Backup Copies

[Blunderbuss]

All this has, I'm sure, been asked and answered, but I want to make sure I have things squared away.

I like backups, and backups of my backups.

I installed v.1.1 from Steam (since I've had a Steam account for a few years now), then upgraded to 1.1.1, thence to 1.1.2 (which I'm satisfied with, so far, knock wood, and now that I've written that, am thus Kraken-food from here forward).

Soooo, what I've gathered from reading some threads here is that there are some steps I ought to take:

1. Immediately uninstall KSP and ensure there are no traces of it in my C:/Program Files (x86)/Steam/steamapps/common directory.

2. Run a fresh reinstall and verify local files. Use the Steam install as my working/updateable copy, and drag a shortcut of the KSP _x64.exe onto my desktop if I feel like being antisocial and playing KSP in peace while not having to connect to Steam and interact with my Steam Friends, who are wondering where the hell I've been for the last 2 years or so and frantically asking me to reinstall this or that game and start playing with them again.

3. Make a couple of copies of this virgin install and deposit in places like, say C:/Temp/KSP/KSP Builds and C:/Games/KSP/KSP Builds. Update and/or just add new builds to these locations as they roll out.

4. Keep copies of my save files in like locations.

5. Continue to climb the Mt. Olympus that KSP represents.

Do I have all this about right?

Thanks for any advice/answers/help/corrections in this.

 

[jwenting]

Far too complicated. Just copy the steam/stamapps/common/Kerbal Space Program directory to somewhere else. Rename it to whatever you like.

Bob's your uncle.

Myself I just use 7Zip and zip up the entire directory, then name it by timestamp or build number, and move the zip file to an external drive.

[severedsolo]

13 minutes ago, jwenting said:

Far too complicated. Just copy the steam/stamapps/common/Kerbal Space Program directory to somewhere else. Rename it to whatever you like.

This. Although, if you are running mods, it's not the worst idea in the world to keep your steam folder clean for updates.

[pincushionman]

Got it backwards, kinda. If you're going to the trouble of copying out to a new folder, go ahead and run it from that new location, especially if you use mods. It will than be "safe" from updates that might break mod compatibility. KSP doesn't take advantage of any Steam features; it is used strictly as a distribution platform.

[MaxxQ]

2 hours ago, severedsolo said:

This. Although, if you are running mods, it's not the worst idea in the world to keep your steam folder clean for updates.

^^^This.  I have two copies of each version since 1.0.4 (one clean, one modded) that are the entire game folders placed elsewhere on my drive.  The Steam copy is only there to get the updates, and never gets played.  As far as Steam is concerned, I've only played KSP for 4 hours, and I've been playing since 0.25 (or 0.23, whichever - one of the somewhat early ones).

[maceemiller]

This is what I do. Example....I had a fresh copy of 1.0.5, which I still have with no mods whatsoever. I also have a 1.0.5 with mods that I use to play. Same with, now, 1.1.2. 2 copies, 1 a virgin the other a playing copy. When 1.1.whatever sorts itself out then 1.5 will go. Rinse and repeat

[Dafni]

10 minutes ago, MaxxQ said:

^^^This.  I have two copies of each version since 1.0.4 (one clean, one modded) that are the entire game folders placed elsewhere on my drive.  The Steam copy is only there to get the updates, and never gets played.  As far as Steam is concerned, I've only played KSP for 4 hours, and I've been playing since 0.25 (or 0.23, whichever - one of the somewhat early ones).

This! On top of the clean and modded installs I keep one with just the editor/hangar mods, for building and testing craft. I dont need all the eyecandy mods for that, saves some load time and memory resources.

[mrclucks]

When we have an update, I make a copy of the version I'm working on(mods and all) then delete it from the main folder.  Then I allow the updated version to install and make a copy of the updated version so I can reload from purr scratch if needed.  

Then I start installing my mods....

[Blunderbuss]

Thanks for the good advice, compadres!

I've seen posts where people have 40, 60, a hundred mods. I haven't installed even one yet. How does one manage that? CKAN? Or Module Manager? It's apparent that mods help "make" this sim, and that some mods are almost de rigueur community- and sim-wide, while many other people prefer a vanilla experience. I'm no stranger to modding a sim to make it more enjoyable/playable; I've been "flying" the friendly skies since MS FS1, and some mods, from individual planes to scenery to navigational aids have done so for me, while others are insanely detailed and almost like work to use.

It's probably apparent that I've been reading/researching a lot instead of building (and destructifying) space craft. I'm not looking to self-hijack my own OP; I'm just looking for some helpful directional pointers.  I probably should have posed the preceding paragraph in a separate thread, but I'm gonna hit "Submit Reply" and see what happens.

[pincushionman]

2 hours ago, Blunderbuss said:

Thanks for the good advice, compadres!

I've seen posts where people have 40, 60, a hundred mods. I haven't installed even one yet. How does one manage that? CKAN? Or Module Manager?…

You'll want to look into CKAN. Module Manager is a tool for modifying module entries in parts, and is itself a plugin mod, not a modification manager.

But be careful and be ready to manage some of them by hand. Several mods, FAR chief among them, do not play nicely with CKAN.

Edited May 3, 2016 by pincushionman