Backing Up Silhouette Studio Files

[lovetoad]

Reply now received from Graphtec but its not helpful.
Firstly this is what I wrote to them:
Message:
I've been trying to back up my silhouette cameo library in case of my laptop failing. I have 265 designs and 85 patterns in my library. Just one file picked at random on my laptop showed that that particular studio file was 2.25MB in size. I found online a description of how to do this, by locating a file called com.aspexsoftware.Silhouette_Studio.8 (I found the com.aspexsoftware.Silhouette_Studio.8 folder in my Windows 7 laptop at C:\Program Files (x86)\Silhouette Studio\Resources\Resources\SPEC_SS2) and saving that to an external drive. I've done this and then found out that this folder only contains 6.84kb of data! I was expecting a big file. Can you advise on what Im doing wrong please? Thanks Sharon

Their reply is:
Hello Sharon,

Thank you very much for your enquiry and sorry for the delay in replying: Graphtec was exhibiting at the NEC Birmingham until last night… Have you been able to find out what was wrong? Have you recovered all your designs?

Brian, one of our engineers here and the Silhouette Technical Support guru, has developed a piece of software at customers’ requests: the software he developed is on a USB key. It takes a snapshot of your library to back it up and restore it if need be (or copy it onto another PC or laptop).

Unfortunately, as I do not have access to your library, I am unable to see if the back up on your external hard drive has been successful.

I hope you will find this information helpful and please do not hesitate to contact me if I can be of any further assistance"

It didn't really seem like she had read my initial question as I haven't lost my files just trying to back them so that I DONT lose them! Secondly it looks like they are not going to reply with specific instructions coz they want to flog me a their back up and restore key at a cost of a tenner plus p&p.

[lovetoad]

Have you checked with the size of your original folder to see how it compares?

The studio (vector) files themselves are usually fairly small, it's when you start adding images (for print and cut) that they will be bigger.

Rosemary

Same size but I just don't believe this is right. How can one cutting file be over 2MB yet the whole of my library is only 6kb?

[Neries]

Same size but I just don't believe this is right. How can one cutting file be over 2MB yet the whole of my library is only 6kb?

Have you tried looking at what files have been transferred to your external hard drive? Right click on the hard drive icon, then click 'explore' to find the folder and then 'explore' again to find the individual files with their size.

I have not tried this with Silhouette store file templates but do use it to find specific files on CDs, DVDs and photo folders.

[dozyrosy]

Unfortunately you can't do this with the Silhouette Library as all the files are stored in one place in a special format, so aren't readable individually.

[craftingmad]

I cant get this back up to work what ever I try. I have tried 4 times to overwrite the file.
I only have program files\silhouette on my netbook which I am using to see if the back up works as my laptop is dying & can't afford to buy another til after christmas.
Help please...........

[dozyrosy]

Can you explain which backup method you're using as we're talking about both the DIY one as well as the Graphtec USB, and what sort of error message you're getting.

My library folder is, by default, read only, and if this is the case with your set up, you would need to change this, I believe, to be able to overwrite it. And you may need to be logged in as Administrator to make such changes.

Rosemary