Post by rolandjs on Jul 27, 2017 20:20:06 GMT -5
Copying/migrating/syncing FF, T-bird, eMClient, msIE & GChrome
Mozilla Firefox & Thunderbird, eM Client, msIE, Google Chrome backup & "migrating"
If one routinely backs up certain directories of the abovementioned programs,
one can "migrate" one or more of the above from "The Best Home or Base Computer" to other computers.
Before any copying or migrating attempts are made, ensure the programs on source & target computers are not running, not active.
It's best that the above programs already exist in good working order on target computers.
For copying/migrating, I've used FreeFileSync set to Mirror source onto target successfully.
[By successfully, I mean what the FreeFileSync does.]
I've had the best results with Mozilla Firefox and Thunderbird, very good results with eM Client.
Results have been mixed bags [being blessed and being blessed out] for msIE and Google Chrome browsers.
For this writing, I use the terms migrate, migrating when the words sync, syncing are just as accurate if not more so.
Let me do the easiest one first. Mozilla Firefox and Mozilla Thunderbird are the easiest to change or repair via copying/migrating.
Users [user acct] AppData Local Mozilla [for FF], Thunderbird [for the emailer]
Users [user acct] AppData Roaming Mozilla [for FF], Thunderbird [for the emailer]
Copying/migrating Program Files (x86)\Mozilla...firefox...thunderbird program directories are not necessary.
[Migrating programs directories will not replace the need to do an install.]
eM Client is the next easiest to change or repair via copying/migrating. Make sure a working copy exists on the target computer.
Users [user acct] AppData Local eM Client Toolbar -- do NOT attempt to copy/migrate this directory; attempts generate numerous errors
Users [user acct] AppData Roaming eM Client -- this directory can be successfully copied/migrated
Again, the program directory is not needed to be copied/migrated, as long as source & target versions are alike.
A difficult one to successfully change or repair via copy/migrate is msIE, Microsoft Internet Explorer.
It works much better if both source and target existing IEs are the same version.
Users [user acct] appdata local microsoft ie [meaning the directory named: internet explorer]
Users [user acct] appdata locallow microsoft ie [ditto] -- can be copied/migrated; "parallel success" not guaranteed, results sure vary
appdata roaming microsoft ie [ditto] -- can be copied/migrated; "parallel success" not guaranteed, results sure vary
Users [user acct] favorites -- this directory is the only one that behaves nicely, IE does reflect the "updated" favorites [if IE is working].
programfiles[64] ie and program files (x86) ie program directories, 64-bit and 32-bit respectively:
While I have copied the files from a working 32bit directory into a non-working 64bit directory [or from 64 to 32], hoping to get both working before the next IE install or IE version-upgrade, repair success rate is spotty at best; gambling sometimes pays off, often no change.
Another difficult one to successfully change or repair via copy/migrate is Google Chrome. For me, failure rate is fairly high for this one.
Often one has to uninstall and reinstall GChrome via CTL-PNL Programs or something similar to Revo Uninstaller/Installer.
programfiles[64] Google directory is empty in all my 3 computers
program files (x86) is the one that has the Google Chrome files in all my 3 computers [**]
Users [user acct] appdata local google [**]
[**] These two directories must be copied/migrated/synced during the same source to target session.
Immediate success will not happen.
This "back-door installing via copying/migrating" must be followed with a re-Installation of Google Chrome, using either online or offline EXEs.
After re-installation, make sure you can successfully login with the your primary email address that is linked to your Google Chrome.
After successfully logging in, generate tabs for:
chrome://chrome -- this will "tell" you if your Chrome can be updated
chrome://settings -- if you get a faint red box error, simply X it
chrome://extensions -- if you have used SafeScript previously, you can get back your Chrome settings stored on the Chrome server a little easier.
For those using Session Manager, if you earlier saved via Session Manager, you should now see those saved sessions and can use them.
At best, you are good to go! If not, you're in for a re-configuration of your normal Google Chrome settings, tabs, and so on.
[The above last paragraph "over-wrote" my previous ending; after having done the above upon two computers, I now know the ending.]
Mozilla Firefox & Thunderbird, eM Client, msIE, Google Chrome backup & "migrating"
If one routinely backs up certain directories of the abovementioned programs,
one can "migrate" one or more of the above from "The Best Home or Base Computer" to other computers.
Before any copying or migrating attempts are made, ensure the programs on source & target computers are not running, not active.
It's best that the above programs already exist in good working order on target computers.
For copying/migrating, I've used FreeFileSync set to Mirror source onto target successfully.
[By successfully, I mean what the FreeFileSync does.]
I've had the best results with Mozilla Firefox and Thunderbird, very good results with eM Client.
Results have been mixed bags [being blessed and being blessed out] for msIE and Google Chrome browsers.
For this writing, I use the terms migrate, migrating when the words sync, syncing are just as accurate if not more so.
Let me do the easiest one first. Mozilla Firefox and Mozilla Thunderbird are the easiest to change or repair via copying/migrating.
Users [user acct] AppData Local Mozilla [for FF], Thunderbird [for the emailer]
Users [user acct] AppData Roaming Mozilla [for FF], Thunderbird [for the emailer]
Copying/migrating Program Files (x86)\Mozilla...firefox...thunderbird program directories are not necessary.
[Migrating programs directories will not replace the need to do an install.]
eM Client is the next easiest to change or repair via copying/migrating. Make sure a working copy exists on the target computer
Users [user acct] AppData Local eM Client Toolbar -- do NOT attempt to copy/migrate this directory; attempts generate numerous errors
Users [user acct] AppData Roaming eM Client -- this directory can be successfully copied/migrated
Again, the program directory is not needed to be copied/migrated, as long as source & target versions are alike.
A difficult one to successfully change or repair via copy/migrate is msIE, Microsoft Internet Explorer.
It works much better if both source and target existing IEs are the same version.
Users [user acct] appdata local microsoft ie [meaning the directory named: internet explorer]
Users [user acct] appdata locallow microsoft ie [ditto] -- can be copied/migrated; "parallel success" not guaranteed, results sure vary
appdata roaming microsoft ie [ditto] -- can be copied/migrated; "parallel success" not guaranteed, results sure vary
Users [user acct] favorites -- this directory is the only one that behaves nicely, IE does reflect the "updated" favorites [if IE is working].
programfiles[64] ie and program files (x86) ie program directories, 64-bit and 32-bit respectively:
While I have copied the files from a working 32bit directory into a non-working 64bit directory [or from 64 to 32], hoping to get both working before the next IE install or IE version-upgrade, repair success rate is spotty at best; gambling sometimes pays off, often no change.
Another difficult one to successfully change or repair via copy/migrate is Google Chrome. For me, failure rate is fairly high for this one.
Often one has to uninstall and reinstall GChrome via CTL-PNL Programs or something similar to Revo Uninstaller/Installer.
programfiles[64] Google directory is empty in all my 3 computers
program files (x86) is the one that has the Google Chrome files in all my 3 computers [**]
Users [user acct] appdata local google [**]
[**] These two directories must be copied/migrated/synced during the same source to target session.
Immediate success will not happen.
This "back-door installing via copying/migrating" must be followed with a re-Installation of Google Chrome, using either online or offline EXEs.
After re-installation, make sure you can successfully login with the your primary email address that is linked to your Google Chrome.
After successfully logging in, generate tabs for:
chrome://chrome -- this will "tell" you if your Chrome can be updated
chrome://settings -- if you get a faint red box error, simply X it
chrome://extensions -- if you have used SafeScript previously, you can get back your Chrome settings stored on the Chrome server a little easier.
For those using Session Manager, if you earlier saved via Session Manager, you should now see those saved sessions and can use them.
At best, you are good to go! If not, you're in for a re-configuration of your normal Google Chrome settings, tabs, and so on.
[The above last paragraph "over-wrote" my previous ending; after having done the above upon two computers, I now know the ending.]