How do I back up and restore my Delphi settings? [duplicate]

Answer 1

You can try CnWizard Backup/Restore tool. If you keep same path for components and delphi install, just make backup, install delphi and cnwizard, copy all components folders and make restore. I only have problem when migrate from XP to W764b, must to manualy change path in registry for Program Files folder.

Answer 2

Yes, I agree with @Martin, VMWare is great for this VMWare. Not only for Delphi and its settings and component, but the whole O/S, including SPs, KBs, drivers, settings, applications & their settings, Anti virus, Firewalls.

This is what I do with VMWare ver 5 (other/newwer version might be different)

1. Install VMWare on the Host O/S. The host can be a Windows O/S or a Linux O/S variant. I personally like to use Linux as the host O/S, because, for me, the security is better towards virus, malware etc.
2. Install a guest O/S. This can be any supported O/S of choice, including any SPs, drivers needed.
3. Install Delphi and all components you need.
4. You can backup the guest O/S to a media, DVD-R, for example. If anything major happened, you can just restore it for less than 30 minutes. This is a huge benefit.

You can have as many as guest O/Ses you want (If you have the space). This is great for testing purposes. How many times you hear that your app is breaking on a particular O/S, with a specific SPs/KBs, dll or other specific settings on client PCs? With multiple guest O/Ses, you can test your app with different O/S and/or settings without having to have multiple PCs or multiple partitions with different O/Ses.

Of course VMWare has many other usages, but for me, the above usage scenario is enough.

Other Virtual Machine is from Oracle (Oracle VM) which is free Oracle VM. They claimed to be better than VMWare, but I myself have not tested it.

Answer 3

How to make a complete backup of delphi XE manually:

• backup complete installation folder. (tip: install your components under the delphi folder so they also get backed up).
• export & backup HKLM\Software\Embarcadero registry key in case of 64 bit os it will be HKLM\Software\Wow6432Node\Embarcadero
• export & backup HKCU\Software\Embarcadero registry key
• Some components may write BPL files to your system folder (check C:\Windows\System32 or C:\Windows\SysWOW64 folder)

after OS reinstallation:

• reinstall Delphi to the SAME folder and apply same updates
• overwrite installation with your backup
• reimport registry keys from backup
• if you have Delphi plugins/experts, reinstall them

some tips:

• install Delphi under the root of your drive (eg c:\DelphiXE), this to prevent troubles with UAC under vista/W7.
• Keep your projects under the delphi folder, is very handy if you have to cope with different delphi versions (eg c:\delphi5\projects, c:\delphixe\projects, ...)
• make an automated daily backup of your delphi folder (via windows backup or other tool)