenwood]

>... then all the files >that you burn on CD will be made "Read Only", which will >cause problems down the road. Now granted, you can easily >change a files attributes, but if you have many files, its a >real pain. >>Just a heads up about CD's >Just a quick tip for fellow CD users not familiar with DOS:You can easily Remove the "Read Only" setting for multiple files by executing this command in a DOS window, opened in the desired directory: attrib -R /S *.* (or *.cfg, *.txt, ..., if you want to limit the list) The /S applies the command to all subdirectories as well. If you do this often, you can put this command in a batch file in the Windows directory, with your full path (e.g. c:program filesfs2002*.*). Then put a shortcut to this batch file on the desktop; now all it takes is a doubleclick on the shortcut icon to reset all the files in and below that directory!Regards,Stevewww.fs-traveler.com

[Guest]

Steve, thanks for the DOS tip. I was a DOS man at one point, but have since forgot most DOS commands, as I'm now a lazy mouse clicker...LOL. I'll have to give it a try....Thanks

[Guest]

I had recently had to "format C" so I burned all necessary FS files onto a CD. Previous postings have mentioned what to save. You can't save too much. If you burn them, and then transfer the files back to your hard drive, do the following:In Windows Exployer, go to the folders you just copied back onto your HHD. Click on the folder, which will show everything that's in it. Hit Cntr+A and all folders and file's will be selected. Then right click any folder, select properties. There you'll be able to change attributes. You'll be asked if you want to change attributes in subfolders also. Select yes. After that, ALL of the folders and files will be returned to Archive (assuming that's what you want).