Moving SeaMonkey from one computer to another

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PMSchulz
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Moving SeaMonkey from one computer to another

Post by PMSchulz »

So, I am getting ready to assemble my new computer (When I head home from this remote job) and I want to transfer SeaMonkey straight to the new computer. Now, with MozBackup not working with the latest SeaMonkey build, I have a few options, and would like to see what the best one is, based on what you folks have encountered with doing this. For reference, I am going from 32bit Win 7 Home Premium to 64bit Win 7 Home Premium.

Option 1: Remove HD from old computer, put in external enclosure, copy straight to new computer.
Option 2: Use USB drive to copy SeaMonkey info from old computer and copy to new computer
Option 3: Move files via network sharing to new computer.

Each one has its good and bad parts (Removing HD requires disconnecting comp from power, may have conflicts with new boot. Copying via USB may not get everything. Network sharing may not share all files.) but which is the easiest or overall best option, in the opinion of the group?

EDIT: Forgot to add that I have NoScripts, AdBlock Plus and NewsFox working well, and would like to keep those.
barbaz
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Re: Moving SeaMonkey from one computer to another

Post by barbaz »

Personally the first thing I'd try is create a new profile on the destination machine (but *don't* start SeaMonkey with the new profile just yet), completely quit SeaMonkey on both source and destination machines, then copy the entire profile from the source machine into the newly created profile folder in the destination machine, then start SeaMonkey and see if everything works..

If it does, that should have got everything, except for system-wide installed extensions, and anything that depends on absolute paths inside the profile (or that otherwise don't exist on the new machine) won't work.


(ref: http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile)


Also, this application (documentation) may or may not help you...
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patrickjdempsey
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Re: Moving SeaMonkey from one computer to another

Post by patrickjdempsey »

Errr... not really recommended to transfer the entire profile as there are some path-specific files in the profile as well as data specific to a certain machine. Just directly copying the profile will probably cause problems.
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Transferring_ ... _SeaMonkey

You will have to reinstall your extensions. Some extensions like NoScript you will likely just have to take notes to get it set up the way you want it again. For AdBlock Plus, you can copy over the folder containing your custom filters (if you have any).

USB will be sufficient.
Tip of the day: If it has "toolbar" in the name, it's crap.
What my avatar is about: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/seamonkey/addon/sea-fox/
barbaz
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Re: Moving SeaMonkey from one computer to another

Post by barbaz »

patrickjdempsey wrote:Errr... not really recommended to transfer the entire profile as there are some path-specific files in the profile as well as data specific to a certain machine. Just directly copying the profile will probably cause problems.
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Transferring_ ... _SeaMonkey

Well, if it doesn't work out... no harm done, just delete the messed up profile from inside a profile manager and try again... right?

patrickjdempsey wrote:NoScript you will likely just have to

... go to NoScript Options > Export (the one *on the very bottom* of the Options dialog, so that you export the *whole* config) on the source machine, then NoScript Options > Import (again, the very bottom) on the destination machine, to get it set up the way you had it
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patrickjdempsey
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Re: Moving SeaMonkey from one computer to another

Post by patrickjdempsey »

Haven't we already been through this before?

If he wanted to just blunder into it he wouldn't have come here to ask about it. Why start from broken?
Tip of the day: If it has "toolbar" in the name, it's crap.
What my avatar is about: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/seamonkey/addon/sea-fox/
barbaz
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Re: Moving SeaMonkey from one computer to another

Post by barbaz »

patrickjdempsey wrote:Haven't we already been through this before?

Somewhat, sort of... and the conclusion was this worked for some browser-only profiles but we don't know about profiles where people use other stuff, because I haven't actually try it... :|

And we haven't been through whether you can just delete the copied profile if things go wrong and you're all good...
TPR75
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Re: Moving SeaMonkey from one computer to another

Post by TPR75 »

PMSchulz wrote:I am going from 32bit Win 7 Home Premium to 64bit Win 7 Home Premium.


I'm doing this regularly few times per month (both ways: 32<->64). If you have the same user name for Windows account there is no problem.
1. Just pack entire "Seamonkey" folder in "c:\Users\[user_name]\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\" with e.g. 7-ZIP and copy it to new PC (to some temp/archive folder).
2. Install latest SeaMonkey on new PC and create default profile.
3. Unpack somewhere "Seamonkey" folder from old PC.
4. Copy/Move it to new "Seamonkey" folder (on new PC) and overwrite everything (you can delete everything "new" inside of new "Seamonkey" folder before moving old one).

If you want to move it regularly (like me) then later just move you profile only (not entire "Seamonkey" folder). Just remember to delete "old one" first (overwriting is not an option).
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PMSchulz
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Re: Moving SeaMonkey from one computer to another

Post by PMSchulz »

Thanks for this, folks. I will be reviewing all of this when I get back home.
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therube
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Re: Moving SeaMonkey from one computer to another

Post by therube »

And as far as your listed order, I would choose 3 over 2 over 1.

3. certainly the easiest (Windows "sharing" issues aside)
2. certainly easy, but you've got the physical activity of plugging in, safely removing, plugging in
1. messing with hardware often times ends up being a precipitator of problems
Fire 750, bring back 250.
Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 6.1; en-US; rv:1.9.1.19) Gecko/20110420 SeaMonkey/2.0.14 Pinball CopyURL+ FetchTextURL FlashGot NoScript
TPR75
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Re: Moving SeaMonkey from one computer to another

Post by TPR75 »

therube wrote:And as far as your listed order, I would choose 3 over 2 over 1.

3. certainly the easiest (Windows "sharing" issues aside)


If there is no Gigabit Ethernet already then copying using USB stick (at least 2.0) will be faster... :-"
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PMSchulz
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Re: Moving SeaMonkey from one computer to another

Post by PMSchulz »

Okay, I tried to follow your instructions TPR75, and SeaMonkey on the new computer refuses to recognize the data, and just keeps re-creating the Default profile. Even when I create a profile with the same name, and then copy the folders into that, it just goes to default settings. Am I missing a step?
TPR75
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Re: Moving SeaMonkey from one computer to another

Post by TPR75 »

PMSchulz wrote:Okay, I tried to follow your instructions TPR75, and SeaMonkey on the new computer refuses to recognize the data, and just keeps re-creating the Default profile. Even when I create a profile with the same name, and then copy the folders into that, it just goes to default settings. Am I missing a step?


Hmm... strange. I just tested it by copying entire Seamonkey folder (from AppData\Roaming\Mozilla) to WinXP under VirtualBox and it works. Are you sure you put it in right place?

Hmm... I didn't do it before (one year before) but it was some older version of SeaMonkey and maybe there was no such need. Try to find:
c:\Users\[user_name]\AppData\Local\Mozilla\
There should be "Seamonkey" folder too. Maybe transferring profiles between two Win7 machines you need to copy it too (for the first time only)... Nope! It's not required. Just tested it by copying to Win8.1 Preview under VirtaulBox.

Check again folders where you've copied SeaMonkey folder with profiles.
amrad
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Re: Moving SeaMonkey from one computer to another

Post by amrad »

What I would suggest, is to install SeaMonkey on the new computer, then completely delete the new profile folder, Mozilla, from c:\Users\[user_name]\AppData\Local\Mozilla, then uninstall SeaMonkey from the new computer.

Copy the profile folder, Mozilla, from the old computer and paste it in to c:\Users\[user_name]\AppData\Local\Mozilla, from where you deleted the Mozilla folder on the new computer. Install SeaMonkey again and it should find the 'old' profile and use it as the 'new' profile.

I have done this in the past, on Win XP, when I was updating SeaMonkey but had problems. It worked fine and with no more problems.

Regards,

Dave.
TPR75
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Re: Moving SeaMonkey from one computer to another

Post by TPR75 »

amrad wrote:What I would suggest, is to install SeaMonkey on the new computer, then completely delete the new profile folder, Mozilla, from c:\Users\[user_name]\AppData\Local\Mozilla, then uninstall SeaMonkey from the new computer.


ROAMING. "C:\Users\[user_name]\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla" is place of SeaMonkey folder with "main" profiles. "Local" contains profiles too but they're somehow "helpers" - there is no "pref.js" nor mails (and other important data).
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patrickjdempsey
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Re: Moving SeaMonkey from one computer to another

Post by patrickjdempsey »

TPR75 wrote:Hmm... strange.


Hmmm... strange. I told you guys this method isn't recommended. Just because it works for you doesn't mean it works for everyone. PMSchulz, please see my post above on transferring a profile.
Tip of the day: If it has "toolbar" in the name, it's crap.
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