Transfer FS2k2 and add-ons between old and new PC?

[JSACKS 0]

I am thinking about buying a new P4 to replace my trusty old P3 which runs FS2002 very well but has a tougher time with add ons like PSS. Is there a way I can transfer my existing FS2002 with myriad add-ons from the old PC to the new one without having to re-instal or re-load every app like FSMeteo, FSNavigator, PSS fleet and panels, POKSY a/c, DC-10 and panels, etc.? Any magic app or cable available that will do this job easily and quickly and ensure that things still work under Windows XP? (I currently have good ol' Windows 98 plain vanilla, no upgrades, ever, and FS2002 works real well.)Appreciate any advice and info, thanks!Js

[Guest Joshieca]

Good luck...the best thing to do is to back up everything, burn to CDROM if you can...Since your changing OS's it would be best to do a clean install and the install things one/by one from your old FS2k2. It really doesn't take that long, one full day should do it.May I ask what P4 system or mobo/cpu your thinking about?[div align=center]http://members.cox.net/joshieca/fstimeslink.gif

[Guest]

For best results, you're going to have to reinstall everything.The only other option is to image your hard drive and ghost it onto the new one -- but then you're keeping your old operating system.On the positive side, a fresh OS reinstall every once in a while is a mighty fine idea. I do it every year or two, regardless.Some things that will make it easier:*BACKUP BACKUP BACKUP. If you don't have a second hard drive, consider getting one. It is, hands down, the single best backup method currently available, given the size of hard drives these days. Yes, burning to CD is also an option. What I do is copy relevant data to a second hard drive VERY regularly -- it's easy...no media to mess with, little waiting.... then I back all that up to CD less frequently. Gives immediacy of very frequent backups, and the permanence of CD-based backups.ANYway, however you do it, what you can do to save yourself some hassles is to save the config files you have customized. Definiately save off your fs2002.cfg and the aircraft.cfg and panel.cfg files for any planes you've customized. After you've reinstalled everything and verified that it all works, you can copy your old config files over top of the default ones (after backing up the default ones, of course!) and voila! ... you're all set.--Tony

[Guest GerrishGray]

You might also find it useful to set up a home networking connection between the two PC's. It is pretty easy to do and doesn't cost very much. You can then copy stuff from one machine to the other 'in an instant'. Much quicker than burning CD's and both quicker and cheaper than buying another hard disk.Very few FS add-ons use any Windows registry entries. The vast majority need little more than copying the files across and adjusting configuration file entries. But if you do have the odd add-on program that DOES use the Windows registry, then you MUST do a proper re-install of it on the new machine from the original distribution files.Kind regardsGerrish