Migrate my old version into windows 10

[francescoschino]

Hi, I used this very very good tool from long life, starting from windows xp, vista, until now with windows 7 and now the incoming windows 10.
In all installations on my desk-top pc and in my personal pc I started to install the version from the old diskette version and than I install the new version. Up-to-now was working well (xp, vista, 7). Now I just installed the windows 10 in english language and the old procedure do not works. I install the diskette version, every thing ok, I install the version 9.51 and seams the procedure do not recognize the previous installation were should be saved the licence code. I received the panel 1-2-3 to enter in the tool ma the version is not the official one.

Do you have an idea where can be the problem ?
Thanks very much for your appreciated supporto
Francesco Schino

[petermad]

I install the version 9.51 and seams the procedure do not recognize the previous installation were should be saved the licence code. I received the panel 1-2-3 to enter in the tool ma the version is not the official one.

Make sure your WINCMD.KEY file is in the same directory as your totalcmd.exe or totalcmd64.exe

[francescoschino]

Good morning, the key was not there, so I remove the previous installation and I install it again.
Same problem. I received message "Could not create program group !!"
I copy the key from windows 7 installation where it works fine, but the result is the same
What is strange is that after installation I do not see in the program list the windows commander.
I repeat several times, I use CCleaner to clean up all, and I install it n the directory "programs files", or in a new directory stand-alone, but the result is the samne. Could you have solution ?
Question : if not, if I buy a new licence I could solve this problem ? Thanks very much. Now I have licence from 1993 for windows commander 4.54

[hi5]

So you have it working on Windows 7?

Where have you installed in there? In c:\program files\ or in a standalone directory like c:\totalcmd\ ?

If you have it on Windows 7 in c:\totalcmd\ you can simply copy that folder to your Windows 10 machine and everything will be working incl. installed plugins.

Personally for this reason I always install it in a standalone directory and if needed simply create a short cut manually for the desktop.

If you have installed it on Windows 7 in c:\program files\ I would perhaps try the following:

1. Create a new user on windows 7
2. Install Total Commander "for that new user" in a standalone directory, e.g. c:\totalcmd - see tip below about copying the INI files to the "program directory" (in this case c:\totalcmd\)
3. Locate your WINCMD.KEY and copy it to that c:\totalcmd folder
4. test it and start c:\totalcmd\TOTALCMD.EXE - should work
5. Now simply copy that folder to your Windows 10 machine and install any plugins you may be using

In the future you only need to copy c:\totalcmd to your new computer(s) and it will work directly - and you can now use Total Commander directly to update (see Help menu, check for updates)

Edit: see post below about placement of the INI files, I have a personal preference to store these in the TC folder e.g. c:\totalcmd\

[Dalai]

2hi5
Just copying the TC directory is probably not enough - the wincmd.ini and wcx_ftp.ini are equally important (if not more important).

Regards
Dalai

[hi5]

@dalai, for me these files also reside in c:\totalcmd\ which is I assume the standard location when not installing in c:\program files\ (as program files is read only it will store those files elsewhere which is another reason I prefer not to install it there) - in essence for me TC is portable application (If I copy the folder to my usb drive it works just as well for example)

[Dalai]

2hi5
Well, IIRC the TC setup uses %AppData%\Ghisler as default location for the INI files, at least on Vista and higher (or even XP and higher it seems).

Regards
Dalai

[hi5]

The installer asks where to place these files so you can select the "program folder", see here https://github.com/hi5/_resources/blob/master/tc1.png



Edit: https://www.ghisler.ch/wiki/index.php?title=Ini-settings#wincmd.ini

[Dalai]

I know there's an option in TC setup to change the location, but when it's not changed it defaults to %AppData%\Ghisler. And francescoschino didn't say anything about the location of the INI files, and whether or not their location was changed during setup. That's why I'm assuming the default location.

Regards
Dalai

[hi5]

That's is true, so I updated my post with a note about it - but it remains strange that simply copying WINCMD.KEY to the TC folder doesn't seem to work for him, so something is different on his setup.

I just copy the c:\totalcmd\ folder to a new computer and I'm ready to go, which is what I'm trying to explain here as an alternative method for him to try out if he can't get other methods to work.

Happy Holidays!

[petermad]

2francescoschino
Here you can see what to backup and hence what to move if you want to restore your Windows 7 installation of TC to a new computer:

https://www.ghisler.ch/wiki/index.php?title=Backup

[francescoschino]

Thanks very much friends for your reply, the problem is still there, I give more info
I re-install in the dedicated partioned wincmd on volume "C" the oldest total commander and then I install the latest one on same directory.
In the programs file list I have as the Windows commander 32" entrance. If I click it I go in the oldest total commander (vers. 4.54). If I list the content on volume "C" in directory "windcmd" and I select exe file TOTALCMD64.EXE I get the latest Total commander 9.51 version (with my licence number). So I have two total commander opened, the very old one and the latest one
I create the icon on desk-top with link on TOTALCMD64.EXE as you suggested, but when I click on it I get this message
"This program is internal to total commander. Do not call it directly"
For files INI I copies from windows 7 to windows 10 and every thing is ok.
So, I will appreciate your solution on why I cannot access directly to the latest total commander from general windows program-list
Thanks very much
Francesco Schino

[hi5]

TOTALCMD64.EXE should run fine, perhaps you created a shortcut to TCMDX64.EXE by accident which is indeed only meant for internal use - so double check you are actually starting TOTALCMD64.EXE

[francescoschino]

Indeed I made a mistake, now works fine !!, thanks very very much for your support !
Have a nice day from Italy
Francesco Schino

[Dalai]

There's no need to install any older version. Just install the latest version (or the version you want).

Regards
Dalai