Have to re-install Windows 10, How can I save my current Audacity setup?

Audacity Help Forum Windows
1

My Windows 10 installation has gotten dinged up and it’s looking like I just have to bite the bullet and re-install it. Is there some way to backup my current Audacity setup and then reinstall? I downloaded some nifty add-ons I don’t want to lose, and it will be hard to recall what they all are and where to find them. Is there anything stored in my AppData that will help here? I currently have Audacity 2.2.2

Thanks!

2

There are plug-ins, macros, & pre-sets in the Audacity folder there …

C:\Users\<YourNameHere>\AppData\Roaming\audacity
3

Okay, good. Thanks for the reply. I see I have a “Plug-Ins” folder. Obviously, I can re-install the plugins. I also see some .cfg files. Is there something I can do with them?

4

This actually depends on what method you are using to reinstall windows. If you are using the existing disk drive the installer will detect the current installation and allow you to retain your current user accounts and data. However if you have to start afresh you should make backups of various items to another disk or an external storage device. The simplest way is to copy the entire folder under c:\users_yourusername_ but you will need to be aware that not everything will copy without some objections. Another approach is to remove the current C: drive and use a fresh disk to install on you can then reconnect the old drive and copy what you need from it. There are many things such as favourites etc. that you might want back so its not that easy.
To be specific about your question you can find where the preferences are stored by looking at about under the help menu and choosing the build information tab, the path to preferences is shown at the bottom of this information then back this up simply by copying that file or better still the entire audacity sub folder.

5

Thanks. I’ve got Carbonite and they’re assured me everything I’ll need to rebuild is already with them. We shall see said the blind man. This is getting easier than in days of 'yor.

To be specific about your question you can find where the preferences are stored by looking at about under the help menu and choosing the build information tab, the path to preferences is shown at the bottom of this information then back this up simply by copying that file or better still the entire audacity sub folder.

Yes, that folder is in the Carbonite cloud waiting to be downloaded. Do I copy all of them over whatever is there after the new install? I’ll also take a shot with my iPhone of all those settings. Look at that. I’m 67 and literally have a photographic memory.

6

Yes you should be able to copy the entire folder back to its original location provided you install the same version of audacity first in the conventional way. Note that even if you use the same user name as the previous installation windows will not necessarily recognise it as the same user. But I expect that your cloud storage service will take account of this through its own authentication process and assign the correct permissions for the new user when the files are downloaded.