How do I move my Data from one computer to another?
Answer
Moving your data from one computer to another involves moving your databases and images (if you use OST).
By default, your application database(s) and image files are stored on your local drive (C) in a folder named OCS Documents and a sub-folder with the application name such as "C:\OCS Documents\OST" or "C:\OCS Documents\Quick Bid". Depending on how you have setup OST, your image files may not be stored locally, they may be on a network drive - you have to check your bids to see where your images are being stored, each bid can be linked to a different location. It is possible that your databases may be on a 2nd, local hard drive with a different letter than "C" also - you can tell where your databases are stored by looking in the Open Databases dialog box.
You will need to determine where your files are currently being stored and if they are stored in a location other that C:\OCS Documents\ adjust the follow steps accordingly.
Never store Microsoft Access databases on a network drive. Although the programs can access these databases, your databases will be damaged over time. If you must locate your databases on a network or share them, you must migrate to
Microsoft SQL Databases.
First, open all databases that you are going to move from one machine to another (review the product's User Guide for help with that)
Run a Compact and Repair on each database stored in the existing OCS Documents folder (review the product's User Guide for help with that, also)
Close all databases (right-click on each and select "Close")
Return all licenses by clicking File > Check Authorization and returning each one-by-one.
Then exit out of the application (if you are moving both OST and QB, both applications must be closed before you start copying and pasting files)
Open Windows Explorer and navigate to the C:\OCS Documents folder (inside this folder you will see an OST and Quick Bid folder (assuming you use both products), and in those folders, you will see databases (*.mdb files), and perhaps subfolders for Backups, Images, and unique Project Folders - you want to make sure everything gets moved).
Right-click on the OCS Documents folder and select Copy
Navigate to your USB drive, right-click and select Paste
Depending on how many jobs are stored in the database, the size of the database(s), the number of images being copied, and the speed of your connection between the source and destination, this process may take several minutes to hours.
Most people use a USB drive or something similar to transfer the files from one machine to another. If you are using some other mechanism, such as a Cloud drive or Network drive to transfer the files, paste the folder there.
Insert the USB Drive (or open the Cloud drive or Network drive) on the new machine
Locate the "OCS Documents" folder you pasted previously, right-click it and select Copy
Open Windows Explorer, then navigate to wherever you want to store your data right-click and select Paste (by default, just paste that "OCS Documents" into "C:\" this will created a folder "C:\OCS Documents\" and your application folders and databases will be in there.
Once the pasting process is complete, open the application(s) (again, if your copying a lot of data, this may take some time)
Follow the steps in your product's User Guide to point the application(s) to the new "Database Folder" (in Tools > Options > Folders) - Review each folder location to ensure it is pointed to the appropriate location on the new machine)
For On-Screen Takeoff projects you may need to re-associate all the images to the new location - please refer to the User Guide for assistance with Reassociating image files. (If your images were stored in some subfolder of "C:\OCS Documents\OST" on the original machine, you should not have to reconnect or reassociate anything.)
If you have any problems with this, please Contact Support and a tech will be happy to assist you.