Winamp Backup Tool (v3.6.4 available, released on 19-12-2022)

[Juanus]

Thanks for the responses guys. 5.7 keeps looking better and better.

[MrSinatra]

thx for updating this for 5.7! the backup tool is a very nice utility.

[Quentin2791]

Thank you . . . and can you help?

Having lost Winamp profiles due to crashes and personal stupidity, I applaud your work. It ain't easy and doing a quick thread read I see there may be some ungrateful users...just look for the legit comments and ignore the B.S. If most of the Bozos are like me, the last "programing" I did was a snappy .bat file on a 286 using DOS. End of commentary.

Now for my question. I'm running Vista (not too bad) and have two user accounts set up for security purposes: Admin for maint. and Power User for everything else. Therefore Winamp's profile preferences, tweeks, bookmarks, customization, etc. are all under my Power User account. Winamp for Admin. is bare bones. Unfortunately, even when I am logged on as Power User, I have to give Admin. O.K. and that flips Backup Tool into Admin acct. mode and the only thing it backs up is the Admin profile, which is completely out of the box untweeked.

I have tried changing security settings on the .exe AND shortcuts, but so far nothing has worked. Which means, if I do need to recover, it will be the same as just re-installing. Based on your knowledge, do you know of a work around for my problem? Thanks.

[Koopa]

I had massive issues with the Windows Vista+ UAC stuff in the past. The problem is, that a lot of 3rd party stuff or the Winamp Pro infos etc are stored in locations, where the standard user has no permission to access them (Registry, Winamp's program dir etc).

I can basically read all of these infos and backup all required files for standard users, but restoration will fail, because of missing write permissions.

The tool will detect on start, if you are an Administrator and will abort with an info message, if you are not.

Until i find a real solution, how to elevate user rights within the tool (it would require a lot of changes) there is not much I can do in near future.

One possibility would be allowing to select between multiple profiles for backup/restoration, when you are logged in as Administrator. But that must be implemented and tested.

I'm aware, that it's a disadvantage, that you have to be an Administrator, but I cannot say, if or when I find the time to resolve it, sorry.

-Chris

[Koopa]

I noticed, that it's time for a minor update in near future.

Adding the cloud settings, Info Reports and update it for the new SHOUTcast Source DSP Plugin settings etc.

And check in general, if we still backup/restore valid files only, hehe

As soon as they finalize the Cloud thing, I'll update the tool.

-Chris

[Koopa]

I have a newer build on my system, which updates the tool for Winamp 5.7 compatiblity.

A lot of the settings files have changed the locations.

If someone is interested, I can send you a test build.

[Koopa]

I have always copied the folder Winamp from Username > AppData > Roaming to my USB-Sticks again and again, in case a "PC Crash" could happen or the harddrive could break some day...

Which even more shows, how useful it is.

I already have a full working version for 5.64/5.7, but nobody wants to test it.

But we are off topic now.

[Sabine Klare]

Okay, I will try the newer build of the Winamp Backup Tool in a few hours, if I have got it (I am currently in some sound-checks). At first with Winamp 5.7...
Sorry, that I am such a fearful hare ("so ein Angsthase"). Maybe it's time to just do it, to try it out, because someone has to be the first tester, and I'll be the one now...
I should begin, and I will do that...

[Aminifu]

I wrote in another thread already (too lazy to search for it), that i got 0 feedback related to this: Link

Without testers I'm lost and it shows the general interest in the tool

Ahem, I tested it and even sent you some feedback via PM. But I know a sample size of 1 is not very useful.

The problem I see going forward is how or whether to support those using the older Winamp versions that don't store the ML related files in the new sub-folders.

[Koopa]

I wrote this only to explain, why there is no public version for 5.64. MrS asked if we could add Backup Tool as Extra in the first posting of this sticky thread.

That you have tested it and sent feedback via Pm is much appreciated.

The problem I see going forward is how or whether to support those using the older Winamp versions that don't store the ML related files in the new sub-folders.

It's a 1-man project and maintain much more code for different users is simply too much work. So I have no choice, I use the same method like in the forums, only latest version is supported. 5.64 made some siginficant changes to the locations of the setting files.

And really it makes no senseto use e.g. 5.63, when there is a bug fixed 5.64 available.

[Aminifu]

It's a 1-man project and maintain much more code for different users is simply too much work. So I have no choice, I use the same method like in the forums, only latest version is supported. 5.64 made some siginficant changes to the locations of the setting files.

And really it makes no senseto use e.g. 5.63, when there is a bug fixed 5.64 available.

5.63, there are people still using version 2!

But what you said makes sense to me. The 5.64 version will be released when it is ready (or when you are ready, since what I tested seemed close enough). Those who want to use it will have to use the Winamp version it supports, which they should be using anyway.

I think the lack of interest is because the new generation of Winamp users, and some of the old, have been spoiled. They want things done for them. They want the backup and restore that this tool provides to be part of Winamp and done automatically and all for free. Backup whenever changes are detected and restore whenever corruption is detected.

I, for one, appreciate your efforts with this tool and prefer to manually backup what and when I want and do likewise with restore. I like using my brain and head for more than a hat rack.

[Koopa]

I just ignore these 2.9x people, most people who write such things here are only trolling. Winamp 5.x got siginficant improvements (Unicode, Unfied editor, vastly improved library) and a lot of security fixes. I cannot hear these '2.9x is much faster than 5.x' people.

I'm going to move these BT specific postings to the BT thread in a bit, just that you don't wonder.

I'm waiting for feedback from lostinsound, then we're close to a public release. again thanks for your help.

[MrSinatra]

hi Koopa,

just to explain my own part as a former tester, once ratings could be saved to file, I really had no glaring need for the backup tool. it would be good for me for bookmarks and replicating smartviews from one install to another, but since one machine will have different paths, users, etc and so on from another, I just end up not risking it and slog thru the manual setup.

I think the other big "missing" piece, is that there is no plugin in winamp to remind or automate the process. I however am starting to think winamp agent should be in charge of such things... agent could be used to schedule the backups, scans, remote control winamp, start and exit it, test open ports, etc... but anyway, I think b/c its totally standalone, people just forget about it.

its a great piece of work, i'm not trying to slag it in anyway. but I just think it needs those things.

[Koopa]

The main idea behind it wasn't saving the ratings, I still don't know, why I should rate my own music with stars from 1-5, if I would have music which only would get 1 star, I would simply delete it.

Originally I made the tool for people who lost their whole library. The transfer mode was never planned, people started using the tool to transfer their settings. The only thing I did, was to make it a bit more easy for them.

[lostinsound]

I find the tool extremely useful when I want to test something on a clean install. Since I have all of my Smart Views and their panes and columns (as well as many other settings) set exactly how I want them and getting them back to that after every clean install is a bit tedious and annoying.