Previous Thread
Index
Next Thread
Print Thread
Go To
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 181
Apprentice
OP Offline
Apprentice
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 181
I received my 2020 BIAB Audiophile 2TB portable hard drive a few days ago and due to the volume of the RealTracks on the new drive and the existing volume of them on my computer’s internal hard drive it was not feasible for me to copy them to my internal hard drive so what I plan to do is to erase what is on one of my old BIAB 2TB portable hard drives, copy the contents of the 2020 drive to the old now-blank portable drive, then run the RealTracks directly off the old drive, keeping the new portable drive as a backup. My question is this: what is the most effective and efficient way to make a copy of what is on the 2020 Drive onto the old drive? Should I just copy all the directories and files from new drive to old drive or is there a better way to do that? Thanks.


www.LawTunes.com: The LawTunes - The Musical Scales of Justice - Original Lawyer Rock & Roll
www.SurfChords.com: The SurfChords - The Endless Summer Continues and The Wave Never Ends
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 12,840
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 12,840
Make sure there is nothing on your original drive you want to keep. I would either just copy everything over, or just clone the new drive to the old drive (assuming they are the same size).

Be aware that in the root folder of the drive there will be a file called autorun.inf. You will find that your anti-virus (and I think even Windows itself) will not allow you to copy this file over to the other drive. It will flag it, because in the past, autorun.inf files (often in the root of bootable CD's and DVD's to tell the system to run a certain program upon bootup - sort of like an autoexec file for removable media) have been used to propagate viruses and other malware. There is also a hidden file in the root folder that needs to come over also (can't remember the exact name, but I think it's something like autolist.asc, but I may be wrong). If your system doesn't show hidden files, you may not see it to copy, so turn on hidden files to make sure you get it.


John

Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 12TB SSD
Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 12TB SATA

BB2026/UMC204HD&404HD/Casios/Cakewalk/Reaper/Studio One/Notion/Dorico/Noteworthy/NI/Halion/IK

http://www.sus4chord.com (under rehosting/construction)
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,514
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,514
I also just copy all the RealTracks and RealDrums each year from my audiophile drive to another drive, then adjust their locations in Preferences, RealTracks and Preferences, RealDrums. These two folders are the ones that take up the most space; others can stay on my SSD boot drive.

And yes, I keep the PG Music-supplied drive as a backup.

I use a utility called Total Commander, which emulates the old Norton Commander, but any way you want to copy the files is fine. Two windows of Explorer would do it, as would a batch file (remember those?).

You will need to run the installer no matter what, as a few system files such as Fonts are installed to your boot drive, no matter what other decisions you may make about the location of files.


BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Presonus Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 22,557
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 22,557
I think I'd just copy/over-write as opposed to erasing the original older disk
But that's just me
Erasing it may lose Bonus material from a given year.

/just a thought
Quote:
... so what I plan to do is to erase what is on one of my old BIAB 2TB portable hard drives ...


Example:
If your previous version included a +Pak or such (only included in that year's version), you may inadvertently lose them.



I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,796
Expert
Offline
Expert
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,796
Originally Posted By: rharv
I think I'd just copy/over-write as opposed to erasing the original older disk
But that's just me
Erasing it may lose Bonus material from a given year.

/just a thought
Quote:
... so what I plan to do is to erase what is on one of my old BIAB 2TB portable hard drives ...


Example:
If your previous version included a +Pak or such (only included in that year's version), you may inadvertently lose them.


I used copy-overwrite-verify with some skipping function active with TeraCopy.

However if you have edited RT or Drum WAVs like me, the edits will be overwritten and lost. Alas i forgot to save some drum holds where i corrected an occasional corrected too loud cymbal soaked bong-a-gongs; oops.

Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 181
Apprentice
OP Offline
Apprentice
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 181
Thank you all for your very helpful responses.


www.LawTunes.com: The LawTunes - The Musical Scales of Justice - Original Lawyer Rock & Roll
www.SurfChords.com: The SurfChords - The Endless Summer Continues and The Wave Never Ends
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 22,557
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 22,557
You actually edited the RTs themselves, and then saved over the originals?
I would do that on a copy from the git-go .. here I was, trying to prevent data loss, and in your situation my suggestion would have caused it.
That's a pretty unique case/situation.

/on the bright side I'm still learnin' from my mistakes I guess
//thanks for sharing this tip


I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Go To

Link Copied to Clipboard
ChatPG

Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.

ChatPG's knowledge base includes the full Band-in-a-Box User Manual and sales information from the website.

PG Music News
Update to Build 10 of RealBand® 2026 for Windows®!

If you're already using RealBand 2026 for Windows, download build 10 to get all the latest additions and enhancements.

Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® users: Build 904 now available!

If you're already using Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®, make sure to grab the latest update! Build 904 is now available for download and includes the newest additions and enhancements from our team.

Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® users: Build 1237 is now available!

Already a Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Windows user? Stay up to date and download the build 1237 to get all the latest additions and enhancements.

PowerTracks Pro 2026 for Windows is Here!

PowerTracks 2026 is here—bringing powerful new enhancements designed to make your production workflow faster, smoother, and more intuitive than ever.

The enhanced Mixer now shows Track Type and Instrument icons for instant track recognition, while a new grid option simplifies editing views. Non-floating windows adopt a modern title bar style, replacing the legacy blue bar.

The Master Volume is now applied at the end of the audio chain for consistent levels and full-signal master effects.

Tablature now includes a “Save bends when saving XML” option for improved compatibility with PG Music tools. Plus, you can instantly match all track heights with a simple Ctrl-release after resizing, and Add2 chords from MGU/SGU files are now fully supported... and more!

Get started today—first-time packages start at just $49.

Already using PowerTracks Pro Audio? Upgrade for as little as $29 and enjoy the latest improvements!

Order now!

Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Windows Special Offers End Tomorrow (January 15th, 2026) at 11:59 PM PST!

Time really is running out! Save up to 50% on Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® upgrades and receive a FREE Bonus PAK—only when you order by 11:59 PM PST on Thursday, January 15, 2026!

We've added many major new features and new content in a redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®!

Version 2026 introduces a modernized GUI redesign across the program, with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, and a new Dark Mode option. There’s also a new side toolbar for quicker access to commonly used windows, and the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, making it easier to customize your workspace.

Another exciting new addition is the new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. You can view the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to process an entire track or focus on specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.

There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!

Upgrade your Band-in-a-Box for Windows to save up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade packages!

Plus, when you order your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade during our special, you'll receive a Free Bonus PAK of exciting new add-ons.

If you need any help deciding which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We are here to help!

Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® Special Offers Extended Until January 15, 2026!

Good news! You still have time to upgrade to the latest version of Band-in-a-Box® for Windows® and save. Our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® special now runs through January 15, 2025!

We've packed Band-in-a-Box® 2026 with major new features, enhancements, and an incredible lineup of new content! The program now sports a sleek, modern GUI redesign across the entire interface, including updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, a new dark mode option, and more. The brand-new side toolbar provides quicker access to key windows, while the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, creating a flexible, clutter-free workspace. We have an amazing new “AI-Notes” feature. This transcribes polyphonic audio into MIDI so you can view it in notation or play it back as MIDI. You can process an entire track (all pitched instruments and drums) or focus on individual parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!

There are over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.

When you order purchase Band-in-a-Box® 2026 before 11:59 PM PST on January 15th, you'll also receive a Free Bonus PAK packed with exciting new add-ons.

Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® today! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all the purchase options available.

Happy New Year!

Thank you for being part of the Band-in-a-Box® community.

Wishing you and yours a very happy 2026—Happy New Year from all of us at PG Music!

Forum Statistics
Forums57
Topics86,091
Posts800,087
Members40,033
Most Online44,367
Mar 4th, 2026
Newest Members
Christian210, jaycallahanart, misoprostol, roshan2121, Din
40,033 Registered Users
Top Posters(30 Days)
MarioD 146
rsdean 94
DC Ron 89
WaoBand 89
DrDan 64
Today's Birthdays
astore, Mark lee, PianistNZ
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5