Hi Folks,
I just purchased a 2TB External drive to get most of the songs and junk off of my C: drive. I need to know which parts of the programs (BIAB 2012 and RB)must remain on the C: drive and what I can move to my external. Also, what paths would I have to change for the program to be able to locate my songs. I am a bit of a techno-phobe, so I thank you all for your indulgence. I am also using Sonar,---should I create different folders for each program? Thank you in advance!

Chuck D.

You have lots of choices. As for the folders, let each program install into its default folder. SONAR uses many, actually. BIAB uses C:/bb

For BIAB, you could install the entire program to your external drive and run it from there. You would then be able to delete the entire C:/bb folder.

As a partial move, you could move the RealTracks and RealDrums folders to the external drive and then go into Preferences, RealTracks and Preferences, RealDrums and point to the new location. If you do this, leave everything else in C:/bb because there are many .STY, .ST2 and .XT2 files you must still have in the folder where the program runs from. This is the way I have mine installed. However, I do not recommend this solution if you have any hesitation about your ability to manipulate files on your computer.

If drive space is an issue, you can just copy the entire bb folder over to the new outrigger drive and then check to see that it runs okay before deleting the c:\bb folder.

The only thing that will be left on the c: drive from the full bb install will be the PG Music Fonts, the PG Music Plugins and any DXi softsynths you may have installed, because those are the only parts that write to the eindows registry and you should leave them on the c: drive because the program needs them there in order to run everything correctly. they take up very little space.


--Mac

Chuck, if files are a mess on your C:\ drive, then they will soon be a mess on the big external drive. File management is crucial, so get a plan and stick to it, "a place for everything and everything in its place."

"Search"

"Find File"

Asterisks at both ends of a string you recall, like '*mystupidsong*...


--Mac

I'd be inclined to copy the entire c:\BB folder to your removable drive, and then run the install again. See the "Band-in-a-Box External Hard Drives" section of the BB User guide PDF for more info on this.
As well, consider backing up your own unique data when you're doing this. You can always reinstall BB after a crash, but you'll be sad without your original songs and user styles.
Best of luck,
David

I've upgraded BiaB to the latest version every year since '98 by simply running the new version's Installer pointing to c:\bb right overtop of the existing installation.

And in all those years have never lost a single songfile, custom style, or anything else by doing that.

BB will not overwrite nor delete any existing files in the folder.


--Mac

Matt, Mac, Dave---Thank you very much! This group always comes through. Thanks also Jazzmandan,---that is why I am doing this, I'm swearing off my pig-sty ways.....:-)

Chuck