GenSmarts Genealogy Software


Reinstalling GenSmarts On A Different PC

If you're just looking to create a new GenSmarts installation, and don't care about any of your saved settings or marks... then you can simply install from your cd (or download and install the current version if you have a downloadable edition). If and only if you download (rather than install from your CD), the first time you run it on your new computer, you'll be prompted for your activation name/key. See our full edition paid version download/installation instructions for step by step help.

To retain your settings and/or marks, you can choose any of three methods. I'd suggest method THREE, or method ONE if you'd prefer that to THREE.

Vista64 (or XP64) Considerations In the example below, the GenSmarts program directory is referenced as typically being C:\Program Files\GenSmarts - for 64 bit versions of Windows, this will be C:\Program Files(x86)\GenSmarts.

METHOD ONE (re-install and move your data)

The advantage of this method is that the install will set up menu short cut's for you.

a) Install from your CD or if you have a downloadable edition you can download/install the current version install file (see these instructions for a link)
b) If you want to move your settings and any "marks" (FOUND, NOT FOUND, etc.) you've made, copy the files listed below from your old computer. In XP or earlier versions of Windows these files are located in the GenSmarts program directory (e.g. C:\Program Files\GenSmarts). In Vista or later versions of Windows, these files will be in your Public Documents area in a folder called GenSmarts (e.g. C:\Users\Public\Documents\GenSmarts). Note that this "Public Documents" area in Vista IS NOT the same thing as "My Documents". The files to be copied are:

GenSmarts.ini - your settings
ResearchResults.CSV - the marks you place on To Do's. There's an option you can set which will prefix this file name with the name of the file loaded, in which case you'll have multiple of these files to copy.
DefaultDirectAncestors.CSV - the tags you have on prioritized lines
PlacePhrases.txt - place name substitution, if you're using it
CustomGeo.CSV - customized geography, if you're using it.
ExcludedPlaceNames.txt - marked items from data cleanup

If you don't use all these features, then you may not have all these files. Note that if you're moving from XP to Vista, where you copy the files from on your old computer is a different folder than where you'll be copying your files to. Before moving your files onto Vista, you'll probably want to run GenSmarts at least once on Vista without them, so GenSmarts will create that Public Documents folder for you (it's not created during the install, but rather the first time you run the software).

METHOD TWO (simply move your entire C:\Program Files\GenSmarts directory)

This is perhaps simpler, but you'll have to set up your own desktop shortcut and/or menu entry)

a) Copy the entire C:\Program Files\GenSmarts directory to a "same named" directory on your new PC.
b) Create a desktop shortcut. Right click on your desktop, and select
NEW...SHORTCUT. For the file name choose (you'll need the quotes):
"C:\Program Files\GenSmarts.exe"
c) Create a START...PROGRAMS... entry if you'd like. The first time you run GenSmarts on Vista (or later), it looks to see if you're converting over from XP (or earlier) and will offer to move things around for you to where they belong on Vista. If you've previously installed GenSmarts on your Vista (or later) machine, this method won't work for you, as the "moving files around" bit that GenSmarts will do for you only applies in the case where it's the very first time you've run GenSmarts on Vista (or later).

METHOD THREE (like TWO, but install the current version to create the
shortcuts and menu entries)

a) Copy the entire C:\Program Files\GenSmarts directory to a "same named" directory on your new PC.
b) Install from your CD (or download/install if you have a downloadable edition - see the the full edition, paid version download instructions for download links. Install into the
C:\Program Files\GenSmarts directory. Note... the install doesn't delete or modify your settings/marks in any way.

ALL METHODS

Don't foget to update to the latest version if you install from your CD. See http://www.GenSmarts.com/versionHistory.html for update instructions. There's also a link on that page to help you figure out what edition you have also.