How do I move or re-install my Softalk Mail Server v8 server to another computer?

Symptoms

• You wish to move Softalk Mail Server to a different computer without un-installing and re-configuring it.

IMPORTANT: This article contains information about editing the registry. Before you edit the registry, make sure you understand how to restore it if a problem occurs.

More Info

This FAQ applies to Softalk Mail Server v8. Click here for details on How do I move or re-install my WorkgroupMail v7 to another computer or drive?.

Note WorkgroupMail has been renamed to Softalk Mail Server. Any reference to Softalk Mail server v8 also apply to WorkgroupMail v8.

Note If you have installed other components of the Softalk Collaboration Suite, such as WorkgroupShare v2 or Softalk Organizer, and Softalk Mail Server is configured to use a Jet database (or SQL server with data stored in files) then all SCS components must be installed on the same server. If you move Softalk Mail Server then all other SCS programs must also be moved to the new server.

Detail

1. Identify the database being used by Softalk Mail Server

   1. Open the Data Sources (ODBC) control panel, usually under Administrative Tools.
   2. Select the System DSN tab.
   3. Select the Softalk Collaboration Suite entry.
   4. Look at the Driver value there, if it is Microsoft Access Driver (*.mdb) then you are using a Jet database. Click on Configure and find the Database value that should tell you where the MDB file is installed. The default location is %AllUsersProfile%Application DataSoftalkSoftalk Mail ServerData for current versions, or %CommonProgramFiles%SoftalkDataSCS.mdb for version prior to 8.5
   5. If it is SQL Server then you are using Microsoft SQL Server or Microsoft SQL Server Express. Click on Configure and you will see the SQL Server being used. This is usually represented as MACHINENAMEINSTANCENAME, where the instance name is either SQLEXPRESS or the instance name selected during the setup of SQL Server.

2. Locate your Softalk Mail Server data folder

   The default location is %AllUsersProfile%Application DataSoftalkSoftalk Mail ServerData for current versions, or %CommonProgramFiles%SoftalkDataSCS.mdb for version prior to 8.5, you can check by opening REGEDIT and looking at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWARESoftalkWorkgroupMailSetup(dataFolder).

3. Make sure that the Softalk Mail Server and the Softalk Mail Server Administrator are stopped

   You now have the information required to move your Softalk Mail Server to the new computer. Make sure that Softalk Mail Server and the Softalk Mail Server Administrator are stopped.

4. Install Softalk Mail Server

   Install Softalk Mail Server by downloading from the Softalk Mail Server download page and running the setup program.
   Softalk Mail Server download page

   Make sure that the path to the data folder is exactly the same as it was on the previous computer NB: The message body is referenced to a file absolutely so if you select a different path than the messagebody may be missing of certain messages. Make sure that if Softalk Mail Server was reinstalled as a service then it is again installed as a service

   Stop the Softalk Mail Server service from Administrative Tools >> Services (if installed as a service) or shutdown the application from the taskbar notification area if running as an exe.

5. Copy data files

   Copy the entire data folder, determined earlier, from the old computer to the new computer.

6. If moving the database to the new machine it should be moved next

   • If Softalk Mail Server is using a Jet database you must copy the database file over to the new machine. Normally this is the SCS.mdb file and is located in the data folder. Move this to the new machine.
   • If connecting to a SQL database (perhaps, on a database server) and you wish to continue to connect to the same server then you do not need to copy the database. You will need to connect to the appropriate server when creating the DSN later. If you wish to move your SQL Server database, please refer to the SQL Server documentation.

   • If you are using SQL Express then you should refer to the product