With watering eyes I just found out that my hard disk went to hard-disk heaven 2 days ago..

Fortunately I had all the original Poser files and add-ons (exe and zip) on a DVD, so I have now reinstalled Poser (but not all the add-ons). I have bought an external USB drive to make backup copies of my work.. but I'd like to find a way to bypass this problem.

In the possible bad luck of losing again my C: drive (where I have installed all my programs, Poser included), what would be the Poser folders I should backup in order to be back and working in a reasonable amount of time? In this forum I have come up with many threads on creating "multiple runtimes" but how does this cope with the backups? Besides my English is not that good to understand how to create "multiple runtimes".

Thanks for your help

Ragnar

As long as you backup your Runtime folder you should be safe as it is just a matter of reinstall Poser and then overwrite the runtime folder with the backup - and Bingo! all should be restored.

Just as note of interest - I either use mulitple drives or partitions and have nothing on my "C" drive apart from the operating system (in my case Windows) that way if I lose Windows - i haven't lost everything else.

I hate programs that implore me to install to "C" drive......

Tastiger,

so after I have installed an add-on (Vickie3 i.e.) I have to backup the whole "runtime" folder..? The external HD I have bought comes with a backup software that allows for "Incremental backups" so it shouldn't be too time consuming..

Quote - Tastiger,

so after I have installed an add-on (Vickie3 i.e.) I have to backup the whole "runtime" folder..? The external HD I have bought comes with a backup software that allows for "Incremental backups" so it shouldn't be too time consuming..

That should work for you = I do the same thing to my Runtimes once a month  an incrimental backup to keep it up to date  - fairly painless!

everything burned to CD-R..all 155 of them..;)
But having got 5, and getting 4 content into it..I can sympathize in a small way (actually fix PC's..so don't worry, you're not the first..;)  If you need links to some of your old stuff..I can get you some URL's...

Pakled,

thanks, but fortunately I burned a DVD with all my old stuff a couple of days before "the accident".. call it sixth sense.. lol

Thanks all, I'll try this way.

Ragnar

Since you have a DVD burner, you should back up your important files on DVDs. the reason I say this is that I had my programs, my texture files and zips, and other stuff on an external. My external quit working. I found out that due to the way they are made, they overheat and burn up. Fortunately I did find a program to let me recover my files but not restore the disk. Back up to DVD or CD to be safe. :)

I back up both to an external hard drive and to DVD's. I went through this pain of a burned HD a few weeks ago, took me 3 days solid to get it all back in because the external files got corrupted as well so I had to do it from the DVD's.

Even now though I'm still finding stuff I forgot to put back, I don't use multiple runtimes either, I use a sub folder system in the main library, that way I only have to back up one runtime and the work flow is also easier than navigating different runtimes!

BluEcho, thefixer,

thanks for your advice, I'll do that too :)

thefixer: what do you mean with "sub folder system in the main library" ?

My ideal situation would be the following:

1. install Vickie3 (or other human figure)
2. install clothing
3. load Vickie3 in Poser6
4. apply clothing (and maybe some props, like guns) to Vickie3 in order to create "my character" for a web comic I'm planning.
5. set morphs (or apply them from another add-on)
6. save the new character
7. put the new character in a folder.. or subfolder system.. like "bad guys/females/Mary (i.e.)

is this possible? If so, what happens in the unfortunate (but always possible..sigh) HD crash ? After reinstalling poser6 (plus content update and SR3) is enough to copy the saved Runtime over the one that the installation program creates in C:program filescurious labPoser6 ?

I just don't want to install (and set) everything then having to start again.. I guess you all can sympathize with this :)....

Thanks for bearing with me, old dog learning new tricks :)

Hello Ragnar, I'll take them one at a time!

1  If I'm doing a story where I'll use a character in more than one image then I will fully texture, clothe and prop that person and then save it to the character library as a complete figure so that next time you want that fully clothed and propped figure you can just get it from the library without having to go through all the adding clothes and conforming stuff all the time.

2  One runtime is all I have with sub folders, I'll explain: Props main folder, I have sub folders called "building props", Weapons props", "clothing props", "furniture props", "external props", "plant props" etc. you get the idea!   I do this with all my main folders, for instance the Pose folder will have sub folders "Mat poses", "M3 Poses", "V3 poses" etc. and then the MAT poses folder is further sub divided into "clothing MATS", "hair MATS" etc.

Poser5 and 6 use standard windows folder hierarchy very well and the work flow in my opinion is greatly enhanced using it in this way because all folders [including subs] can be accessed directly from the little black arrow on the library pallet so finding stuff is really easy.

3  Backing up is easy with this method, simply copy your entire runtime onto an external drive and /or DVD's. If you do get a HD crash like you and I have both had, then all you need do is reinstall Poser, delete the runtime that rthe new install puts there and replace it with your backed up copy, nothing else need be done, it REALLY is that simple!!

Hope that has helped you a bit!  If you need any further info, PM me but It'll be later when I get back to you 'cos I'm in work at the mo'!!    Cheers!

Thanks, thefixer! :thumbupboth:

You are my hero, will write a PM.

Well, I think I will be backing up my Poser libraries then :blink:

Along with all the stuff I have created

I know about hard drive crashes, and is a pain re-installing everything, and trying to REMEMBER what you had.

That could be a GREAT poser utility (hint..hint...merchants) especially for those that are not computer savvy.

And to add to "TheFixers" statement, I rename a lot of folders in my Poser Library, because I tend to find them easier (for example MAT-Morph Fant Dress).  I know exactly what that is instead of (ex Caribbean colors..:huh:).

The biggest thing you should not do is change any of the corresponding geometery or texture files...I learned the hard way on that, and I still have some minor problems...lol

kanshinin,

so I can do what I please inside the "libraries" folder?

no no no!!!!!! Not at all Ragnar, never rename your top level folders, EVER! Folders inside your top level folders yes, fine!! But NEVER, EVER the top level folders!!

That's correct, for example:

You just bought some textures for Paradies Hair

Runtime - Libraries - Pose - "Texture Set II for Paradise Hair"

You could rename it:

Runtime - Libraries - Pose - "MAT - Additional Textures for Paradise Hair" or something similar (as long as there isn't another file with the same name.

The higher level directories, I would not touch as thefixer states. Otherwise you WILL be in a world of hurt. Sorry if I didn't make myself clearer

The fault was mine, I wasn't clear.

I mean that inside my "C:Program FilesCurious LabsPoser 6Runtimelibraries" I could create new folders (working on a comic now) like:

C:Program FilesCurious LabsPoser 6RuntimelibrariesCharacterComics and inside here do what I want..

I don't plan in renaming existing folders.. :)

Don't quote me...whatever you do DONT quote me :biggrin:

I don't think you can create new folders, and have poser read them. For example, there are some folders in my library that do not show up in poser (ex. I have a morphs folder, and a Micro folder). I just created a test folder and it did not show up in Poser

HOWEVER (and I have poser open), there is an option in Poser to "Add a new category", you might want to try that and play around with some simple stuff before committing time to it. I think you have to have Poser recognize that it is a legitimate folder first.  But again, I'm relatively new at this too, so I couldn't say for sure

Good luck