01-05-2015, 05:53 AM | #1 |
Wizard
Posts: 3,720
Karma: 1759970
Join Date: Sep 2010
Device: none
|
migrating to windows 8.1 from windows 7
I am plannng to make the scary attempt of migrating all my book related activity to a new windows 8 PC.
are there any tricks/ traps / tweaks that i need to be aware of when moving calibre & related software from windows 7? specifically. 1. I understand how to copy libraries- I don't anticipate any issues there 2. I understand that if I can have the exact same paths. then a copy of my calibre app data folder should painlessly migrate most if not all plug ins and settings - but can I have the same path names in windows 8 or does it do stuff differently? in win 7 everything is in default locations, user accoutn name is "dad" and I use a single ( unprotected) PC account with admin privileges ( desktop PC never leaves the room, so fairly safe) , but I read thaa win 8 will suggest that I use a microsoft account + password for login and I am thinking that will affect some paths? 3. my full toolkit is calibre 64 bit( updated most weeks) + most used plug ins: open with, kobo extended driver, modify epub, count pages, overdrive sigil ( I am still at 7.2 there- I have no pressing reason to change or upgrade) , ADE ( I still like the old 1.7.2. & I have an installer). - to activate an adobe ID & to preview book edits Kindle for PC ( I don't much fancy the win 8 app for that but hopefully I can download & use a win 7 desktop version installer) any likely issue with that other stuff please ? I shall be trying to stay in desktop mode in win 8 wherever possible, and sticking with my trusty old outlook 2007 for mail/contacts/calendar. I have zero interest in the whole social media / apps / lifestyle integration think, and I prefer the good old paranoid stance of of "the less there is about me on line/ on Microsoft's servers. the safer I am from ID theft, phishing etc." 4. I appreciate that calibre companion will need to know where calibre has gone to but I think I can cope with that OK. I will give the new PC a new static IP on same home network. 5. I suppose at some point I will explore the wonders of one drive as an extra backup option, as i'ts built- in; but I guess ti comes with the same calibre caveats as dropbox & other cloud storage i.e. use it only as a one way backup & don't run calibre operationsinside of it UPDATE - glitch 1. I read that "alf" does not play nice with the new windows 8 Knndle app, so I went looking for a copy the windows 7 kindle for app installer at amazon. can't find it. all download links lead to win 8 version, even though I am browsing from win 7. have emailed amazon for help finding the download. Last edited by cybmole; 01-05-2015 at 06:42 AM. |
01-05-2015, 06:42 AM | #2 |
Grand Sorcerer
Posts: 11,738
Karma: 6997045
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Notts, England
Device: Kobo Libra 2
|
I run calibre on both a W7pro desktop and a W8.1 laptop, sharing the library using Dropbox. Both the library and the configuration directory are in dropbox. The dropbox folder the same path on both machines. I start calibre using a .bat file that sets the CALIBRE_CONFIG_DIRECTORY environment variable then starts calibre. This all works well, keeping in mind the usual caveats about dropbox-shared libraries.
I do not use a microsoft account on my laptop. I tried it and I didn't like it (don't remember why). I never use the "store" so don't miss it. The path to my account (c:\users\charles) is the same on both machines. I can't say whether "Documents" will be the same because I sync mine between computers using my local Synology NAS. FWIW: I use the Win8 tool "Classic Shell". It might not be necessary with Win8.1, but it was a lifesaver with Win8 and I am used to it. I never use the Metro interface. Well, almost never. I do sometimes run the Freda ebook reader in it with my laptop converted to a tablet. EDIT: for Kindle for PC, I downloaded the installer from http://www.amazon.com/gp/kindle/pc/download and ran it in desktop mode. It created the normal folders in documents. I downloaded a book from my amazon library and it appears where it was supposed to. I added it to my library and the Alf plugins did their thing without problem. Last edited by chaley; 01-05-2015 at 06:56 AM. |
Advert | |
|
01-05-2015, 09:35 AM | #3 |
Wizard
Posts: 3,720
Karma: 1759970
Join Date: Sep 2010
Device: none
|
thanks - every snipped of info is helpfu.
'ts a dell PC with win 8 pre-loaded, as I wanted the security of a 3 year wec ome to you & fix it warranty, & they don'e sell win 7 any more. it should arrive later today. If I really don't get on with win 8 though , I have been planning how to put in a 2nd hard drive & load win 7 onto that, then create a dual boot option. looks a bit hairy but doable - once I get my head around UEFI, smart boot vs legacy ,& other obstacles. I spend most of last night bookparking potentially useful "how to do it" articles. PS I worked around the amazon kindle for PC installer issue. I used the email me a link option. the email arrives sayign "open this think on your tablet or phone" but when I opened it on my win 7 PC is gave me the correct download page. also, it seems that the llogin for xbox live which I set up ages ago, is considered to me a microsoft account. Do I may set up the new PC with that initially, asit is not used anywherer else, then change to a local account later. what I really want the PC to do when switched on, or woken from sleep, is go straight into windows with no log on screen, like my windows 7 PC does, but I am not sure if that is possible ? I will go read about the CALIBRE_CONFIG_DIRECTORY variable while I am waiting . the recent thread about latest version of calibre not installing on someone's win 8 PC was scary this one: "After beginning the installation,it halts with a message that it cannot be installed on this system...error 2502 and error 2503. " but I assume that it is fine for the other 99.99% of users or I'd be seeing more such threads Last edited by cybmole; 01-05-2015 at 09:39 AM. |
01-05-2015, 01:22 PM | #4 |
Deviser
Posts: 2,265
Karma: 2090983
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Texas
Device: none
|
I have 2 Win7 laptops and 2 Win8.1 desktops, and I was rescued when I starting using Win8.1 by these replacements/enhancements:
I do not use the Microsoft online account et al as my userID or password on Win8.1. The setup tries to trick and/or coerce you into it, but you can "just say no" if you try. One of my Win8.1s is an all-in-one with a touchscreen. If you have one, I can also recommend Touch Mouse Pointer from http://www.lovesummertrue.com/touchm.../download.html . DaltonST |
01-05-2015, 01:48 PM | #5 |
Wizard
Posts: 3,720
Karma: 1759970
Join Date: Sep 2010
Device: none
|
many thanks - freefile sync is already in my repertoire for calibre backups ( mirrors)
I will check out theoother stuff. I am thinking I too will resist adding a microsoft account to begin with. the PC has arrived but I've not tried it yet.will tackle the initial setup tomorrow but way not migrate my book elated stuff for some time yet. I see that I have no windows media disks, just the dell service tags, so 1st priority will be to get a system image onto an external drive. No COA sticker , like with win 7, just a holographic win 8 icon sticker. I guess dell put the win 8 keys in the bios somewhere, but I don't see how you'd recover from a hard disk failure without having some recovery media to reinstall from ? I have found all the dell win 7 drivers for this model at dell site thoguh so if I make a dual boot then i have what I'll need. I have no plans for a touch screen monitor - not after years of trying to remove accidental smears , fingermarks & budgie droppings - no way do I want anything that gets fingered!. ( PS after buying all sorts of screen cleaner crap that did not work, i discovered Apple IKlear - wonderful stuff ror monitors & TVS |
Advert | |
|
01-05-2015, 02:59 PM | #6 | |
Wizard
Posts: 2,082
Karma: 8796704
Join Date: Jun 2010
Device: Kobo Clara HD,Hisence Sero 7 Pro RIP, Nook STR, jetbook lite
|
Quote:
bernie |
|
01-05-2015, 03:37 PM | #7 |
Resident Curmudgeon
Posts: 73,931
Karma: 128903250
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts
Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3
|
You do not need to run Windows 7. Just install Classic Shell and you'll have your desktop back. Also, do not download and install any win 8 programs that have anything to do with eBooks. They don't generally work the same as the desktop versions and the DRM removal tools won't with Windows 8 versions. Go for the Windows 7/Desktop versions and you'll be good to go.
|
01-05-2015, 03:39 PM | #8 | |
Ex-Helpdesk Junkie
Posts: 19,422
Karma: 85397180
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity
Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)
|
There is no need to set the CALIBRE_CONFIG_DIRECTORY variable, no user programs use the same exact path. They look for things in the following dynamic path:
Code:
%APPDATA% Code:
%APPDATA%\calibre Code:
%USERPROFILE% Just move the old calibre-config folder from the old computer into the %APPDATA% folder of the new computer, which should be, on both computers, "C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\" ALL settings will transfer, except perhaps the location of your libraries. Those are hardcoded in the configuration data, calibre will be unable to find them if you have a different path, and calibre will popup a message saying it is gone and please select the new location if you have moved it. Or just re-add them manually. Or if they were located on a second hard drive, just make sure the external drive is mounted to the old drive letter (I would manually assign one on general principle). Quote:
|
|
01-05-2015, 04:29 PM | #9 | ||
Grand Sorcerer
Posts: 11,738
Karma: 6997045
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Notts, England
Device: Kobo Libra 2
|
Quote:
Quote:
|
||
01-05-2015, 09:35 PM | #10 |
null operator (he/him)
Posts: 20,565
Karma: 26954694
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Sydney Australia
Device: none
|
@cybmole - some useful stuff here ==>> How to keep the Windows 8.1 Modern UI out of your way
FWIW : I have the config and temp data at C:\_Calibre\Config and C:\_Calibre\Temp respectively and the related environment variables set permanently to those locations. I use GoodSynch (similar to FFS) to replicate C:\_Calibre\ on my city machine to a secure commercial FTP server, from there it gets replicated to my country machine at boot up. Essentially it's what chaley does with Dropbox, I've been using the FTP service since the late '80s, it's never dropped a byte, I can only recall one prolonged outage - about ½ a day. BR |
01-06-2015, 12:20 AM | #11 | |
Wizard
Posts: 3,720
Karma: 1759970
Join Date: Sep 2010
Device: none
|
Quote:
Do I have permanenly swich to legacy bios option for that though,and do i then lose fast boot up in 8? Re tools, yes I have desktop verion of kindle pc and previous versions of ade good to go,I would not want the w8 kindle app,I dont read in k, it just a vehicle for getting amazon freebies into calibre. |
|
01-06-2015, 12:31 AM | #12 | |
Wizard
Posts: 3,720
Karma: 1759970
Join Date: Sep 2010
Device: none
|
Quote:
|
|
01-06-2015, 02:09 AM | #13 | |
Grand Sorcerer
Posts: 11,738
Karma: 6997045
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Notts, England
Device: Kobo Libra 2
|
Quote:
I have restored failed drives from backup and dropbox did the right thing, updating the old install with new data from the cloud. However, if when restoring a system you are concerned about having the old data become current, simply restore with the network disconnected, uninstall dropbox and delete its folder, then reconnect and reinstall it. |
|
01-06-2015, 03:05 AM | #14 | |
Ex-Helpdesk Junkie
Posts: 19,422
Karma: 85397180
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity
Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)
|
Quote:
Regarding migration to a new computer, there is zero need and you are making it more complicated than it needs to be. The mere act of migrating to a new computer does not require sharing it across both computers, and the likeliness of cybmole needing to do so for any length of time is an arbitrary value of likely that you have assumed. We have described two different approaches, and your claim that I am "wrong" is a bit much. (On a side note -- no environment variables needed if Dropbox is merely full of symlinks to stuff that should be synced.) |
|
01-06-2015, 04:21 AM | #15 | |
Wizard
Posts: 3,720
Karma: 1759970
Join Date: Sep 2010
Device: none
|
Quote:
I have backups everywhere also, I think I will stick with local folder on 2nd drive as primary then drop box as a secondary backup, and as an access route for tablet when PC is off. the new win 8 PC seems to work OK. I immediately took a system image onto a portable harddrive, ( ~30Gb) & was all set to make the system repair DVD to go with it - I had the dvd & the box labelled even - then I found you can't do that anymore, it has to be to a 8gb+ USB on which all current data will be lost, so actions are on hold until I get one of those. I make lists of current software but over the years I have accumulated dozens of itsy-bitsy utilites & it's going to take ages to workout where they all came from and whether I still need them. so probably a themed migration : all book related stuff, all music related stuff, all video related stuff, all browsing related stuff.... my old office 2007 installed OK, which was comforting- I have no desire to have to learn what a new fanged mess may have been made of word & excel! the excellent free Ninite ( one I prepared earlier) did it's thing also and added firefox, chrome, & a bunch of utilities for me |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Copying Library to Windows from Linux (or other Windows installation) | grumbles | Calibre | 10 | 01-08-2015 02:45 PM |
Moving Calibre Library from Windows 7 to Windows 8 - json code issue | DramaQueenLucy | Devices | 14 | 11-12-2013 11:47 AM |
Troubleshooting Installing W4PC (windows 7 version) on a Windows 8 PC | BBumbler | Amazon Kindle | 9 | 10-03-2013 06:58 PM |
Hack Windows XP Home into Windows XP Pro | Colin Dunstan | Lounge | 1 | 06-01-2005 03:23 PM |