Reconstruct the toolchain
- Determine the exact Delphi edition/version and installed update level.
- Inventory DPK/DCP/BPL/DCU packages and locate matching third-party component source or installers.
- Recover library, browsing, unit-output and project search paths.
- Record conditional symbols, compiler/linker directives, runtime-package settings and build configurations.
- Preserve database drivers, client libraries, SDK headers/import units and external tools.
- Document environment variables and scripts rather than encoding new machine-specific paths.
Prove the recovered build
| Package installs but project fails | Check compiler-version DCUs, namespace/unit paths and package dependencies. |
|---|---|
| Form cannot load | Resolve the design-time component before saving the form. |
| Binary differs | Compare defines, resources, package linkage and source revision. |
| Runtime data fails | Verify BDE/ODBC/client configuration outside the compiler. |
Build from a clean checkout or preserved source snapshot, record every input, and retain the old machine image as evidence.
Use application recovery for the whole system, source analysis, Delphi 7 migration after a baseline exists, and the Delphi pillar.