I own BIAB 2009... the one that came with it on the portable hard disk.

Two Machines:
- Win7 64 bit desktop (for creating BIAB arrangements)
- Win8.1 laptop (for playing BIAB arrangements on gigs)

Four questions:

1 - Can I just run it off the portable hard disk with out installing it per the instruction sheet?

2 - Can I run it if I actually install it onto the hard disk per the instruction sheet?

3 - Read another (recent) post where someone was having an issue with Win7 and someone suggested not installing BIAB in the c:\program files\ folder. What about the c:\program files (x86)folder?

4 - Is it OK to install the software on both machines?

thanks for any help.

1. Not quite. Do the minimal install (one of the options in Setup.exe) which will put fonts and a few other files on your PC. Do this for each PC.

2. Yes.

3. No, same problem with either /Program Files folder (and you only have two if you are on 64-bit Windows). Stick with /BB

4. Yes, as long as you only use one at a time (that's my understanding of the software user license).

It will run, but you won't see certain things and won't hear certain others.

There's an option to Install ONLY the stuff needed to the c: drive, which are the Fonts, PGMusic Plugins and perhaps the included software MIDI synth, in the case of both your OS's that would be the Coyote synth. The option is inside the Installer, selectable by checking what to install and what not to install.

After doing that, you can leave everything including the program itself on the external USB drive and run from there, that's what I do, runs just fine.



Yes, of course. If your c: drive has the available space.



Not recommended as that is still inside the Program Files folder, just one layer deeper, and the same Write protection problems will happen. Band in a Box MUST be able to write to certain files on its own to function properly, the "protection" of Win7 and Win8 disallow that because too many "programs" that write automatically to disk these days are now nasty things, like trojans and viruses. Microsoft chose to be rather heavy-handed in protecting us.

Not to worry, though, installing to the default c:/bb folder works well.



The Authorization code that comes with BB2014 allows us to install on up to three machines, so yes, it is OK.

Older versions, no Auth needed, so okay there too.


Have Fun,


--Mac

OK Guys, thanks... but to be clear... If I put it all on the hard disk I should install it into c:\bb\
correct?

And, another question... if I run it from the external hard disk and the disk crashes... will P.G. Music replace the program (not the hard disk) ? I am a registered user.

thanks again folks.

1. Yes. That is the default location, and subsequent updates and upgrades will default to that location when you install. Just makes things one step easier.

2. I've not heard of anyone's external disk crashing, but I assure you PG Music Support would work with you to fix you up fairly. I just don't know what process they would use, and I presume it might vary depending on exactly what is wrong.

Note that I did have a dead drive arrive once, and they shipped me another before mine had even reached them on a return shipment. This is a superb company when it comes to customer service. The best.

While pgmusic has been simply superb at replacing lost files and programs for users, one should make their own backup of the entire pgmusic supplied hard drive by simply copying the entire thing to another drive.

If another drive is not available, take advantage of installing the entire thing, realtracks and all to your c drive and put the USB drive away as your backup.

Note that I recommend storing that backup drive in an entirely separate location from where your bb computer normally lives, such as at work, or somewhere else, simply because a disaster at one location, God forbid, could wipe out both drives.

The entire contents of the pgm usb drive can also be copied to DVDs as backup as well, though you would likely have to copy the DVDs to a hard drive to use as installers again.


--Mac