How to migrate SageTV Server to new PC

[LSHorwitz]

I've recently purchased a new and faster PC which I want to dedicate to using as a SageTV server. My current SageTV Server runs on my desktop machine and shares the machine with a lot of other (video production) activities. I want it to be a 24/7 standalone server on a dedicated box. I am already familiar with re-registering the Sage application on the new machine but am specifically looking for help with the Sage database(s) / preferences.

I want to take the hard disk which SageTV has filled with 250 Gigs of TV programs and bring it over to the new PC. Where does Sage store its' database and know which volume contains the recorded programs and keeps track of their status (like "Already Watched", Favorites", etc.).

I assume that if I install SageTV Server on my new PC and just install the 250 GB disk that the new installation of Sage TV Server will NOT know anything about these files, Favorites, etc. and am looking for how to migrate the Sage database from my old machine to my new dedicated box.

Any help would be much appreciated.

TIA,

Larry

[salsbst]

wiz.bin and sage.properties are the important files. Back them up. Install your new SageTV instance. Overwrite sage.properties and wiz.bin in your new instance with the files you backed up. Keep a clean copy of both files in case something goes wrong.

Then, take a look at the sage.properties file in a text editor. Basically, make sure all of the paths it has defined are correct.

Then, launch the new instance and you should be good to go!

[Opus4]

You'll want to keep wiz.bin (all the recorded show & history data) & perhaps some of Sage.properties, which stores your preferences/settings, including which dirs are to be used for storing recordings. In order for SageTV on the new system to see the current recordings, you should use the same exact "drive:\video dir" settings. You may also need to look at this property:

make_all_mediafiles_local - if set to true, SageTV will update the database so that it thinks all MediaFiles are local to the server, should be used if the name of the PC that is running the SageTV server is changed

Since you have to set it up on the new system, I don't think I would just copy over the properties file, though. I would move the hard drive with all your recordings, renaming its video dir temporarily & creating an empty dir with the old name. Then, I would configure everything in SageTV for the new system, including adding the original video directory (the empty one) to the list if video dirs. Once configured, exit SageTV, replace the new wiz.bin with the old one continaing all your show data, delete the empty video dir & rename the actual dir back to its original name. Once that was done, restart SageTV.

Hopefully, others will add any 'gotchas' that I forgot.

- Andy

[LSHorwitz]

Thanks to both of you for the very prompt and detailed replies. I will follow the advice and also check out the FAQS (never thought to look there!).

Many thanks again,

Larry