GUIDE: How to save your XMBC settings

Legacy 2nd gen Apple TV
1

There are two ways to do this, one easy and one harder. This can be used before the upgrade/downgrade process or if you want to have same setting on another ATV.

EASY way:

The easy way is to copy the userdata folder via SFTP (winscp, et al) from the iOS device to another computer:
For all of your XBMC data, add-ons, skins, etc,
        /private/var/mobile/Library/Preferences/XBMC/ 

For just the settings files themselves (which takes up less space, but means you would have to re-download add-ons, etc).
        /private/var/mobile/Library/Preferences/XBMC/userdata/

To restore,

SFTP the directory back to its original location, then SSH (putty, et al) to the ATV2 and run the following command to reset ownership/permissions:

    chown -R mobile:mobile /private/var/mobile/Library/Preferences/XBMC/

 

 

HARD way:

Install XBMC backup onto device

http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title=Add-on:XBMC_Backup

 

Here’s a video on it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtxvFkyD67o

Once you get the back up to run you may want to put the files onto DROPBOX… this is how to set it up:

  1. You will need to sign-up for you own developer app key and secret by visiting dropbox.com/developers/apps

  2. Choose the API one

  3. Name your app whatevery you want, and make it an “App Folder” type
    application. Your app can run in developer mode and you should never
    need to apply for production status. This is to get around Dropbox’s
    rule not allow distribution of production key/secret pairs.

  4. Once you have your app key and secret add them to the XBMC Backup settings.*

  5. XBMC Backup now needs to have permission to access your Dropbox
    account. When you see the prompt regarding the Dropbox URL Authorization
    DO NOT click OK.

  6. On you computer use your favorite SCP program, I use WinSCP.

  7. Once connected to your ATV go to
    /private/var/mobile/Library/Preferences and open xbmc.log. Check your
    XBMC log file for a line from “script.xbmcbackup” (should be at bottom
    of file) containing the authorization URL.

  8. Cut/paste this into a browser and click Allow.

  9. Once this is done you can click “OK” in XBMC and proceed as normal.

  10. Done

 

NOTE: In XBMC backup you may want to mark the run in background
option so you can keep using your ATV. Back up takes a long time.

 

  • you may want to be ready to read your log file ASAP because
    dropbox will time out the link if you take too long. If it does just try
    your backup again to get another link.
2

Hi, I was referred to you on how to set up my add-ons on atv2 so that I can just copy the setting from one atv2 to another.  I’d like to try the easy way (hopefully that works). 

By copying and transferring the directory information from one atv2 to another, would the other atv2 know to load those add-ons?  Also, does it matter if the versions are different - ie, 5.2.1 versus 5.3?  Thank you in advance.

 

The easy way is to copy the userdata folder via SFTP (winscp, et al) from the iOS device to another computer:
For all of your XBMC data, add-ons, skins, etc,
/private/var/mobile/Library/Preferences/XBMC/

3

It’ll know to load those addons, at least it did with mine. AppleTV version won’t matter but to be on the safe side make sure XBMC is up to date (I think it’s 12.3 right now) on the 5.2.1 so that it matches the XBMC on the new machine.

p.s. You’ll still have to install the XBMC on new machine first, then once installed, open XBMC and then close it again, otherwise it doesn’t show up when you go to copy back userdata.

 

4

I used the Filezilla and downloaded the XBMC folder onto my hard drive.  Now, to restore, I use PUTTY?  Do I use the Filezilla to overwrite the existing XBMC folder first before using Putty to…

 

To restore,

SFTP the directory back to its original location, then SSH (putty, et al) to the ATV2 and run the following command to reset ownership/permissions:

chown -R mobile:mobile /private/var/mobile/Library/Preferences/XBMC/

5

Use use Filezilla to overwrite the existing XBMC folder first then use Putty to reset permissions.

6

is it possible to copy a complete install package from windows laptop onto appletv2?