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Sunday 3 August 2008

Move your WatchDirectory Install to another Computer

This post shows how you can move your WatchDirectory install to another computer, making sure all settings and tasks are the same.

This post is also available in German language / Blog auf Deutsch lesen

On the old computer

All your settings and tasks are stored in the WatchDirectory Task Directory. So basically, you need to copy that to the new computer.

Stop all your WatchDirectory tasks
Stop the "System.Mail" component (wdPostman program)
Select the menu "Tools -> Explore Task Directory"
This will open Windows Explorer in your task directory, which normally is
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\watchDirectory
ZIP the above directory, including all sub-directories

If you use the "Automatically Run a Batch File" or "Automatically Run a VBS script" tasks, you should also copy the required scripts.

On the new computer

Install WatchDirectory and run the Control Center once so it will setup the task directory.
Make sure all tasks (if any) are stopped.
Select the menu "Tools -> Explore Task Directory"
Exit the WatchDirectory Control Center
UNZIP the archive of the old computer

How to run...

The above will have made all your tasks available on the new computer. However, the "How to run..." settings are not effective yet. For example, if your task was set to run as a Windows Service on the old computer, the new computer will not have a service for this task yet. Also, if your task was set to run from the Windows "startup menu", it will not yet appear on the Windows menu.

To correct the above, edit each task, change the "How to run..." setting to something else and press OK. Edit the task again and change the "how to run" setting back to the original setting.

Windows Services

If your task ran as a Windows Service on the "old computer" and you configured it to run as another user (not the default "LocalSystem" user) you must redo that setup again on the "new computer".

Your License Info

Your license key is not transferred, you will need to enter it again. Look for an email with the subject "Your permanent registration key for watchDirectory" in your email client. Alternatively, visit this page to have it emailed to you again.