80011 - ECHO/PULSE - Backing up the Echo Desktop data or Livescribe Desktop data / Transferring Data to a New Computer

80011 - How can I back up my Echo Desktop or Livescribe Desktop data?  How can I transfer that data to a new computer?

If you are planning on transferring your data from one machine to another, data folders cannot be transferred from Windows to Mac or Mac to Windows.

Windows Echo Desktop (any version) or Livescribe Desktop 2.0 (and later):
To access the data folder you will first need to make sure hidden folders are visible.  To do so: 

  1. Click on the Windows "Start" button (Windows 8 - right-click in the lower left corner).
  2. Select "Control Panel".
  3. Windows 8, 7 & Vista - From Category view click on "Appearance and Personalization" and select "Show Hidden Files or Folders" or from Icon/Classic view double-click "Folder Options" and select the "View" tab.  Windows XP - From Category view click on "Appearance and Themes" or from Classic View double-click "Folder Options" and select the "View" tab.
  4. Under the "Hidden files and folders" section, if not already selected, select the radio button labeled "Show hidden files and folders" and click "OK". 

Now you can copy the data folder.  To do so: 

  1. Windows 8/10 - Click the folder icon on the taskbar to open "File Explorer".  Windows 7/Vista/XP - Right-click on the Windows "Start" button and select "Open Windows Explorer" (7) / select "Explore" (Vista/XP).
  2. Windows 8, 7, and Vista users navigate to "C:\Users\your_windows_account_name\AppData\Local".  Windows XP users navigate to "C:\Documents and Settings \your_windows_account_name\Local Settings\Application Data".  NOTE: If you had Livescribe Desktop installed on this machine and then upgraded to Windows 8 from a previous OS version then the Livescribe data folder will be located at "C:\Windows.old\Users\your_windows_account_name\AppData\Local"
  3. Right click on the "Livescribe" folder and select "Copy".
  4. Paste your "Livescribe" folder to an external hard drive, flash drive, or save it on some form of removable media. 

Transferring Data to a New Windows Computer
If you need to transfer your Livescribe data from one computer to another, please follow the steps below.
NOTE: Data folders cannot be transferred from Windows to Mac.
Also note that you can only transfer the Livescribe data folder from a 64-bit machine to another 64-bit machine or a 32-bit machine to another 32-bit machine.  Data folders from 32-bit machines are not compatible with 64-bit machines.  
To check your machine type:

  1. Windows 8/10 - Press the Windows (between "Control" and "Alt") and "X" keys at the same time.  Then select "Control Panel > System".  Windows 7/Vista/XP - Click on "Start", right-click on "Computer", and select "Properties".
  2. Look at "System type:" for the processor type - 64 or 32. 

If the processor types are not the same, you can still move your data to the second machine.
For Echo Desktop you would need to export data as Livescribe PDF files (80960 - ECHO/PULSE - Sharing/Exporting Echo Desktop pencasts and notes) and then import them into the new computer's Echo Desktop (80980 - ECHO/PULSE - Importing Livescribe PDFs into Echo Desktop).  
For Livescribe Desktop you would need to export data as .pencasts (80504 - ECHO/PULSE - Exporting notebooks, pages, or audio as .pencast files using Livescribe Desktop) and then import them into the new computer's Livescribe Desktop or Echo Desktop (80410 - ECHO/PULSE - Importing Livescribe Desktop .pencast files).
To transfer your existing data from Windows Computer #1 to Windows Computer #2:

Step 1

Copy your data from computer #1 to a removable storage device.

Step 2

On Computer #2 you will first need to make sure hidden folders are visible.  To do so:

  1. Click on the Windows "Start" button (Windows 8 - right-click in the lower left corner).
  2. Select "Control Panel".
  3. Windows 8/7/Vista - From Category view click on "Appearance and Personalization" and select "Show Hidden Files or Folders" OR from Icons/Classic view double-click "Folder Options" and select the "View" tab.  Windows XP - From Category View click on "Appearance and Themes" and double-click "Folder Options" OR from Classic View double-click "Folder Options" and select the "View" tab.
  4. Under the "Hidden files and folders" section, if not already selected, select the radio button labeled "Show hidden files and folders" and click "OK".

Step 3

Now you can save the stored data folder from Computer #1 to Computer #2.  To do so:

  1. If installed and running, shut down Echo Desktop or Livescribe Desktop.
  2. Windows 8 - Click the folder icon on the taskbar to open "File Explorer".  Windows 7/Vista/XP - Right-click on the Windows "Start" button and select "Open Windows Explorer" (7) / select "Explore" (Vista/XP).
  3. Windows 8, 7, and Vista navigate to "C:\Users\your_windows_account_name\AppData\Local".  Windows XP navigate to "C:\Documents and Settings \your_windows_account_name\Local Settings\Application Data". 
  4. If there is an existing "Livescribe" folder in this location, right-click on the "Livescribe" folder, select "Rename", and rename your "Livescribe" folder to something else (for example "Livescribe - Old".  This way you can keep the new files as a backup in case you need to access them later).
  5. Drag the "Livescribe" data folder from your removable storage device into the "Local" folder (Windows 8, 7, and Vista) or "Application Data" folder (Windows XP).  If you are prompted with a "Confirm Folder Replace" option, PLEASE CLICK "No" AT THE PROMPT and go back to step 4. (above) to rename the "Livescribe" existing folder.  Otherwise you will end up merging your old data folder with your new data folder which will corrupt the files.
  6. If Livescribe Desktop is not already installed, go to www.livescribe.com/install and install Echo Desktop on your new machine.
  7. Run Echo Desktop (or Livescribe Desktop if that was previously installed).

All of the Livescribe data that was saved on Computer #1 will now be showing in the Desktop software on Computer #2.

Please let us know if you are not able to access your data after following the steps above.

Mac Users
In order to back up your existing Mac Echo or  Livescribe Desktop data please follow the steps below:

NOTE: There are two Livescribe folders on your computer.  If you do not follow these steps exactly you may end up copying the wrong one.

  1. Activate your "Finder" menu by clicking somewhere on an unused area of your desktop.
  2. Mojave/High Sierra/Mountain Lion and Lion Users - Hold down the "option" key and from the menu options at the top of your desktop (Finder, File, Edit, View, Go, etc.) select Go > Library > Application Support.  Snow Leopard and Leopard Users - from the menu options at the top of your desktop (Finder, File, Edit, View, Go, etc.) select Go > Home > Library > Application Support.
  3. Hold the "control" key down on your keyboard and click the "Livescribe" folder.
  4. Select "Copy Livescribe".
  5. Hold the "control" key again and click on the white-space somewhere in the "Application Support" folder.
  6. Select "Paste item".
  7. Drag the "Livescribe copy" folder that was created to an external hard drive, flash drive, or save it on some form of removable media.
  8. Click on the "Livescribe copy" folder, and then click once more to rename it.
  9. Change the name from "Livescribe copy" to "Livescribe".  By renaming the folder, if you ever need to use the backup it will match the name Echo Desktop or Livescribe Desktop is looking for. 

Transferring Data to a New Mac Computer

NOTE: Data folders cannot be transferred from Mac to Windows.

To transfer your existing data to another Mac or another User profile on the same Mac:

  1. IMPORTANT: On the new computer/User profile, if installed and running, shut down Echo Desktop or Livescribe Desktop.
  2. Activate your "Finder" menu by clicking somewhere on an unused area of your desktop.
  3. Yosemite, Mavericks, Mountain Lion and Lion - hold down the "option" key and from the menu options at the top of your desktop (Finder, File, Edit, View, Go, etc.) select Go > Library > Application Support. Snow Leopard and Leopard - from the menu options at the top of your desktop (Finder, File, Edit, View, Go, etc.) select Go > Home > Library > Application Support.  NOTE:  If there is an existing "Livescribe" folder in this location, click on the "Livescribe" folder, then click again and rename your "Livescribe" folder to something else (for example "Livescribe - Old".  This way you can keep the old files as a backup in case you need to access them later).
  4. Drag the "Livescribe" data folder from your removable storage device into "Application Support".
  5. If Livescribe Desktop is not already installed, go to www.livescribe.com/install and install Echo Desktop on your new machine.
  6. Run Echo Desktop (or Livescribe Desktop if that was previously installed). 

All of the Livescribe data that was saved on your previous computer/User profile will now be showing in the Desktop software on your new computer/User profile.

Please let us know if you are not able to access your Livescribe data.

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