Hi everyone havn't posted in a rendo forum in over 2 years lol. have a couple of questions though I just installed 2.78b already having 2.78a. Now I think I may have misread somewhere but I was expecting it to have its own install and be separate from 2.78a but it appears to have overwritten 2.78a as all my prefs addons etc are all still as they were in 2.78a also had a very lengthy startup with a non responding message as well before 2.78b loaded and ran. I installed from the msi file for 64bit now I am wondering if my original 2.78a program is still there or I can revert back to it, or will I have to reinstall it if I have issues with 2.78b to a separate location? Thanks in advance.

Check your installation directory. I think that all prefs and addons are stored in AppData (Windows) by default, so it's separate from the installation.

Hello incantrix

2.78b will install over 2.78a since they are both 2.78 I am guessing that your settings may have been over written. I would not uninstall anything just re-install 2.78a run it and see if your settings and it runs as you expect it. If it runs normally then perhaps you got a corrupt install file for 2.78b and can try reinstalling it or run 2.78b from a zip file instead and see if it runs normally as you would expect it to run. I know when you are going from verision to another meaning like from 2.77 to 2.78 when the splash screen comes up there is an option to import your settings into the new build I do not recall if the same holds true for updates from one to the next on in the series meaning from 2.78a to 2.78b if you had any error messages that might have shown in the System Console Window might be able to determine where the error might be happening. to toggle System Console Window go to Window click on toggle System Console Window often we can see useful info there that can point to the issue

Hope this helps let us know what happens

Thanks Guys 2.78b loads quickly with no non responding message anymore, after a system restart, It runs without hiccups at all. Although havn't put it through its paces as yet to test speed improvements. If the settings were not kept and passed to 2.78b I would have set it up the same way which was what I was expecting to do. Was more the way I read from the d/l page I thought it was a new build and there fore would leave me a version a and a version b, after looking through it again it appears to be more of an update patch. Which for what it has done would make more sense. So far b runs smoothly and nicely, which being the case I wouldn't need to go back to a, as was only in case there were issues or crashes etc. I've only just recently come back to Blender (last version I used was 2.49) after loosing access to Maya (some places just wont let you take the software with you when you leave lol) So am looking forward to see what I can come up with. Once again thanks guys for the responses.

Hello incantrix I wrote up a tutorial not to long ago on how to set up multiple instances of Blender so you always have a previous version to fall back on if in case some issue or bug in a new version might hamper your work flow you can find it here if you like https://www.renderosity.com/mod/tutorial/?tutorial_id=2915

Just downloaded, though I've never had a need to run more than one instance of Blender, I have had to do it with other software now and then, so always good to know how to do it . . . just in case.

Thanks for the tip!

I have this set up on my PC because so many tutorials do not always transfer from one version to another and with Blenders features and development that progresses so rapidly compared to other software if something is buggy I find this method easier to have set up to fall back on

Thanks for the tip Lobo 2.78B hasn't missed a beat as yet but always handy to know. Like Miss B I do have other software that I have different instances of. And came across that with some of the tutes that were around. And I personally love the idea of how it progresses and the involvement of those that wish to help it progress. And looking at some of the videos about 2.8 that is going to be a big change again lol.

Incantrix

Just when you get 2.78b running 2.78c is about to be released. Blender Developers Meeting Notes - Feb 19th 2017

Yep LOL always the way, Then it is something that I do like about Blender, that it never sits stagnant.

Incantrix