Installing Studio to Thumb Drive - Possible?
zombiewhacker
Posts: 683
I've plumb run out of drive space but I'd like to install the latest public beta version of Studio just the same. Is it possible to DIM the public beta to an external drive so I can launch it off a flash drive whenever I need it? If so, what would be the steps involved?
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If it works, and I haven't tested it myself, it shouldn't be any more complicated than setting your application directory to the thumb drive in DIM, I would think.
Yes you can. When I was working with a laptop with limited internal harddrive space, I installed DS and content to a thumbdrive with no issues.
The only thing I would suggest is that you boot up with the thumbdrive already plugged in. You also want to lock the thumbdrive to a specific drive letter in Windows. This way it won't shift around with each boot and break your links.
USB flash drive, MEGA/Dropbox/GDrive or any Cloud storage mounted locally with Raidrive for example, external or internal SATA/SDD drives, etc.
Doesn't matter where you install anything and/or DAZ. What matters is only that the storage medium, on which DAZ is stored on, is available when you start the app.
Thank you. Also what steps are required to do it right the first time? I'd like to do a straight installation from DIM if possible.
Plug your thumbdrive in.
Run "Disk Management." Depending on your system settings, you may have to run this as Admin.
Right click on the thumbdrive and select "Change Drive Letter..."
Select a drive letter that won't potentially interfere with other drives you might plug in. I usually default to the R - T range.
Proceed with the DIM installation by pointing DIM's installation directories to the thumbdrive.
OK, remapped thumb drive to R.
Opened DIM. I assume I'm supposed to make changes in Installation under Advanced Settings, but here I'm not sure which sections I'm supposed to alter (Manifest Archive, 64 Bit Software Base, etc.)
Also when changing DIM's settings to R: does there need to be a preexisting directory subfolder structure as well? (R:/Users/Public Documents...example.)
Yes, under Advanced is where you find the directory details.
I do create a couple of sub-directories on the thumb drive, to keep things clean.
I make "32", "64", "Manifest," "Database" and "Content" directory.
Under Advanced, go to the Applications tab (furthest left). If DS is listed here, delete it. There may be two entries.
Under the Installation tab, enter the Manifest / 32 / 64 directories in the first three lines. Enter the Database directory in the Content Database Base line.
Enter the Content directory in the bottom panel.
You don't need to change anything in the Downloads tab unless you are moving where DIM downloads your packages to.
Okay, almost there...
Deleted DAZ entries under Applications. Manifest, 64 bit, and 32 bit paths have been reset to their R: drive equivalents (under Installation). Content database base path changed to R://Database. As for Content, I created a new Content path shortcut at the bottom of Installation, set it to R://Content, then switched the radio button just above (Content Path Shortcuts) from Recommended Daz... to R://Content.
Before I fire this baby up, does that all sound about right?
Yep. That's how I would set it up if I were in your shoes.
You don't need to be nervous about it though, nothing is going to break.
The worst that could happen is DS doesn't run. Then you just start DIM, uninstall DS, and see where the error is.
Well, the good news is the installation worked and I can open Beta 4.2xxx now.
The bad news is that now neither Studio (on C:) nor beta Studio (on R:) recognize any of my previously installed content. The only thing that shows up under Products is L (for Local User). Products was fully populated before. Also DIM no longer sees any of my previously installed content either. The one thing that shows up under Installed is the aforementioned beta Studio.
So, in the end, it may not have broken anything, at least permanently, but right now it's doing a pretty good impersonation.
Did you uninstall everything that was associated with the previous installation or is it still there?
If you didn't uninstall it, then your original DS installation should still see it all. Nothing should have changed inside DS.
Having DIM see two seperate installations should, theoretically, work, but it isn't going to be a simple thing. (I wasn't aware that you were keeping the old DS installation and should have asked about that.)
It might seem like a disaster, but it really isn't.
First step... Go into your original DS installation and make sure that you can see the old content even if it doesn't appear in DIM. If you don't see it, and you haven't uninstalled it all, point the Content Library directories back to the original location(s).
Second step... (This isn't one I really recommend.) Go into your beta DS installation and point it towards the old content directories. In other words, repeat what you did for the other DS installation.
Alternate second step... Leave the beta pointing to the thumbdrive. Find the archives to the content that you want to install. Manually unzip these and place the directories into the beta's content library directories. This will keep your content separate between the standard release and the beta.
Third step... This is probably the hardest bit. Putting the DIM directories back to what they were before the beta install started. DIM should forget that the beta was installed and proceed as if nothing happened. The biggest issue will be putting the directories back exactly the way they were.
In the past I've installed an official release Studio and a beta Studio side by side with no issues. The difference is, back then they were installed to the same content directory and drive. Likely the snag this time is my full release (and all installed content) are on one drive and my beta is installed on another, and that's throwing everything off. (DIM keeps prompting me to install PostGgre SQL even though it's already installed -- only right now it's not working with my old version of Studio either. Yikes.)
Anyways... after attempting some of your other suggestions to no avail, I finally decided to simply uninstall the beta and go back to square one. Now if I can only get DIM pointed back in the right direction, maybe I can uninstall my old version of Studio and Postgre SQL -- then reinstall them (I kept the old zips.)
Getting DIM sorted is another matter, as you've said. Ideally, DIM should have a Restore to Defaults button, but apparently it doesn't.
Sorry that this has gotten more complicated then it should be.
DIM is, well, dim. That's a topic for another time.
I don't know your set up, so I have to guess here... Are you installing your content to the directory that DIM defaults to? Usually something under My Documents or My... ?
If you are, I would suggest avoiding that. You will have fewer headaches if you set up a separate content directory. Reason; you avoiid all of the additional conditions that Windows puts on "User" directories. Anything with those "My" prefixes are considered User directories.
You should also not have an issue with having content and DS on multiple drives.
On my desktop, I have DS installed on my C drive, which is an SSD.
I have my Base content directory also installed on C. These are things that I access often or are resource intensive.
All other content is installed on my D drive, which is a standard HDD.
I've never installed a beta at the same time as a standard installation though. I've uninstalled my standard to try out beta, but those are extreme situations.
No problem, Jason, I appreciate all your help. And the good news is it did work -- you can boot Studio from a flash drive. But it's an approach best suited to doing a clean install on a computer new to Daz, not an old laptop like mine cluttered with DAZ directories all over the place.
Also this little hiccup has finally induced me to start shopping for a new, faster computer. Once that's a done deal, I'm one fresh DAZ install away from restored sanity.
In the meantime, if anyone lurking on this thread could please post a screenshot of DIM's Advanced Settings Installation tab (at default settings), I'll at least be able to clean things up here and keep this laptop handy as an emergency backup.
It's refreshing to hear that there is a postive result to the chaos.
One thing that I've learned the hardway... It's a good idea to periodically uninstall everything DAZ, clean up all of the temporary directories, then do a clean install. It's one of the reasons I create my own directories for everything; I don't have to go hunting for as many hidden directories.
I've also gotten to the point where I am very selective about what I "permenantly" install. Then I systematically install the temporary items so that I can uninstall them after a project is done. This makes it a lot easier to keep a clean content library.
Still shopping for a new PC, but in the meantime I was able to restore Studio on my laptop. DIM, thankfully, has a restore to defaults button (click on gear, then Basic Setttings if I remember correctly). The other issue was resolved by uninstalling, then reinstalling Postgre SQL. Now DIM sees all my content and Studio thankfully can now load it. Simple resolution once you know it, not so much when you don't.