FFXI from XP -> windows 7

[Keria]

Basically I just got a new pc, and my net isn't fast so I'm not rejoicing at the thought of a fresh install which I know from experience would take a few days to update. I know there is some registry stuff I can do which will let me copy a full updated and playable FFXI from my old PC to the new one by adding registry entries on my new pc to bypass file checks and updates, but all the links/files I've seen are 2+ years out of date, is there a simple way to do this or am I screwed?

[SephYuyX]

Just dont, take the bullet.
It's a hit and miss process, and jumping from XP to 7 makes it even more unstable than it normally is.

I never recommend messing with the reg, even when it's something basic like this. Always do scratch installs with all programs, never take any short cuts. If you try and bring updates from one place or another, it may seem like it's working, but then one day down the road something will mess up and youll wonder whats wrong leading to having to reinstall.

A couple days to update is not going to kill you. Start earlly morning one day, go to school/work, hang out with friends afterwards, come home, go to sleep, wake up the next morning and see it finished.

The reason behind updating/reinstalling an OS is to start anew, dont bring junk over to slow it down, start fresh.

[Pikarya]

start fresh.

do this.

[Stromgarde]

Just do a clean install, or you'll end up regretting it later. Since you should be getting a new hard drive to go with the new OS anyway, you can just slave your old hard drive to pull the updated files off of it. You'll still need to install from disk (which took ~20 minutes on my new computer), but it saves you the agony of attempting to download the update from SE.

[Caiyuo]

I'd say the existing advice is sound considering it's a new OS entirely. When I had to completely reinstall everything went smoothly the first time around including the file check and update, presumably because it wasn't post-maintenance or anything. Took about 8 hours on pretty slow internets and it was dependable enough to leave on while I slept.

If you're still interested in a migration, the Windower Wiki has a guide to do just that under the "Guides" section and as far as I know it is still applicable under 7, but I can't say for certain.

[Kurokikaze]

What I do is copy the 7-10GBs worth of ROM files from FFXI folder and store them on my external. Do fresh install of Windows -> Install FFXI and all expansions -> Dump the ROM folders into new FFXI folder -> let it try to update. It'll check all the files but you'll probably only end up downloading like 300-1000 files.

[Caiyuo]

Thinking about it if were just a matter of saving time on the update, I'd think it'd be plausible to install the game as you normally would so the registry side is safe, and after having the game and all expansions installed, then copy over your XI directory to skip the majority of the update?

Maybe backup the XI directory before overwriting it with your old computer's files just in case things don't work out, though, to save having to entirely reinstall. lol

[SephYuyX]

Chances are a good few of those files arent used any more and are wasting space, better off just doing a full update and getting only the necessary files.

[fishstix]

Unless you're running win xp 64 bit, or you plan on running win7 32bit, it's probably not worth the hassle to try and trick the system into making it work.

[Keria]

balls, thanks anyway

[Xeynaar]

I just did it yesterday. Downloaded the POL client for Vista/7 and installed it + the normal game/expansions. Then copied the old files over the install. Did the filecheck.
Works normally.

(on Win 7 64-bit, btw)

[Caiyuo]

Did you copy over from a Vista 64-bit install or 32-bit XP/Vista/7?

[Xeynaar]

From XP 32-bit. Copied only FFXI game files and POL account files (for macros). Updated POL from the 'net.

[Caiyuo]

Nice, thanks for sharing.

[bungiefan]

The application data (apart from POL Viewer) doesn't change based on the architecture of your OS. Only the registry entry locations and the POL Viewer application are different. You can transplant all the FFXI files without issue, since they'd be the same ones you'd be downloading with the update. All of FFXI's data files, except the applications, are identical for all platforms. The application interprets the data files, not the computer itself, so they use the same DATs for PS2, Xbox 360, and PC.

Registry settings can be safely transplanted as long as you know what to change in the destination. Clean install is helpful for an OS, because it wipes out all the programs you'd install over time and forget about that clutter the Windows directory. Individual programs are transplantable if you have enough knowledge about how they weave into Windows, though running the installer can be the fastest way of setting up the registry data, but then you can copy the settings files and such back over and retain documents and configurations from your last install. I do it all the time, especially since I download all my email since I first got a computer, and like to have a copy on hand without a network connection, and don't want to try to download it all again every time I do my annual Windows install. I pass my updated FFXI folder to friends that join the game to minimize their patching time. It causes no trouble as long as you know what you are doing.