Upgrade. New thoughts.

[IanHarrison 522]

Some weeks ago, I detailed my problems in upgrading W10 1909 to 2004 and later.

I am still in the same position but have now had a new thought, about which I need help.

To recap: the ONLY way that the upgrades work is if I "tell" the Windows Upgrade to delete all my folders and settings. It will then install a vanilla Windows quite happily. (Every, and I mean every, other way leads to a roll back).

Unfortunately, that means all my P3D xml files, licences and other things are gone.

What I am now thinking is, is it possible to add those files, folders etc. back into the updated Windows from  a backup copy of Windows? Or is there another way?

I could always restore my 😄 drive if it was a disaster.

[Bob Scott 7,720]

Some things, like your P3D xml configuration, can be transplanted.  Others, like many programs that write encrypted software keys into the registry, can not.

I don't know what the details are behind your upgrade problems...but taking the need to reinstall Win 10 as a given, I'd say you're going to be time ahead in the long run to make a backup/reference copy of your current configuration, uninstall everything that needs that to free up the license (e.g. PMDG, FSL, FSDT, P3D itself, etc), clean install of the latest version of Win 10 (presently 20H2 I believe) from a newly-created boot media, and rebuild Rome from the ground up, using your backup copy of the last config as a sort of a crib sheet for your config and any modifications.

I know of no shortcut to rebuilding that isn't loaded with land mines, and chasing those down can be far more time-consuming than even the most complex rebuild.  I don't say that lightly--I know the butt pain involved--I've got >300 add-on sceneries meticulously layered just the way I want--it takes me a solid week of 12 hour days to do a rebuild.  But randomly running into those pop-up land mines after trying to back-in your system from a previous setup is more trouble in the long run.

[IanHarrison 522]

3 hours ago, w6kd said:

I know of no shortcut to rebuilding that isn't loaded with land mines,

Bob, Thanks for that.

It is what I suspected all along😬 But hope springs eternal.

Luckily I can load my backup (once the program is reinstalled) as a mounted copy, so the reference will be handy.

I suppose I will just have to set aside a week or so.

On the positive side, I can upgrade to P3D5.1 at the same time and have a shiny new system as well.

Edited March 14, 2021 by IanHarrison