Moving brain to new computer via direct copy-paste folder #96244
https://thebrain.zendesk.com/agent/tickets/96244
Hello Ric,
Thank you for reaching out. Based on your description, it sounds like you are under the impression that syncing did not fully transfer your Brain. However, syncing should carry over all your data unless there were issues with external references or attachments.
To clarify:
- How did you determine that your old Brain had 409 files, while the new one had 214 files?
- Were these missing files external links (local or online attachments)? If so, those are just references, meaning they navigate to a location rather than being stored within TheBrain. It’s best to keep attachments stored in OneDrive, Google Drive, or a dedicated local folder to ensure accessibility.
- If all files were originally stored inside TheBrain, then they should have transferred properly.
If you want to restore your Brain from your USB backup instead of using the cloud version, follow these steps:
- Rename the existing Brain folder
- Navigate to:
C:\Brains - Rename the existing Brain folder to Brains.old (this prevents conflicts). And save it in your USB as well for backup purposes.
- Navigate to:
- Copy the backup Brain folder from your USB drive
- Paste it into
C:\Brains. location (This will be the folder that the Brain refers to from now on)
- Paste it into
- Perform a MetaDB Reset
- Navigate to:
C:\Users\[your username]\AppData\Local\TheBrain\MetaDB. - Locate TheBrainMeta.db and rename it to TheBrainMeta.db.old.
- Restart TheBrain and log in again.
- Navigate to:
Once you’ve done this, your Brain should be fully restored using your original files.
Regarding your questions:
- Can I delete the subfolders in C:\Brains and copy over my backup?
- I do not recommend manually deleting subfolders. Instead, rename the current Brain folder and replace it entirely with your backup. This prevents corruption.
- Can I open a Brain directly from a folder or USB?
- TheBrain does not have an "Open Brain" function. If your Brain is stored elsewhere, you must copy it into the Brains directory (
C:\Brains). - If you have a .brz backup, you can restore it via File > Import Brain Archive (.brz).
- TheBrain does not have an "Open Brain" function. If your Brain is stored elsewhere, you must copy it into the Brains directory (
- Can I open two Brains side by side?
- TheBrain does not support opening multiple Brains in separate windows, but you can switch between two Brains in different tabs.
- If you need to compare them side by side, a workaround is to open one Brain in the desktop client and the other in the web client (https://app.thebrain.com).
- Can I merge, consolidate, or compare Brains?
- Yes, you can import one Brain into another via File > Import Brain Archive.
- However, TheBrain does not have an automatic duplicate detection feature, so manual review is required after merging.
Suggested Feature:
If you’d like to request an autocomplete feature similar to NotePad++, I recommend submitting it to our UserVoice portal:
📌 https://thebrain.uservoice.com
Here is the download link for version 8 in case you need it: https://salesapi.thebrain.com/?a=doDirectDownload&id=8001
Let me know if this helps or if you need further guidance! Also, it was a pleasure speaking with you earlier! Have a wonderful weekend!
Best regards,
John