INTERACT FORUM

If you're using MC as a client, the settings that matter are on the server. 

Just do a library backup on the default Library on the machine.  You aren't able to remove the only local Library, even if you never actually use it for anything.

Switch to this Library in the Library Manager, and then do a backup of that Library.  It doesn't matter if that Library doesn't contain any useful media, as all Library backups contain all of MC's settings.  When you are restoring a "Library", the settings can be restored independently of the Library itself.

If you need to restore this, switch again to the default Library in the Library manager, and then restore it.  You can uncheck the box to restore the Library itself and leave the settings box checked to restore all of the settings.

The settings include the setup of all of the other Libraries (both local and remote) in Media Center, the DSP, Zones, and most of the stuff in Tools > Options that isn't Library Specific (like Auto-Import settings and Theater View setup, which are part of the Library).

I should note, if you refer to my process in the second link above...

You can even do this in two separate steps, and restore a Library from one backup, and Settings from a different one.

Because my Laptop has its own local Library, I want to keep that "Library setup" (Views in Standard and Theater View, Smartlists, etc) "synced" with the main Library I use at home.  So, every so often I follow the steps in that thread.

However, because the Settings Restore part of a Restore includes all of the currently configured Libraries (including remote Libraries), I often use my Laptop itself as a quick way to copy settings (but not the Library which is full of temporary junk) over to other newly installed machines.  For example, just this weekend, I set up a copy of MC in a Virtual Machine.  On this one, I first:

1. Made a Library backup on my Laptop, and copied that into Dropbox.
2. Made a Library backup on my main server at home, of my "main" media Library, and then copied that into Dropbox.
3. On the newly installed VM instance, I opened MC and got it licensed.
4. Then, I restored the "laptop backup" and selected ONLY the Settings box.  This copied over my default DSP settings, a couple Zones I use, and (most importantly) the setup of my Libraries under the Library Manager (which includes the URL to my main Library on the server).
5. I fixed the things that needed fixing (mostly Options > Audio, resetting the Media Network access key under Options > Media Network, and fixing disk locations under Options > File Locations).
6. Then, I made sure I had the main "local" Library loaded (the default one in the default place) and then I did a restore using the Server's Backup ZIP.
7. This time, I only restored the Library, and NOT the settings (which would have set it up just like my Server, which I don't want).
8. Lastly, I followed the steps in the other thread (removing all the broken links and fixing Auto-Import settings), to make the Library "clean" of files.