Backup and Restore thinkorswim platform on Windows10

jauyzed

New member
Yes, there is a way to make your ToS platform portable "to go" as long as you have windows machines. This process could be helpful for people using work machines without ToS install.

Considering you have a personal windows machine where you have installed ToS platform on it and spent hours maybe days to add code related to indicators, charts and studies etc. Now one fine day your machine crashes for hardware failure or whatever it maybe. For this rainy day there is a way to get you back up and trading within mins.

Here is how: Thinkorswim platform is a based on Java and merely a java executable with required binaries, libraries and its OS-related files all located somewhere in windows directory. It does a fancy install but all it is doing is extracting the downloaded install file.

After you have installed you ToS and added your settings, WL, scans, indicators, charts, and what not; locate this directory on your windows10 machine:
Bash:
C:\Program Files\thinkorswim

If you look into this you will see a lot of files; DO NOT EDIT/OPEN ANY FILES INSIDE THIS DIRECTORY

Now, copy this directory thinkorswim to a usbdrive and voila you just made your ToS portable. I would use a high R/W usbdrive and latest USB driver like 3.0+

Plugin this USB on a different windows machine(typically with no prior ToS installed) and locate thinkorswim application inside the directory and doubleclick on it. That should start ToS without a install on this machine.

Optional: If you like to treat your fancies without USBdrives, sync this directory on the primary machine with apps like dropbox or googledrive or box. The thinkorswim directory is not more than a 1gig on my machine.

The process maybe be similar on linux or mac machines but the location and install directories will be different due to OS platforms.

Hope this helps!
 
Last edited:
Interesting take. Never tried this before. I assume this is slightly different from saving your TOS setup as a workspace since you get to carry over the watchlist columns and existing custom scanners?

JjNDoYo.png
 
I backup the entire \thinkorswim folder every day. Friday, I backup the folder to a different directory (thinkorswim_Friday). I do this because of the big changes that are frequently made over the weekend. This strategy takes less than a couple minutes and has saved me in the past.....I also just set up a new laptop and transferred the thinkorswim folder to the new computer and TOS was up and running as an exact duplicate of my main system.
 
Interesting take. Never tried this before. I assume this is slightly different from saving your TOS setup as a workspace since you get to carry over the watchlist columns and existing custom scanners?

JjNDoYo.png
When saving the workspace, I’m assuming all of our watchlists and custom scans are included in that? Or do we have to save them seperately?
 
@Optionsguy I don't think so but give it a try and let us know. Been awhile since I checked my workspace copy.
 
When saving the workspace, I’m assuming all of our watchlists and custom scans are included in that? Or do we have to save them seperately?
SAVE WORKSPACE saves EVERYTHING viewable on your thinkorswim platform's windows (screens). Keep in mind saving workspace is not stored in the "cloud" and is stored locally on the host computer... therefore if you move to a different computer it will not be transfered...... you will need to import it via SHARE WORKSPACE to allow sharing to yourself.
 
Airline life has me everywhere.....My IPad will not allow my favorite indicators .....

What laptop should I get that will act like a desktop & allow the indicators to populate my TOS platform....?

Thank you

peter
 
Thank you.....Just what I was looking for.....p

@Homeward Just download TOS on your new laptop and you should be able to have the same setup.
Thank you Ben.....I will need a laptop for on my on the road trades......Any laptop suggestions....I have the Tos minimum criteria.....peter
 
Thank you for your reponse Ben....
I am currently looking @ the Macbook & I assume that you do not have any issues installing your indicators your Mac .....

I will look @ the Macbooks going forward.....🙂
 
Airline life has me everywhere.....My IPad will not allow my favorite indicators .....

What laptop should I get that will act like a desktop & allow the indicators to populate my TOS platform....?

Thank you

peter
I'm not sure if you already purchased the hardware. I'm not a fan of apple but I love linux PC's
If you are PC guy like me there are several options, Microsoft surface pro which converts to tablet; Keyboard attachment is also available for it.
MS Windows is a safebet.

I personally love Lenovo's laptops. X carbon series are thin and light weight yet very powerful on the expensive side. You also have regular laptops from lenovo: T and E series which are budget friendly

They should be available on Costco...just fyi
 
The only input I'll offer for ANY PC is that more money doesn't necessarily equate to more computer... I explain it to my customers that what it really equates to is more profit margin for the seller... I am in communications with a customer right now regarding a laptop purchase... She is looking at prices from $579 to $1,600... A newer generation CPU, more memory, and bigger storage drive doesn't justify an extra $1,000...!!! I've had customers purchase a cheaper laptop and then increased memory and doubled or quadrupled drive space, when needed, for a fraction of that $1,000... Same goes for bloating the machine with extra "free or un-needed" software to increase "perceived value"... Buyer beware...!!!

ps: I'm a Linux and Windows kinda guy...
 
I'm not sure if you already purchased the hardware. I'm not a fan of apple but I love linux PC's
If you are PC guy like me there are several options, Microsoft surface pro which converts to tablet; Keyboard attachment is also available for it.
MS Windows is a safebet.

I personally love Lenovo's laptops. X carbon series are thin and light weight yet very powerful on the expensive side. You also have regular laptops from lenovo: T and E series which are budget friendly

They should be available on Costco...just fyi
Thank you for taking the time to provide me some valuable information.....🙂
 
The only input I'll offer for ANY PC is that more money doesn't necessarily equate to more computer... I explain it to my customers that what it really equates to is more profit margin for the seller... I am in communications with a customer right now regarding a laptop purchase... She is looking at prices from $579 to $1,600... A newer generation CPU, more memory, and bigger storage drive doesn't justify an extra $1,000...!!! I've had customers purchase a cheaper laptop and then increased memory and doubled or quadrupled drive space, when needed, for a fraction of that $1,000... Same goes for bloating the machine with extra "free or un-needed" software to increase "perceived value"... Buyer beware...!!!

ps: I'm a Linux and Windows kinda guy...
Thank you....I agree.....🙂
 

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