Earth Sims new Backup facility?

[DogTailRed2]

Has anyone been able to get http://www.earthsimulations.com new backup facility to work?

When you log into your account and download a product you first download an installer program.
According to the Earth Sim's bods once you have downloaded the software provides you with the ability to package and backup your software to disc?
Well, try as I might it doesn't for me. I just don't get the option?
I'm thinking it's a bug. I'm using Win 7 64bit with Explorer 8.

I've already asked on the Earth Sims forum. Before I raise another support ticket I wanted to know if anyone else has been successful, or even tried this feature?

To clarify I can download and install, just can't backup. The little orange button does not appear?
At the moment buying the DVD versions seems a better bet.

[DaveB]

Hello Mate

I've not tried it to be honest. I find the ES site very hit an miss (sometimes buttons work, other times they don't) and I'm not a big fan of the ES installer. This is on WinXP SP3 so don't worry about it being a bug in Win7

Quite topical actually as I need to reinstall Alderney and Guernsey on my new load of FSX but the thought it daunting. I'm on with the Scillonian Isles as I got that on disc.. the other two were downloads

ATB
DaveB

[DogTailRed2]

Hi Dave,

yep, it's a real pain being tied externally to a site to download.
I would rather have a means to download package, burn to disc and authenticate locally.
What worries me is should the company go offline all your purchases are lost.
I had the same problem with REX v1.
My downloads were expired and I couldn't re-activate (puschase site computer said no, REX site said contact purchase site!)
so am sans REX at the mo :-(.

I wonder if the nice people at Earth Sims would give me a discout to buy the disc versions......

Regards,

Ted.

[DaveB]

Hi Ted

They've always been willing to listen as far as I know. Give em a try.. the worst they can say is no

I've just been over there, updated my details and ordered the 3 GenXv3 update discs. I wish to goodness they'd advertise stuff +VAT as the 3 discs came to just short of £20 plus £3.70 post PLUS a further £3.99 VAT rounding off at £27.67. £19-odd plus postage is much easier to swallow than £19-odd plus postage plus VAT. I'd much sooner they tell it like it is 'up front' rather than face the music at the Pay Now page

How's the backup supposed to work? I'm on a faster BB setup in the Midlands so with luck, GUE wouldn't take anouther 5hrs odd to download but I'd like to have it on disc/s. Alderney isn't a prob but likewise.. having a hard copy would take away any worry.
ATB
DaveB

[DogTailRed2]

The way it works is;

1. Login to your account.
2. Click on your last purchase details (or potentially any purchase).
3. Click to re download any of your purchases again, I don't think it matters which. This will actually download the installer.
4. Install and run the installer. The installer should then present a list of software you can download with relevant options.
5. Once a particular software is downloaded (installed?) an orange button appears next to that item to `package, save` the download to disc.
However this didn't happen for me?

I just ended up re-installing everything with no means to back up again.
It was doubly irritating because my tree scapes install (which just happened to be the last thing I installed after a new build pc) then trashed (for some reason) my FSX, So back to square 1!!!
I've only just got around to re-installing all my scenery from disc again. I have all the scenery areas and updates except for North Scotland.
Takes about 1 day from dvd
Probably another day for my planes. This is why my Airfix stash has decreased quite dramatically Plenty of build time without FSX.

HTH,

Ted.

[DaveB]

OK.. I see.. I think I have the orange ES icon on my taskbar and generally use that to get into ES. That said, it's not without it's problems as mentioned above.. sometimes buttons work and others they don't So.. in order to backup, you have to physically download it again. All seems a bit tiresome mate It'd be nice if they offered a disc backup (at a cost of course) for registered users

Unless you did something drastic to FSX, you don't need to reinstall GenX from disc again (if this is the scenery you're refering to). Just point to the Horzon directories in 'Scenery', Add area and off ya go. It's not a 5min job granted but it saves on an uninstall and reinstall at 3 discs per area. Treescapes installs to GenX not to flightsim so your trees are already there doing it this way Too late now I guess but something to note for the future

ATB
DaveB

[davem]

It was doubly irritating because my tree scapes install (which just happened to be the last thing I installed after a new build pc) then trashed (for some reason) my FSX, So back to square 1!!!

I had the same issue with Treescapes Scotland...

Having taken off all TS installations and the 2x VFR Scotland volumes to see where the problem lay, I stumbled across some patch files on the ES site - apparently TS Scotland for some reason does not update the FSX autogen files correctly and causes the crash - they provide patch files to cure this but I'd rather have had this pointed out to me when I was installing TS Scotland via their own ES Installer, not having spent 3+hours searching the 'net and stumbling across it!

However, their customer support is very good. I emailed my concerns and I received a full reply within a day.

[DaveB]

You mention Scotland Dave.. I noticed 'free' Treescapes for Vol4 and Vol5 the other day. I don't have Vol5 but I do have Vol4 so downloaded them. I've yet to see a single tree

BTW.. the hassle free install of the Scillies as I had the DVD didn't go to plan either. I don't know if any of you have this on DVD but it doesn't install in a conventional manner.. it calls up ESI and installs through that.. or not as happened in my case. The ground textures and mesh were all there but very little else. Some cars at St Mary's, the odd tree, that bloke who's always on the phone and a fire engine but nothing else. The entire Scillies were bereft of 3D scenery. Out of desparation, I used the 'repair' facility through ESI this morning which involved downloading the lot. Seems a bloody waste of time having the DVD but it DID fix the issue. I then did the same with Alderney (which was a download anyway) and this is now in my new FSX install along with the fort on the Eastern end of the island

I don't want to download Guernsey again so I'm going to see if I can select repair then Make ESI Pack. ESI already thinks it's installed (it is but on a now defunct FSX install) so I'm hoping it will make a pack from the original directory (which I still use) and install it to the new FSX install from there without me having to endure another 3gig download. We shall see
ATB
DaveB

[DaveB]

Well.. I've looked at this and I swear ESI wants to download 3.85gb of Guernsey again Could anyone who has Guernsey installed post a shot of the scenery tree for it. I'll try and install it manually using add/remove scenery from within the sim.

ATB
DaveB

[Garry Russell]

Do you mean the registry Tree Dave???