Zipping up UT2003 folder, then burn to DVD ?

Hi,

After many weeks of configuring and playtesting, I've finally got the server set up the way I wanted it, and hopefully, the way most players will like it.

As a precaution, I wanted to back up the UT2003 folder to DVD. I was thinking that if I needed to reinstall the dedicated server, I could just overwrite a fresh install with the backed up files.

I'm foreseeing a problem though with just burning the whole folder straight to DVD. Wouldn't all the files have their attributes set to 'read only' if I did this ?

I really don't fancy having to unset all the attributes on files when I have the perhaps inevitable problems due to configuration files not being able to be written to.

In the past, I've found that unsetting the 'read only' attributes doesn't always seem to 'take', as the files always had a kind of 'greyed out' check mark in the 'read only' attribute box. This was on both Win2000 and XP.

My workaround would be to .zip the entire folder, or .rar it. If I did this, would all files within the archive retain their original attributes ? With only the .zip or .rar archive itself becoming 'read only' ?

Bit of a strange question I know, but it's taken me a long time to get the server to where it is, and I'd just like to have a backup of it, ready to go.

Thanks for your time, and any info you may have.

Regards,

Hostage.

[SleepyP]

you probaly can't 'install" UT2003 simply by copying your installation folder into place. that process doesn't write ANYTHING to the system registry.

[50BMG]

A few answers....

Yes, usually COPYING from a read-only media results in files with the read-only attribute set, unless you specified otherwise in a copy command.

Yes, as far as I know, if you install UT2003 and all the updates you have now, in the same order they were installed, overwriting the saved version should fully restore the game. The only conceivable problem might be if the OS you install to in the future isn't the same, or is patched differently. Even then, it's not certain there would be a problem. I think it is unlikely to go wrong, unless the new OS is substantially different. Also, remember to use the same DirectX should you need to re-install.

Yes, zipping the files, saving the ZIP onto a DVD, then unpacking them onto your system will restore not only the attributes, but the file dates as well.

In both cases you'll need to copy over the files with the same user strength as they were installed in the original system, just to be safe.

Oh, the reason for the greyed out file attributes... When you look at the attributes of many files at once, the system will grey out the attribute if all the files in your selection aren't in the same attribute state. This is no big deal, just click on the greyed attribute anyway, it will become ungrey and in some initial state. If you don't like that state, just click on it again, and you're good to go.

Another way to change the attributes is from the command line command ATTRIB. This will permit you to change multiple files at once, and specify sub-folders too. But alas, that kind of thing (the command line) is passe' nowadays and reserved for us dinosaurs.

Good Luck.

P.S. - Save yourself some trouble and include the contents of your redirect server on the disk too. It will save you having to reconstitute all those compressed files.

Originally Posted by SleepyP

you probaly can't 'install" UT2003 simply by copying your installation folder into place. that process doesn't write ANYTHING to the system registry.

Hi,

I didn't mean to imply that a copied UT2003 folder would 'reinstall' the game if copied back, sorry. I was just hoping to back up all the config files, maps, textures and all. I didn't want to have to go through and 'uncheck' all the 'read only' attributes on the files that needed writing to, that's all.

Thanks anyway.

Regards,

Hostage.

Originally Posted by 50BMG

A few answers....

Which were just what I wanted. Thank you very much !

:thumbsup: :notworthy:

Regards,

Hostage.