How to save MSTS please?

[pcohen]

Good morning everybody, hope your all well.

I have often wondered what is the best way to save MSTS please? I have it Istalled as 1MSTS In Drive C:.

I actually have 2 External Hard drives for saving my Own and my Wifes games etc. etc.

I also have another 3 External Hard Drives for storing new Routes and Trainsets that I have created myself.

I find that my main 6TB External Hard is capable of storing the Default MSTS with all it's default Routes and Rolling Stock.

Also In the Past it has contained 10 additional Routes (Currently, only 4 in use).

Normally, if I have to do a complete new Installation of MSTS, I Install a fresh/saved version of the Default MSTS with it's default Routes and Rolling Stock + Global Copy and then overwrite it with my latest MSTS Copy with it's additional new Routes and additional new Rolling Stock.

I have never known a better way to save MSTS, BUT You Guys on the forums may know better.

Hope I am not being a pain as usual?

Many thanks

Paul.

[ossie]

Are you actually still using MSTS Paul or have you moved to ORTS? The impression I get reading a lot of your posts is you are using ORTS (posting ORTS logs for Ged etc). If you are actually jumping back and forth between the 2 sims possibly that's where some of the confusion comes from for you and us. If you are still using MSTS, please let me know and I'll move this thread to the MSTS forum.

[pcohen]

Hi Ossie, only the One sim, ORTS which runs MSTS.

My question was for saving purposes only.

Thanks

Paul.

[crstagg]

Paul, As usual you are not clear about what you are asking. What exactly do you mean by "save MSTS"? Do you want to save MSTS from obscurity from lack of interest? Do you want to save a copy of an MSTS install? Do you want to save an Activity during a run? Or do you want to same MSTS from eternal damnation?

I can't help you with either the first or the last choices above. As for the second, there are many options depending on what hardware you have available. The third save can be answered with "F2".

Update:
After posting I see you have updated your post and it is clearer that you are referring to saving a copy of an MSTS install.

On my internal SSD I have the following installs as sub-folders of a main folder named Trains: 1) Main MSTS (regular MSTS install plus all the routes I have downloaded that do not require a Mini-install) 2) MSTS-Test (regular MSTS ready to test newly downloaded route.) 3) ORTS-Test (MSTS folder structure for testing newly downloaded ORTS only routes/rolling stock.) 4) ConBuilder Beta (Regular MSTS install with rolling stock containing known errors for testing new versions of ConBuilder) (Yes, I am no longer working with the ConBuilder team but I still have that install) 5-7) ORTS Installs I have used to help beta test routes and rolling stock from various creators. 8-16) Installs for MSTS and ORTS routes requiring a mini-install.

I maintain on an External SSD multiple versions of MSTS/ORTS installs which help with creating new installs on my internal SSD. One is what you would get from running the MSTS Install W/O the routes from the CDs and then adding MSTS Bin. The second is a complete MSTS install from the CDs, plus Bin, and all the xtracks, ScaleRail, etc tracks. The third install I keep is more specific to my interest i.e. USA railroads. It is an "ORTS" install MSTS folders w/o the "MSTS files" but with the Trains/Trainset folder populated with the same files as the MSTS Main install.

On a regular external HD I have copies of install #1,2,3, and 8-16 from my internal SSD and that HD is where all my Trainsim downloads are retained.

[wwhall]

The only thing that I've "saved" out of MSTS is its file structure and some of its default files and routes. I have not re-installed, or installed MSTS itself on a computer since around 2015. If I get a new computer (which I may within the next year or so), I simply copy my MSTS folder over to the new computer. For me, MSTS as an operating program is DEAD. I haven't used it since 2013. Many of my routes and much of my rolling stock would not even run on MSTS.

To be clear, OpenRails needs NONE of the MSTS executable files, not one. The various OpenRails utilities and TSRE took care of that.

[pcohen]

Hi Charles, thanks for your reply.

I have Microsoft Train Simulator Installed on my Computer Installed as C:\1MSTS with it's Six default Routes and Rolling Stock.

Additionally, I also have 4 other Routes with there Activities and Rolling Stock as well.

Al I want to do Is save the whole MSTS setup thing, for future use if required.

As I have already explained how I save It, I thought their would be a better alternative.

appreciate that I am using Open Rails.

hope this makes more sense?

Thanks

Paul.

[eric]

Paul, if you save your entire c:/1MSTS directory to the external drive(s), you should be fine for recovering or restoring later.

I used to keep two copies of my e:/MSTS on two separate hard drives because I never trust one alone... hard drives can and will fail. The SSD type is less prone to data loss, but the USB connectors and boards can be damaged, rendering the drive useless.

Today, I back up the directory to Dropbox and Onedrive.

I also have a second folder labeled e:/ORTSContent which has my TrainSimulations.net routes that cannot be mixed with older routes. Its treated like a Mini Route folder the way Charles' setups are.

When I get a new computer, all I have to do is copy /MSTS and /ORTSContent and set up ORTS & TSRE to find both folders.

[crstagg]

Paul, As you can see by Eric's and my posts what we do is similar but not exactly the same. It all depends on what tools you have available. I did not mention it, but I also use Dropbox and OneDrive for backup. I also have ISO copies of the MSTS CDs I made years ago. I have recently run MSTS, but it was only when trying to recreate a problem someone else had. But back to your question Yes create backup copies, But do them when they are w/o errors. Multiples are better the one. Remote copies are even better. My External HD is also in a removable device which is also a duplicator. So, I can periodically create a duplicate and then store it away from the PC and not connected to any other device.

[pcohen]

Hi Eric, thanks for your reply.

The answer I was looking for,

Many thanks

Paul.

P.S. Groan, groan, purchased a 32" Curved Screen Monitor, lost half My Screen View, what a disappointment!

[pwillard]

P.S. Groan, groan, purchased a 32" Curved Screen Monitor, lost half My Screen View, what a disappointment!

By the way... that comment makes no sense. I can only assume you haven't chosen the ideal resolution settings for your setup.

[pcohen]

Hello pwillard
It's the size of the Monitor casing that is wrong, I have lost 9" from the bottom of my previous 32" Panasonic TV used as a Monitor.

Thanks

Paul.

[oper190]

Paul you need to set your the output resolution on your computer to match the sizing of the monitor. Going from one monitor to another usually requires changing the resolution.
What version of Windows are you using, as the location to change that is somewhat different between them. - Basically go into SETTINGS and look for SYSTEM and then DISPLAY, there then should be an option to change your resolution.

I'm surprised Windows hasn't offered a recommended resolution. If is does try using that.

[slipperman]

Hi Paul & Geary,
My simple Samsung (flat screen!) monitor came with a driver disk for use with Win10. I'd have thought a curved screen monitor would come with its own driver and/or a user manual.

Cheers,
Ged

[frliss]

Hi Paul & Geary,
My simple Samsung (flat screen!) monitor came with a driver disk for use with Win10. I'd have thought a curved screen monitor would come with its own driver and/or a user manual.

Cheers,
Ged

Aren't these drivers available online from the manufacturer?

Fred

[oper190]

I've never had a monitor that needed it's own drivers so can't comment about that. All that I have used I set the resolution based on what Windows recommended and perhaps made an adjustment of my own if I felt it wasn't right, but that at least gave me a good start point to figure what would be best.

Just recently switched from two monitors to one, a TV with multiple inputs. My XP used VGA and my Win11 HDMI, both were available on the TV our first flat screen. Replaced it in use with larger TVs, so bumped it into the computer room. Since I only use one computer at a time, I just have to switch inputs and am good to go. With my two older monitors both 19" but one was a tad longer than the other so had slightly different resolutions, but once switched to the TV they both now use the same which came up in each computer's settings.

That new monitor might be plug and play???