I have 1.2.6 installed on Windows XP (32bit) and several large files with which I am still working. Installed 2.0.0 on an old computer running Win98 and tried transferring a file. Audacity warned me that it might not work correctly (though in this case it did). The 98 computer is really getting squirrelly. If I update my XP machine can I be sure of having these files available? Alternately, can I install 2.0.0 on a different place on the computer? And what about LAME encoding? Thanx.
If your work is simple, single track music or something similar, File > Export as WAV as a backup. Those are simple, stand-alone sound files and they will open anywhere. Don’t use MP3 for any production work. Do this in addition to transferring the Project files and folders.
Audacity should not care about the system, but please know that projects only open upward, not downward. Once you save a Project in 2.0.2, it will only open in 2.0.2 or later.
WAV files are restricted to 4GB, so you won’t be exporting many 6-hour long recordings.
You can install a Portable Audacity which keeps its system and program files locally and not spray them around the computer. I’m looking for the instructions.
Koz
I’ve written at the same time as Koz, so I’ve left in the unique parts in my answer.
For each 1.2 project, it is best to create a new folder and copy the AUP file and data_folder into that new folder as a backup. Open the 1.2 project in 2.0.x, and test it out. If it seems fine, save the project in 2.0.x. If a problem arises, you have a backup.
Importing WAV files exported from a 1.2 project will always work but they don’t contain all the project data (for example, envelope points are lost).
2.0.0 is the final version for Windows 98 (http://audacityteam.org/download/legacy_windows ). For the XP machine, please use the current 2.0.2 ( http://audacityteam.org/download/windows ).
You can install a 2.0.x version as well as 1.2.6 on a machine, but by default the 2.0.x version will install into the same directory as 1.2.6 so will overwrite it. So if you want both versions, be sure to change the installation directory when installing 2.0.x.
Or, use the zip version of 2.0.x. Instructions about portable settings are here http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/preferences.html#stored . Note that creating a “Portable Settings” folder in the folder where 2.0.x is will cause Audacity to inherit the 1.2 settings. If you want a clean start with 2.0.x factory settings, all you need to do is make sure Audacity is quit, then reset audacity.cfg as per that http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/preferences.html#stored link.
If you prefer clean 2.0.x factory settings, you can get that If you install 2.0.2 by checking the box “Reset Preferences” when installing. This is the same as “resetting audacity.cfg”. This option is not in the 2.0.0 installer.
If 1.2.6 is using one of our recommended LAME versions installed on or after 28 January 2009, it should work in 2.0.x, but may not be the latest recommended one. If you installed LAME before then, it probably won’t work with 2.0.x.
If you want the latest recommended LAME (I strongly suggest using that) you can get it here:
http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/faq_installation_and_plug_ins.html#lame .
Gale