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Weather Software => WeatherLink/weatherlink.com by Davis Instruments => Topic started by: Bushman on October 18, 2011, 06:40:30 PM

Title: Testing an Upgrade to WL 5.9.3?
Post by: Bushman on October 18, 2011, 06:40:30 PM
I am considering upgrading from 5.8.3 on my remote Netbook but was wondering is anyone has any thoughts as to:

a) stability of the current build (I'm running XP SP2)
b) keeping  all the WL files from the current install
c) reverting back in case it dumps on me

Any other issues on the process?  Like uninstalling older versions  - I have 5.8.2 as well as .3 on the existing box.
TIA!
Title: Re: Testing an Upgrade to WL 5.9.3?
Post by: d_l on October 18, 2011, 06:58:44 PM
I've had no problems with 5.9.3 on a clean install on XP SP3 on an Acer Netbook.  I simply copied the folder and subfolders from a 5.9.2 laptop that had been on an XP SP1 and later XP SP2 and dumped them into the appropriate place on the 5.9.3 machine.  The 5.9.2 install had been upgraded from 5.8.3 and earlier versions without problem. When I upgraded, I simply left the older versions on the laptop.  The laptop didn't have HD space constraints.

I simply haven't gotten around to upgrading 5.9.2 to 5.9.3.

WL only has to work with WLIPs and a serial logger though.  No USB loggers here to potentially cause problems..
Title: Re: Testing an Upgrade to WL 5.9.3?
Post by: dalecoy on October 18, 2011, 07:29:48 PM
I had absolutely no issues installing each newer version of WL.

In particular, on my Windows XP SP3 machine, upgrading from 5.9.2 to 5.9.3 was entirely smooth.  No need to uninstall 5.9.2.  Upgraded in-place to the same folder, without loss of data, etc. 

Of course, you do have a good backup strategy, don't you?

Title: Re: Testing an Upgrade to WL 5.9.3?
Post by: Flag on October 19, 2011, 05:39:48 AM
a) Stability? have not seen and major issues with XP (SP2 or SP3) and some bugs in 5.9.3 are basically inheritated from previous versions.

b) you would do this anyway regardless as a matter of course and good archieve practice based on current download

c)  No drama with the data & station files archived

As a matter of course I typically uninstall any previous version/s anyway.
Title: Re: Testing an Upgrade to WL 5.9.3?
Post by: Skywatch on October 19, 2011, 12:07:05 PM
I sent an email to Davis about this last week because I want to upgrade without spending anything more. So how often does Davis release newer versions of WeatherLink?
Title: Re: Testing an Upgrade to WL 5.9.3?
Post by: JACK10562 on October 19, 2011, 12:57:32 PM
It doesn't cost anything to upgrade WeatherLink software for current owners of previous builds. Just download and install the exe. I would back-up the existing WeatherLink folder, JUST in case.

http://www.davisnet.com/support/weather/software_sftwr.asp

The software update pages don't give any release history (dates)  but from digging around it appears version 5.9x came out sometime in 2009.
Title: Re: Testing an Upgrade to WL 5.9.3?
Post by: johnd on October 19, 2011, 01:05:47 PM
It doesn't cost anything to upgrade WeatherLink software for current owners of previous builds.

Just think there should be a small caveat here. It's been a (very) long time since WL had a major version number update, eg v4.x to v5.0. But when that last happened then IIRC the upgrade was chargeable and not free. It's difficult to know whether Davis are effectively going to allow WL to wither on the vine and maybe there never will be a v6. But if v6 should ever happen (eg something more like WDTU but with graphics and reporting tools) then don't be surprised if the update is chargeable again.