What files to backup? Doing fresh install

Hi. I’m going to do a fresh install of DCS. What files do I need to backup (and there locations) to keep my key binds and other settings.

Thanks.

By default , it is C:\users\(user name)\saved games\dcs(ver)

^^ That. You could go in and select specific directories, but it's far easier to just store the entire Saved Games\DCS directory and then selectively copy things back once you've reinstalled.

The directory names are pretty self-explanatory, so the ones you'd want to copy back immediately are fairly obvious, but at the same time, there are some you probably want to build from scratch.

So, for instance, restoring directories like Kneeboard or Liveries or Missions is trivial. Stuff in the Mod folder might occasionally need a proper installer to work, so you have to check those individually. If you've added any directories of your own (for instance, I have a Mission Scripts folder where I keep various scripting junk for use in the mission editor), then that's your own creation that DCS doesn't care about, so those are obviously safe too.

The only slightly tricky one is the Config directory. This one you probably want to leave out at first when you restore so the new install can set up its own ini files, and then you adjust new graphics and special settings from the menu as required. Once that's done, you'll definitely want to restore Config\Input, and possibly Config\View (especially if you have set up snap views and custom labels), but the rest is usually better to get a fresh start on.

e: Oh, and of course, if you have any mods that affect the base install directory (using OvGME or some similar mod manager), then obviously you need to make sure you have backups of those mods so you can put them back in place once you're done. But here too, save and restore the mods themselves, rather than try to fiddle with the directories in the DCS install.

... but the rest is usually better to get a fresh start on.

I would suggest to also restore the MissionEditor folder, as it contains your Logbook, Campaign progress and Custom Unit Payloads that you may have generated for your own missions.

Thanks for the reply’s guys

Will that back up all your bindings?

Hi. I’m going to do a fresh install of DCS. What files do I need to backup (and there locations) to keep my key binds and other settings.

Thanks.

You don’t need to backup the Saved Games DCS folder as it will remain untouched by a reinstall of DCS.