SageTV, Directory and Registry?

[steingra]

After 4 years, I finally may have lost the primary hard drive where sagetv server is running. Im working on it today, trying to clone it to a new hard drive. In the meantime, I was wondering if SageTV server depends on settings in the Windows Registry in order to run? If not, then I could just take a backup copy of all the files from the C:\Program Files\Frey Technologies\*.* and move them to a new hard drive and fresh install of the Windows XP (of course all video drivers, etc will have to be reloaded)

But if SageTV server doesnt depend on the Windows Registry...that allows me to forge ahead down a different path. Because I do have several backups of the main sagetv server directory that I could just copy onto the new hard drive. Somehow I have a feeling that sagetv will not work just by simply copying the whole directory. And I am probably looking at a re-install of the SageTV server...

If thats the case, I will re-read all the stuff on this forum about this topic. I am sure I have seen posts about people losing their hard drives.

[Opus4]

Among the FAQs at the top of this forum is this one:
How to move SageTV to a new computer and retain all recordings

If you will be staying on the same computer, but with a new hard drive, you may be able to just use the same properties file & all. You'll still need to first install SageTV, since there are some things in the registry, just not things like info about the recordings.

- Andy

[steingra]

OK, thanks Andy for info. Sounds like SageTV is in fact using Windows Registry to do its job. I figured as much. So worst case, I will just reinstall everything from scratch including OS, patches, sagetv, etc...Oh well at least it will be a clean machine if I end up doing that. I have all the most current sagetv files backed up...so I can always reuse wiz.bin and whatever else I need. I have never needed to do this manuver before. Hope I dont have to.

But if things go well with my hard drive cloning job (still trying different options since I have bought 4 different cloning programs over the years and certains ones do better job depending on exact configuration of hard drive, like one partition multiple partitions etc) I will just be able to run with a brand new hard drive with ALL the cloned data on it. That would be nice :-) if it works. The old hard drive was making really wierd sounds I have never heard a hard drive make before. NOt clunk clunk clunk like some drives before they die, but a new scratchy whiny sound :-O ooh wellllllll

I will know in a few more hours if the clone job works and I have my system up and running. Or if its something more sinister.

[steingra]

Oh yeah, also, if I have to reinstall everything from scratch-ola, like the OS, windows updates, sagetv server, video card drivers etc...I plan on using same exact computer name, since the old one wont exist anymore.

What might make it a little tricky is trying to remember exact drive letter conifguration on the sagetv server. Since its video recording directories are made up of internal IDE drive, SATA drives (in a raid array), 3 external USB 1TB drives, and numerous UNC names mapped to other hard drives shared on another server.

I sure hope the cloning job works. I wont give up on that easily. I dont want this to turn into a 2 or 3 day project. :-O If clone job works, then I will be right back in buiness.