How to safely upgrade to TCx64?

[hclass]

Hi,

I am currently running TC Ver 7.57 under Win7x64 and I use a few content plugins intensively. (for AVI, MP4 videos, mp3 songs and image files)

I try Ver 8.01 RC2 in VmWare, install some x64 plugins just to make sure I also can have those columns that were provided by 32 bits plugins in ver 7.57 and the result seems to be promising.

1) If I install TC ver8 to the same folder where I have installed ver7.57, I assume that will be an upgrade of TC from ver 7.57 (32 bits) to ver 8.01 (64 bits).
Am I right that all my TC settings remain unchanged except for plugins that can't work with TCx64 will be disabled? (will I loss anything else?)
How about those 32bits plugins? Will the ver 8 installer remove them or must I uninstall them manually?

2) Can I install TCx64 in another folder instead of overwriting existing 32bits TC (and I can choose to run either or both TC and TCx64)? If the answer is yes, then is there any easy way that I can duplicate my current TC settings (that includes many custom toolbars and tabs settings) to TCx64?

As you can see from 1) and 2), I am now in a dilemma as which way should I go for TCx64...
1) saves me the trouble of adjusting everything from scratch, but I won't be able to go back to TC ver7.57 (unless I have a thorough backup of the latter) and I might have 32bit files that were left by prevous version. With 2) I can take my time trying the 64bits version until I am sure of everything then I uninstall ver 7.57, but I have to start tunning TCx64 from scratch...

Any clue?

[umbra]

Hi, hclass.
If you install TCx64 to the same directory as your TCx32, you will have two (more or less) separate fully functional versions, that will share their settings. That's exactly how the combined installer (tcm80x32_64.exe) works. Then you can run any version you want.

Also, no 32b plugins will work in TCx64. But many recently updated plugins come in both 32b (e.g. *.wdx) and 64b (e.g. *.wdx64) versions. All plugins, that are installed in TCx32 and have their 64b versions in the same directory, should be recognized by TCx64 automatically. Otherwise, you will have to install them manually.

It's always good to make a backup before an upgrade. Luckily, it's rather easy with TC, since all its settings are saved in wincmd.ini and wcx_ftp.ini (but plugins might have their own settings files).

[hclass]

Hi, hclass.
If you install TCx64 to the same directory as your TCx32, you will have two (more or less) separate fully functional versions, that will share their settings. That's exactly how the combined installer (tcm80x32_64.exe) works. Then you can run any version you want.

Lets say I install the combined installer (tcm80x32_64.exe) to the same folder of my existing TC ver 7.57 folder and thus I have 2 exe (one for TCx86 and the other TCx64), do you know what will happen if in the future I install a TCx64 only version into that folder? Only the x64 version get upgraded (or what)?
I mean, once the TCx64 is fully tested (and I am satisfy), I would prefer the 32bit TC to be wiped... it seems not so easy once I install the TC in a combine way.

[karlchen]

Lets say I install the combined installer (tcm80x32_64.exe) to the same folder of my existing TC ver 7.57 folder and thus I have 2 exe (one for TCx86 and the other TCx64), do you know what will happen if in the future I install a TCx64 only version into that folder? Only the x64 version get upgraded (or what)?

Correct.

I mean, once the TCx64 is fully tested (and I am satisfy), I would prefer the 32bit TC to be wiped... it seems not so easy once I install the TC in a combine way.

You can uninstall the 32-bit edition alone. But I would not do so at the current point in time.

Yet, let us be realistic:

The Total Commander programme structure as far as the 32-bit and the 64-bit executables and DLLs is concerned is much more straight forward than you seem to assume. Simply check the content of the install.cab inside the 3 available installers, 32-bit, 64-bit and combined 32-bit/64-bit.

Current situation: The current drawback to the 64-bit edition is that not all plugins which are available for the 32-bit editions have been ported to 64-bit as well. So it depends on the plugins which you personally depend on whether migrating to 64-bit only is a good idea or not.
Therefore for the time being the best solution for most users is to use the combined 32-bit/64-bit installation and check regularly whether needed plugins are available for 32-bit and 64-bit: Ghisler's Plugin Page and List of 64-bit plugins and addons and update the installed plugins as needed.

Karl

[hclass]

You can uninstall the 32-bit edition alone. But I would not do so at the current point in time.

Do you mean to uninstall via standard Windows program removal or manually?

I mean how will the below be handled in the removal:

a) I just read the Wiki about the issue. Since TC and TCx64 share the same wincmd.ini, the ini now contains a mix settings for both of them. Uninstalling just the 32bits TC will mean selective removal of only its settings from the wincmd.ini

b) Those 32bits plugins

[umbra]

2hclass
If you have installed TCx32 and then you install TCx64 or a combined version, then yes, you can remove TCx32 without affecting TCx64 through the standard Windows dialog (or manually, your choice).

a) There are only one or two TCx32 specific settings, everything else is shared. There is really no reason to selectively remove those settings, since TCx64 ignores those anyway.

b) Plugins have to be removed manually. TC cannot know of which files they consist and on what dependences they rely.

[hclass]

2hclass
If you have installed TCx32 and then you install TCx64 or a combined version, then yes, you can remove TCx32 without affecting TCx64 through the standard Windows dialog (or manually, your choice).

Do you mean in Win7x64 "Uninstall or change a program", if I double-click the "Total Commander (Remove or Repair)" item under Control Panel->Programs->Programs and Features, I will be offered to uninstall either TC or TCx64 (or both)?

[umbra]

Again - TCx32 and TCx64 are two separate programs, that can be installed into same directory and that by default share their settings (all of that can be changed). After you install TCx64, a new uninstall entry will be added. There will be "Total Commander (Remove or Repair)" and something like "Total Commander 64-bit (Remove or Repair)" - I don't have TC installed on my computer, so I don't know the exact name of that entry.