Backing Up

Gents

When installing new elements and routes, there is always the reminder to back up first. I have a backup program running anyway which does the whole PC once a week, but as a matter of course, what should I be backing up when making changes?

Thanks

Hi Stephen,
Backing up once a week isn't really enough when you're modifying MSTS, unless you do it very rarely!

Depending in what you're doing, the very least you should back up, immediately before you start making any changes, is the parent folder of the file you're amending, but I would recommend saving the whole "root" folder of MSTS, if you've got the disk space, especially if you're adding a route.  The "root" folder is the one which contains all the MSTS folders and files (like GLOBAL, ROUTES, TRAINS) with Train Simulator being the default, or, if you followed the Steam4Me tutorial, it might be 1MSTS or MSTS.

Cheers,
Ged

Hi Ged

Thanks for that. I think I'll set up a nightly backup. I've got enough room on the external HDD and the PC is always running with the weather station uploading.

Cheers

Awkward moment for me as I find it hard to say what I mean,but here I go,
I have backed up my  "Microsoft Games\Train simulator" to an external drive.  (2 weeks ago)Now forgetting for the moment that that's not often enough how do I do it again now.

     DO I      just copy and paste the same files again,now with 3 extra routes on it. ( I did try it but Chickened out when it asked me if I wanted to Merge the Files)
or  DO I  Delete the backup I already have and "Copy & Paste " my present MSTS Folder.
or are both options incorrect..........Regards Roger

PS. it appears that my PC does an automatic backup every Sunday anyway,but to be honest I don't know what it backs up,or how I would have to use it.
Sorry but this IS all Rocket Science to me...........Roger

Hi Roger,
You can choose to merge the backup of your current folder with the last backup, but it might not be what you want! This is especially the case if you've removed some unwanted items since the last backup. I would recommend keeping two or three backups, if you can spare the disk space. As you seem to be doing it "manually" (ie not allowing some software to do it automatically at a specific time), may I suggest that when you've done the "Copy and Paste", you rename the resulting backup with some meaningful name (probably including the date!). You can then, if you want, delete the earliest backup.

I don't have any experience of backup software as I always do mine manually, so can't give any advice regarding your automatic weekly backup. Be aware, though, that it will be using some disk space, somewhere!

Cheers,
Ged

Thanks for that Ged,Simple really.As for the Auto Backup its something that Microsoft do every Sunday,don't remember asking them to do it though. -Or why they do it to tell the Truth.

Hi Roger,
You say Microsoft do your backup every Sunday. Do you mean that Windows 7 Backup runs at that time, or is it some other procedure where your backup might be in the Cloud?

If it's the Windows 7 Backup, you can read about it here :
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/1838/using-backup-and-restore-in-windows-7/
...and it seems easy to switch off if you don't want it.

Cheers,
Ged