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DCS transfer from HD to SSD


Sydy

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Gents,

 

I hope everybody doing ok! I am trying to improve my computer performance and I bought a SSD today.

 

I would like to know if there is any way to transfer the DCS and modules already installed in my computer to this new SSD. Computer will be the same, old HD will remain installed, but I'd like to get faster speeds on read/write stuff.

 

Is there anything you, gents, would recommend?

 

I thank you in advance for any help.

 

All the best,

 

Sydney

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With reinstalling the system onto the new drive, or just transferring the game? If latter, when I was in exactly the same situation recently, I just manually moved the damn thing to a new location and edited all shortcuts (it works, 'cause module license keys are stored in Windows registry anyway, plus custom "saved games" folder stays on Yor system drive). Did it with two of my DCS installs, leaving one on HDD as it originally was.

 

The only drawback of this hamfisted method is - when updating any of these copies, dcs_updater is obviously unable to recognize where the manually moved installs are, so it cannot use them to copy some of the existing files and has to download everything from ED servers. So now I'm thinking, maybe more elegant solution in the long run would be installing the second copy "properly" on the SSD - the installer would get all of the files from the old location anyway, saving time and bandwidth.


Edited by Art-J

i7 9700K @ stock speed, single GTX1070, 32 gigs of RAM, TH Warthog, MFG Crosswind, Win10.

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Hi, first of all be aware that when you build in and boot with your new SSD (or make a new system on the SSD) your 'hardware profile' for Starforce will change. This will cause your current activations to be lost. To get around this you need to deactivate them on your current OS/Hardware profile.

 

If this sounds like chinese to you, further reading: https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/support/faq/564/#1823177

 

Secondly it's best to make a backup of your DCS user folder where your config files are stored: C:\Users\<USERNAME>\Saved Games\DCS

 

Now on the new system or SSD you can simply download and install the DCS world setup to create the DCS-Startmenu folder and file structure where you want it. https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/downloads/world/stable/

 

With the startmenu shortcuts created you have access to the repair function and can simply copy your old files over into the new directory and start the repair. DCS should recognize the old files and maybe redownload a few.

 

The user folder shouldn't be touched but if there are problems copy over your backup.

 

edit: Art-J not sure if I misundertand you, to clarify: DCS updater/repair/installer will recognize old DCS installs if the directory is a known installation to the OS or the files are simply in the new install path.


Edited by ApoNOOB
some typos
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edit: Art-J not sure if I misundertand you, to clarify: DCS updater/repair/installer will recognize old DCS installs if the directory is a known installation to the OS or the files are simply in the new install path.

 

That's the point, the directories I moved (1.5 stable and 2.0) are not known to OS anymore, so the updater from the sole remaining, "legit" copy (1.5 OB) is unable to locate and use them to feed any files during patching up. Crossfeeding works only one way, from my OB to remaining two copies. Fortunately, I don't have any download cap from my ISP, so if I sometimes have to download more files from ED server than I should, it's not a dealbreaker.

 

We still don't know, however, if OP plans to install a new system on his new SSD, in which case, all my mumbling is irrelevant :D.

i7 9700K @ stock speed, single GTX1070, 32 gigs of RAM, TH Warthog, MFG Crosswind, Win10.

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Timing is good - I am doing this tomorrow (well maybe - still debating if I want to do a RAID 0 since the drives are so cheap).

 

Just doing the change drives (from plate to SSD) for DCS not an OS reinstall.

 

I am only flying NTTR and only in the F-5 but have extensive key remapping I do not want to have to remap. I do have all of the other modules installed just not touched or keys mapped since NTTR. So no big on losing any of them.

 

I am going the full DCS reinstall route as I was following the recent conversations and have no problem doing that just to be sure - as long as I can easily save my mapped keys. No saved games matter.

I think copying/saving:

C:\Users\username\Saved Games\DCS.openbeta\Config\Input

is what I need to do to save my key mapping...?

:book:

Always good to be sure! Thanks

Fight to fly, fly to fight, fight to win.

Callsign: Need

Shu-Ha-Ri

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Actually no, that folder (for 2.0) should like this: C:\Users\<USERNAME>\Saved Games\DCS.openalpha

The DCS.openbeta folder should be for 1.5 OpenBeta branch.

 

You do not need to redownload your installation (not even to be 'safe' I am not sure from what?) after you start the installation for 2.0 with this: https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/downloads/world/alpha/ Simply abort when he starts downloading, copy your old 2.0 folder into the new one and start a DCS repair.

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Thank you all for the answer.

 

It is not a new OS install. Computer the same, OS the same (already in a SSD), just moving the DCS 1.5 and 2.0 from an HD to a new SSD in the same computer.

 

I will look carefully on all answers, but keep posting them. The easier, the better!

 

Tks a lot, guys,

 

Sydney


Edited by Sydy
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We still don't know, however, if OP plans to install a new system on his new SSD, in which case, all my mumbling is irrelevant :D.

 

Hi Art-J,

 

It's not a new system, just a transfer on the same computer, just installing a new SSD for DCS.

Tks for the help.

 

Sydney

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Stdy,

 

I did update to my system a few months ago, new CPU, GPU and new larger SSD 1tb. My old SSD had 128gb, with 1t HD. After the update I moved DCS to the SSD and I have had no problems with the updates. Just check my latest ver on the SSD and it is 1.5.5.8642 and on my HD the DCS ver is 1.5.3.52724. When the last updated started it was pointing to my HD G: but it installed to my SSD C:

 

So from my experience you should be fine.

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Computer will be the same, old HD will remain installed, but I'd like to get faster speeds on read/write stuff.

 

Is there anything you, gents, would recommend?

 

I did the same as you not long ago, keep the system and its HDD as they were, and move the "critical" software like the sim on an SSD, which solved all the micro-freeze problems.

 

- Copying the directories as explained above works like a charm, you don't need to re-activate anything.

 

- I simply renamed the old HDD content directory to make sure it would not access files there anymore, and a backup of %USERPROFILE%\Saved Games\DCS* directories just in case, though it shouldn't be necessary.

 

- Then about this:

The only drawback of this hamfisted method is - when updating any of these copies, dcs_updater is obviously unable to recognize where the manually moved installs are, so it cannot use them to copy some of the existing files and has to download everything from ED servers. So now I'm thinking, maybe more elegant solution in the long run would be installing the second copy "properly" on the SSD - the installer would get all of the files from the old location anyway, saving time and bandwidth.

To avoid this problem with the updater, you can simply edit the registry (if you're not familiar, it's done with the Windows tool regedit, type the Windows key, type regedit, or type Win+R, regedit):

 

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Eagle Dynamics

 

You'll find the keys for the modules, don't touch them, just change the Path value in key names like below (depending on what you've already installed):

- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Eagle Dynamics\DCS World 2 OpenAlpha

- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Eagle Dynamics\DCS World OpenBeta

  • Like 1

System specs: Win7 x64 | CPU: i7-4770K | RAM: 16 GB | GPU: GTX 980 Ti 6 GB | Thrustmaster HOTAS | MFG rudder pedals | SATA3 SSD | TrackIR

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Rgr that. I've found a bunch of registry entries for the main game folders, but for a good start I edited the ones You mentioned and will see how that works during next update releases.

i7 9700K @ stock speed, single GTX1070, 32 gigs of RAM, TH Warthog, MFG Crosswind, Win10.

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Stdy,

 

I did update to my system a few months ago, new CPU, GPU and new larger SSD 1tb. My old SSD had 128gb, with 1t HD. After the update I moved DCS to the SSD and I have had no problems with the updates. Just check my latest ver on the SSD and it is 1.5.5.8642 and on my HD the DCS ver is 1.5.3.52724. When the last updated started it was pointing to my HD G: but it installed to my SSD C:

 

So from my experience you should be fine.

 

Thanks taman!!

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I did the same as you not long ago, keep the system and its HDD as they were, and move the "critical" software like the sim on an SSD, which solved all the micro-freeze problems.

 

- Copying the directories as explained above works like a charm, you don't need to re-activate anything.

 

- I simply renamed the old HDD content directory to make sure it would not access files there anymore, and a backup of %USERPROFILE%\Saved Games\DCS* directories just in case, though it shouldn't be necessary.

 

- Then about this:

 

To avoid this problem with the updater, you can simply edit the registry (if you're not familiar, it's done with the Windows tool regedit, type the Windows key, type regedit, or type Win+R, regedit):

 

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Eagle Dynamics

 

You'll find the keys for the modules, don't touch them, just change the Path value in key names like below (depending on what you've already installed):

- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Eagle Dynamics\DCS World 2 OpenAlpha

- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Eagle Dynamics\DCS World OpenBeta

 

 

Cool!!! That's the best solution so far, because I know how to do it.

 

Thank you all, guys!

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I did the same as you not long ago, keep the system and its HDD as they were, and move the "critical" software like the sim on an SSD, which solved all the micro-freeze problems.

 

- Copying the directories as explained above works like a charm, you don't need to re-activate anything.

 

- I simply renamed the old HDD content directory to make sure it would not access files there anymore, and a backup of %USERPROFILE%\Saved Games\DCS* directories just in case, though it shouldn't be necessary.

 

- Then about this:

 

To avoid this problem with the updater, you can simply edit the registry (if you're not familiar, it's done with the Windows tool regedit, type the Windows key, type regedit, or type Win+R, regedit):

 

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Eagle Dynamics

 

You'll find the keys for the modules, don't touch them, just change the Path value in key names like below (depending on what you've already installed):

- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Eagle Dynamics\DCS World 2 OpenAlpha

- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Eagle Dynamics\DCS World OpenBeta

 

 

Redglyph,

 

Thank you! and Thank you all for the answers. I did exactly like that and it worked fine. Game is up and running (much faster) in the new SSD.

 

I have one last question: is there a way to check if the update is working?

 

Tks again!

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I have made a junction in windows.

 

http://superuser.com/questions/1020821/how-to-create-a-symbolic-link-on-windows-10

 

Basicaly you create new directory on the ssd and link old directory with new. Program is accessing old directory and windows point it to new. Simple and no tampering with registry.

 

You can also easily move your games/programs back and forth with this function. Just copy and make/remove junction

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Redglyph,

 

Thank you! and Thank you all for the answers. I did exactly like that and it worked fine. Game is up and running (much faster) in the new SSD.

 

I have one last question: is there a way to check if the update is working?

 

Tks again!

 

Ah, sorry, I missed your question.

 

Well, now you know, but you can force an update check anytime by running "DCS_updater.exe update" from its bin directory. Sometimes it will update when launching DCS won't.

 

Here's a guide, hope it's still up-to-date.

System specs: Win7 x64 | CPU: i7-4770K | RAM: 16 GB | GPU: GTX 980 Ti 6 GB | Thrustmaster HOTAS | MFG rudder pedals | SATA3 SSD | TrackIR

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Me, I'm a natural paranoid. I bought an SSD and did a full reinstall. And yes, performance skyrocketed! Now if you get things working with just a transfer - good for you.

But being paranoid might just save you some time in the long run. Reinstalling, saving all your key-bindings from your config folder etc...all that might seem like a lot of trouble but when you get used to it, you'll get things running the right way.

And you can sleep better ;)

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Hehe, I can vouch for that. I had an SSD that died 2 months after installing everything, those things happen, and a little paranoia makes you keep backups. Thankfully the DCS configs are in the user profile, so in the case of the OP, on his HDD, but they should be regularly backuped anyway.

 

Since hard disks are not that expensive, a disk cloning now and then can also avoid a lot of pain in case of loss.

 

But re-installing or moving everything should be the same, really, you only have to take care of the shortcuts if you use them, and the registry settings so they point correctly to the new location (for the updates mostly). After that everything gets identical.

 

I haven't tried, but saving the registry keys to avoid losing an activation might be a good idea, only I'm not sure they would be recognized on a new OS disk. That shouldn't happen often anyway, and it's surely possible to ask for a counter reset in that case.

System specs: Win7 x64 | CPU: i7-4770K | RAM: 16 GB | GPU: GTX 980 Ti 6 GB | Thrustmaster HOTAS | MFG rudder pedals | SATA3 SSD | TrackIR

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