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how to migrate and upgrade from 2.01 to 4.x
 
#1
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I need to migrate my mailboxes to a new computer and also upgrade fr om the Bat 2.01 to 4.x. What is the best way to go about this?

I thought:

1. copy the mailfolders, addressbooks and config-files to the new place
2. install the Bat 2.01 on the new pc.
3. start the Bat, point it to the new working-directory.
4. recreate the accounts one by one using the old names and hope, it will recognize the settings.
5. test everything
6. upgrade to 4.x

It worked more or less, but there are some problems where I need help.

a) The Bat always forgets the settings for one account (actually the one I use most, with more than 300.000 mails). When I shut The Bat and restart it, I can't fetch mails, because server and username (and probably also password?) are garbled. Then I fill in the correct data, can fetch mails and when I close the Bat, the settings get lost again. This happens only with this one account, as far as I have seen until now.


b) When I close the Bat, there is always a Windows sound, like there is an error. There is no error message, but int thebat_Exeptions.log there are messages like

Code
Date: 03 Feb 2011 19:49:37
OS: Windows XP Service Pack 3 build 2600
PhysMemFreeTotal: 329/511 MB
VirtMemFreeTotal: 1964/2047 MB
Address: 0052ACF8
ClassName: EDosStreamError
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\juttazalud\ACCOUNT.HIS" Falscher Parameter
IsOSException: 0
Modules: 
00400000 20110111045700 C:\Programme\The Bat!\thebat.exe
Stack:


many of those - and the logfile is already 300 KB big.

Then I noticed, that I hade two Bat icons in my start-menue. I checked in settings - systemsettings - software and saw, that also two the Bat versions were installed! One called "the Bat" (apparantly the older one) and one Bat 4.42. I removed the older one (with windows - system -software - remove) and then did a repair installation with the other one. It did not accept the working directory (claiming it was used for another account) but then I could install it and it also could read my mails.

But, the problem with the lost transport settings remains. The problem with the error sound, too. And as new problem, it has forgotten the registration. (But I know, wh ere I have a backup of the registration, so this is a lesser problem.)

Any suggestions what I should make differently, when I try it again?

PS: One more strange thing: After I had removed the "old" Bat Version from systemsettings - software, all versions have now disappeared from there - but The Bat 4.2.42 is still in my program-folder, in the startmenue, in the registry, and it works. (more or less, with the problems described above)
Edited: jutta zalud - 03 February 2011 21:51:49
 
 
 
#2
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I would suggest i) Backup ii) install old version of The Bat! on new PC iii) Restore from backup iv) Upgrade
 
 
 
#3
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Well, in the meantime I have copied the mailfolders to the new pc again, removed all traces of the Bat 4.2.42 and then installed the old version again. Worked like a charm. Now I'm not sure, if I should try the upgrade again or just leave it. Or maybe upgrade to an intermediate version first. Are there any versions that are known to be easier than others?

As to backups: I copy the complete mail-directory to a backup-disk (automatically, every two hours). In my experience this is more reliable than the built-in backup - at least with older versions.
 
 
 
#4
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It should be no problem whatsoever to upgrade v4 on top of v2. V4 should recognize v2 and should upgrade the config files and message base files to the format used by the new version.
There should be no problem with doing that. If you'd really wanted to be sure, you could use v3 as a step in between, but there's no reliable source for v3 anymore (Ritlabs being the only reliable source and they haven't got it on line anymore) However it shouldn't be necessary.
Your method to back-up is better than the internal back-up, the internal back-up was a tad unreliable for v1 and v2. Furthermore, due to the differences in message base format, back-ups created by v4.0 and older can't be restored by v4.1 and up. I can't remember whether there was a similar issue between v2 and v3, but the config file changed drastically, so I don't think that would have been a succes.
The disadvantage of your method is you'll copy old style config files too, as the conversion doesn't delete those.
Another advantage of a back-up and restore is that it'll compact your address book.
__________________________________
I'm just a user of The Bat! I don't work for Ritlabs.
 
 
 
#5
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Hmm. I had posted my reply several times now, but somehow it doesn't show up. There is also no error message. I just get an empty reply form after hitting the "Reply" key or the "View" key.
 
 
 
#6
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As the testreply worked, I'll try to post my original reply again and split it in several postings. Maybe it was just too long.

Thank you for reassuring me :) In fact I have upgraded the Bat several times already on different machines and it worked without problems most of the times. Just don't know, what went wrong and what I can do to prevent problems the next time.

Some things that are special: It is my oldest installation, so there may still be config-files from v. 1.x around. It is huge (17 accounts with between some dozens and over 300000 mails). The OS is Win XP pro (my other installtions are Win XP home and Win 7) and the OS runs in a Virtualbox on a Linux machine. The working directory is on a shared folder (which is treated by Windows like a network folder). But I have had working directories on different harddisks or on different places in the network before.  

> The disadvantage of your method is you'll copy old style config files too, as the conversion doesn't delete those.

Maybe that's part of the problem. Presently (with v.2) I have the following files in my working directory (I omitted the actual account direcotries)
 
 
 
#7
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Code
-rwx------  1 jutta jutta    771  6. Jan 2010  COLORS.INI
-rwx------  1 jutta jutta  10912  9. Jan 2010  CONFIG.CDB
drwxr-xr-x  2 jutta jutta   4096  2. Feb 21:09 dictionaries
-rwx------  1 jutta jutta 149024  3. Dez 20:57 Events.CFG
-rw-rw-rw-  1 jutta jutta     27  4. Feb 06:58 GROUPS.CFG
-rwx------  1 jutta jutta  20712 26. Jun 2007  IntermCA.ABD
-rwx------  1 jutta jutta  18424  5. Sep 2007  partnerinnen1.ABD
-rwx------  1 jutta jutta  18580 25. Jun 2003  partnerinnen.ABD
-rwx------  1 jutta jutta    278  1. Sep 2006  PGP.INI
-rwx------  1 jutta jutta   1572 29. Nov 2003  PRINT.INI
-rwx------  1 jutta jutta   1013 19. Jul 2007  pubring.pgp
-rwx------  1 jutta jutta 259048 24. Jan 2008  RootCA.ABD
-rwx------  1 jutta jutta   1211 19. Jul 2007  secring.pgp
-rwx------  1 jutta jutta     29 30. Jan 2003  SmartBat.INI
-rwx------  1 jutta jutta    100 17. Aug 2003  SmartBat.TXT
-rwx------  1 jutta jutta    282 26. Jan 2007  SMIME.INI
-rwx------  1 jutta jutta   1024  2. Feb 18:54 smimernd.bin
drwxr-xr-x  2 jutta jutta   4096  2. Feb 21:09 Speller
-rwx------  1 jutta jutta    151  9. Apr 2006  TBPlugin.INI
-rwx------  1 jutta jutta 177660 25. Jan 22:19 TheBat.ABD
drwx------  2 jutta root    4096  3. Feb 21:34 Trash
-rwx------  1 jutta jutta  29728  1. Jan 2004  werbung.ABD
jutta@bf:~/win-email$


Which of those won't be necessary after upgrading to v4? Which can I savely delete?

remark: the boardsoftware apparently doesn't like German umlauts.
Edited: jutta zalud - 04 February 2011 10:16:11
 
 
 
#8
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Whithin the account-folders I have the following config files:

Code
-rw-rw-rw-  1 jutta jutta     4360  3. Feb 21:44 ACCOUNT.CFG
-rwx------  1 jutta jutta  3052576  4. Feb 06:58 ACCOUNT.FLB
-rwx------  1 jutta jutta   709503  8. Dez 2003  ACCOUNT.FLX
-rwx------  1 jutta jutta    97626  4. Feb 06:58 ACCOUNT.HIS
-rwx------  1 jutta jutta 10239843  4. Feb 06:25 ACCOUNT.LOG
-rw-rw-rw-  1 jutta jutta    12784  4. Feb 06:58 ACCOUNT.M_D
-rw-rw-rw-  1 jutta jutta   282093  4. Feb 06:58 ACCOUNT.M_R
-rwx------  1 jutta jutta    12288 24. Dez 05:09 ACCOUNT.QTN
-rwx------  1 jutta jutta     1024  4. Feb 06:58 ACCOUNT.RND
-rwx------  1 jutta jutta       41 12. Feb 2004  ACCOUNT.SCE
-rwx------  1 jutta jutta      101  1. Aug 2002  ACCOUNT.SRT
-rwx------  1 jutta jutta    29296 29. Jan 21:55 ACCOUNT.SRX


I thought that there might be permission issues, as the Bat working directory is actually on a linux (ext 3) partition. But VirtualBox should take care of that and the user is the same under Linux and Windows. Virtualbox runs under the user "jutta" and has owner's rights in this folder. So there *should* be no problem.

> you could use v3 as a step in between, but there's no reliable source for v3 anymore (Ritlabs being the only reliable source and they haven't got it on line anymore)

They have *some* old versions on thire German website: http://www.ritlabs.com/de/products/thebat/archive_versions/

If I use versions from unreliable sources I would first try it in an extra VirtualBox. (That's one of the big advantages of virtual machines. You just lose time, no data.)

I'll try another upgrade tonight and let you know how it worked anf if there were any issues.
 
 
 
#9
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Curiously enough my reply did not post either.  For what it's worth, here it is (if it posts!)

I personally have never had problems with backup and restore going back to v1.8 if my memory serves me correctly, but the important thing is keep the processes of migrating to another PC and upgrading entirely separate (although I normally run a backup before upgrading, just in case there is a problem).
 
 
 
#10
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In the mail directory no file types have been changed, though there are some extra files.
In the account directory the .cfg has been replaced for a .cfn, the .flx has ben replaced by .flb (was done in v2, as you can deduce by the time stamp of your .flx), .qtn became .qtb, .srt became .srx in v2 and became .srb in v3.
That's how things stand in v5 (I'm currently running a v5 beta, but I don't think anything has changed since v4.1)
Now that I mention v4.1 the actual message base chnged with that version: the messages.tbx got replaced by a messages.tbn (that's why backups from 4.0 aren't compatible with 4.1 and up)
__________________________________
I'm just a user of The Bat! I don't work for Ritlabs.
 
 
 
#11
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Update.

I made a backup (actually more than just one)

Then upgraded to v 3.99 - no problem, worked perfectly.

Then upgrade to v.4.2.42. It started with a warning that I should first make a backup. Done already. Then the installation.
Then another warning that the database indices were going to be changed and I could still make a backup. OK. Then it took some time, upgrading als the indices. And when it was finished there came a warning, that an index-file of an older version had been found. And I should see that this never happened again because it could damage the database. The error message (in German) is here http://www1.netzwerklabor.at/gallery/view_photo.php?set_albumName=album57&id=thebat_07

At the moment it seems to work (I have note yet done much testing), but there is always that bumping sound when I exit and there are long error messages in the exception log.

If I knew which the offending file was, I would remove it, but I don't know which one it is.

Concerning the backup: The built-in backup worked for the small accounts, but not for the big one. It always stoppen after half the files, saying a writing error had occured. (I tried several times.) There is plenty of space. So I have now idea, what it complains about. (But I remember that I had this problem before.)
 
 
 
#12
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in the Exception.log I find messages saying there is a writing error (Schreibfehler) and a wrong parameter and the files it complains about seem to bee all Account.CFN, plus Groups.cfg and ACCOUNT.HIS


Code
root@bf:/home/jutta/win-email# grep Schreibfehler thebat_Exceptions.log 
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\Andreas\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\aon\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\chat-support\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\Inode\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\jutta\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\Jutta Zalud\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\jzalud-inode\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\jz-hotze\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\meinung\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\monika\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\queerdenken\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\TR\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\uni\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\Andreas\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\aon\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\chat-support\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\Inode\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\jutta\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\Jutta Zalud\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\jzalud-inode\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\jz-hotze\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\meinung\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\monika\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\queerdenken\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\TR\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\uni\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\GROUPS.CFG" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\juttazalud\ACCOUNT.HIS" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\juttazalud\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\juttazalud\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\Andreas\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\aon\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\chat-support\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\Inode\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\jutta\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\Jutta Zalud\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\juttazalud\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\jzalud-inode\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\jz-hotze\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\meinung\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\monika\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\queerdenken\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\TR\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\uni\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\Andreas\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\aon\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\chat-support\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\Inode\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\jutta\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\Jutta Zalud\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\juttazalud\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\jzalud-inode\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\jz-hotze\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\meinung\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\monika\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\queerdenken\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\TR\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\uni\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\Account.CFN" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\GROUPS.CFG" Falscher Parameter
Message: Schreibfehler "E:\win-email\juttazalud\ACCOUNT.HIS" Falscher Parameter
root@bf:/home/jutta/win-email#
 
 
 
#13
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An upd ate and still looking for advice:

I think that I have found, why the Bat was complaining that there was an older version installed after the newer one (see # 11 above): There were a few folders from copied from my laptop in the desktop's mailfolder.

So I started over with a completely fresh installation:

* installed Windows XP (plus Clamwin, POPfile and Firefox, no other software).
* Then made a fresh mailfolder, copied over my the account folders and the address-books from my backup, taking care that there were no MESSAGES.TBN in any folder an no config-files in the mail-folder.
* Installed The Bat 2.0.1. (That's the version I have on the old machine.) Tested it. worked fine. Made another backup of my mailfolder and a Snapshot of the Windows VM.
* Upgraded to v. 4.2.42. There was no error message. Just the usual warning that I should stop to make a backup before the index-files would be converted.

* Everything looked quite fine and it's now working. But: When I close The Bat, there is still that error sound and there are still lots of lines in the Excepteion log.

So I looked around and found 2 things:

a) Some of the .TBI had not been converted to .TBN (approximately 50 out of over 1000)
b) In the Windows - settings - software list, there were again 2 entries, one called "The Bat!" with a size of 16,91 MB and the other called "The Bat! Home v.4.2.42 with a size of 15,63 MB.

So apparently the installer had not only missed some of the MESSAGE-indexes but also missed to correctly remove the old version. This seems to be reproducable - at least on this system, as I had already seen those two lines a few days ago, when I tried to upgrade. But this time it was a completely fresh install.

I could remove the .TBI files manually and reimport the messages but I have no idea, how I can get rid of the two entries in Windows - se ttings - software. I'd really appreciate your ideas and advice.
Edited: jutta zalud - 10 February 2011 15:19:25
 
 
 
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