See post after below, error somewhat overcome, post left here for others coming from older versions of Houdini with files to try out in H5.5NC. Not sure if this was really a technical quesion as it was about install and old files so put it here.

-Will there be a software update for the latest non-commercial release? Just a few issues.

-Understandably not really supported, but I am unable to bring in HoCommercial 4.1 files without lists of errors, but quite cool that we are able to bring commercial files into HoNC to play or practise with. Some errors are understandable as file locations no longer exist but others are odd with interface elements missing.

-Also noticed with just a plain startup of HoNC that interface elements in parameter view are missing and get list of errors.

For eg. when opening HoNC freash and then selecting camera or with drop down menu trying to view parameters from it I get the following errors listed along with the corresponding GUI elements missing:

/DOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Syntax error on line 200

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Syntax error on line 206

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Syntax error on line 212

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Syntax error on line 218

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Syntax error on line 224

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Syntax error on line 230

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Syntax error on line 236

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Syntax error on line 242

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Syntax error on line 248

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Syntax error on line 254

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Syntax error on line 258

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Syntax error on line 264

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Syntax error on line 285

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Syntax error on line 315

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Syntax error on line 361

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Syntax error on line 417

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Syntax error on line 435

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Syntax error on line 441

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Syntax error on line 447

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Syntax error on line 461

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Syntax error on line 462

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Syntax error on line 467

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Syntax error on line 484

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Syntax error on line 485

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Syntax error on line 493

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Syntax error on line 495

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Syntax error on line 496

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Syntax error on line 497

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Error (Line 546): Variable “filesize.gad” not defined.

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Error (Line 554): Variable “copframe.gad” not defined.

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Error (Line 595): Variable “t.gad” not defined.

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Error (Line 596): Variable “r.gad” not defined.

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Error (Line 597): Variable “s.gad” not defined.

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Error (Line 598): Variable “p.gad” not defined.

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Error (Line 599): Variable “scale.gad” not defined.

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Error (Line 603): Variable “roll.gad” not defined.

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Error (Line 604): Variable “pos.gad” not defined.

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Error (Line 605): Variable “pathorient.gad” not defined.

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Error (Line 606): Variable “up.gad” not defined.

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Error (Line 607): Variable “bank.gad” not defined.

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Error (Line 614): Variable “orthowidth.gad” not defined.

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Error (Line 615): Variable “res.join” not defined.

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Error (Line 616): Variable “aspect.gad” not defined.

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Error (Line 617): Variable “focal.gad” not defined.

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Error (Line 618): Variable “aperture.gad” not defined.

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Error (Line 619): Variable “shutter.gad” not defined.

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Error (Line 620): Variable “near.gad” not defined.

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Error (Line 621): Variable “far.gad” not defined.

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Error (Line 622): Variable “focus.gad” not defined.

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Error (Line 623): Variable “fstop.gad” not defined.

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Error (Line 624): Variable “curvature.gad” not defined.

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Error (Line 630): Variable “cropl.gad” not defined.

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Error (Line 631): Variable “cropr.gad” not defined.

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Error (Line 632): Variable “cropb.gad” not defined.

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Error (Line 633): Variable “cropt.gad” not defined.

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Error (Line 634): Variable “win.gad” not defined.

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Error (Line 635): Variable “winsize.gad” not defined.

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Error (Line 636): Variable “winroll.gad” not defined.

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Error (Line 651): Variable “display.gad” not defined.

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Error (Line 671): Variable “clear.gad” not defined.

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Error (Line 673): Variable “fogdensity.gad” not defined.

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Error (Line 674): Variable “fognear.gad” not defined.

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Error (Line 675): Variable “fogfar.gad” not defined.

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Error (Line 676): Variable “fogcolor.gad” not defined.

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Error (Line 677): Variable “fogalpha.gad” not defined.

ERROR: CDOCUME~1/GRAHAM~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/OBJ5.5.36/cam: Error (Line 684): Variable “dcolor.gad” not defined.

ops: Note to self:
OK figured it out,
If you open an old ie Ho4.1 file in HoNC5.5 it writes a cam, geo whatever file for whatever you click on or try to get parameters from and seems to refer to that.
So a work around so far is to open the old file in 5.5 then go to xDocuments_and_Settings/user/Local_Settings/Temp/houdini5.5/config/Dialogs/ an sin OBJ5.5.36 or SOP5.5.36 etc select the files inside such as cam or obj or tube or whatever and delete them, and then ctrl C the tiles you want and then open a new freash Houdini5.5NC and ctrl paste them into it. A problem with this is that it gives a fatal error trying to open COPS at least in my situation. If I try to save in Ho5.5NC after loading the 4.1 scene it reloads empty so the cutnpaste is all that seems to work for some of it for now…

Hmm… As far as I understand it, I thought that COPv1, TOP, and Mat will no longer showed in Houdini 5.5's editor unless you set HOUDINI_COPTOPMAT to 1 in the environment variable. Could this be a problem?

I had HOUDINI_COPTOPMAT set but still get crashes with this one file, an earlier version is OK so I'll go with it.

Also was recommended to set HOME to ctemp and this stops the loss of gui elements from recurring even in freash startups of HNC5.5, but doesn't prevent the errors and resulting loss of gui elements when opening the 4.1 files

I figured out another better but still silly workaround, if I open an earlier version file 3.0 or something then I open the fussy 4.1 file again it opens fine…so far… just doesn't save and reopen, the file is BLANK, empty again, the only way is to cutnpaste