This is a follow up of #1228. I finally found some time to try to upgrade my outdated WinPython64-3.7.7.1 to newer versions.

However, after extracting the WinPython's installer, and copying my \WinPython64-3.7.7.1\settings\ to the newly extracted WinPython folder to overwrite the existing one, and after launching Spyder, no preferences of Spyder are preserved and Spyder seems to be launched with default preferences which are generated and stored in C:\Users\Username\.spyder-py3\, C:\Users\Username\.matplotlib\, C:\Users\Username\.ipython\, so in other words, the copied & pasted \WinPython64-3.7.7.1\settings\, especially Spyder-related preferences are not recognized or migrated.

More detailed steps to reproduce (I'm using Windows 10):

1. Close Spyder of WinPython64-3.7.7.1, which was previously extracted to U:\PortableApps\WinPython64-3.7.7.1\
2. Extract Winpython64-3.8.3.0.exe to U:\PortableApps\WinPython64-3.8.3.0\ (rename the extracted WPy64-3830 to WinPython64-3.8.3.0)
3. Delete the contents in U:\PortableApps\WinPython64-3.8.3.0\settings\, and copy all contents in U:\PortableApps\WinPython64-3.7.7.1\settings\ to U:\PortableApps\WinPython64-3.8.3.0\settings\, and also copy the contents in U:\PortableApps\WinPython64-3.7.7.1\notebooks\ to U:\PortableApps\WinPython64-3.8.3.0\notebooks\
4. Launch Spyder IDE of WinPython64-3.8.3.0
5. No preferences of Spyder are migrated or recognized, and default preferences are generated in C:\Users\Username\.spyder-py3\, C:\Users\Username\.matplotlib\, C:\Users\Username\.ipython\

So is this a bug? If not, how can I get Spyder's preferences properly migrated and recognized?

Many thanks.