* GED File Corruption

[AlanParry]

I am having problems with FH 5.0.9. When I save my project it is becoming 'corrupted'. The ged file it saves is having most of it's data lost so when I try and open the project it errors.

This has happened a number of times and all I can do is re-enter all my data, because the 'back-up' option occurs after the save the backup up is of the corrupted data.

Is this a known problem? Is teher a fix available or is it something peculiar with my PC?

Thanks

Alam

[jimlad68]

I'm sure other people might have specific suggestions, but it sounds like another program is holding the dataset, the usual culprits are "real time" backups/syncs like dropbox.

[AlanParry]

Could a virus scan program running cause it? Coz that's been running in the background...?

Thanks

Alan

[jimlad68]

I doubt the virus checker would do it, otherwise most programs would have a problem.

Does it happen every time, if it does another possibility is one of your files being read only or somehow restricted.

Is it the same with another project, or a new one.

If it does not happen every time it points to another program on your system.

Have you tried the save button at the top left before closing FH.

Do you click yes to the save changes on exit?

[mjashby]

Alan,

Can we just clarify the situation: When you say your Gedcom file is 'corrupted' do you mean it is unreadable, or is it that some/all of the information you've entered is lost?

1. A gedcom file is, of course, a plain text file and I agree with 'jimlad68' that there is no clear reason why an antivirus program should interfere with it, but nothing's impossible. If you want to test out this possibility you could try turning off the antivirus program while you backup your Family Historian database, or alternatively tell the Antivirus app to exclude the Family Historian projects folder from its scanning activity. Of course, if you do this you should ensure that any files to be moved into that folder are scanned before they are placed there.

2. Family Historian is a widely tested and stable product, but there is a slight possibility that something may have 'gone wrong' during installation. You could try simply uninstalling/reinstalling to see if there is any change in behaviour.

3. You could also try monitoring your/a test Gedcom file during the save/backup operation. Simply use file explorer and see if the file changes/updates after you input some information and save. Note: Family Historian does not save data automatically like some other Family family history programs whenever you input information, although there is a timed autosave function in the program preferences and it does ask if you want to save any new information when you exit.

If none of the suggestions made so far give you a solution, perhaps more information might help:

- What version of Windows are you using?
- Which Antivirus/Malware detection program are you using?
- Could you confirm that your Family Historian Projects folder is located its 'normal' location, i.e. user/documents?
- Do you have any other software installed/running which accesses Gedcom files?
- Is any other software running when you attempt to do a Family Historian backup, e.g. an automated backup/sync program.

Mervyn

[AlanParry]

I'm on Windows 7, it happens with all projects and can happen with only one change to the file followed by a save.

If I open the ged file after the save it starts part way through the file, missing the beginning and starting part way through a line.

It's a new install on a new computer.

[jimlad68]

Ahah

It's a new install on a new computer.

Has it ever worked successfully on the new computer?
Does it happen on the sample project?
Have you tried creating a new project?
Does it still work on the old computer?

If nothing works, one must suspect the install or windows settings or file settings or another program holding the dataset.

You could try opening the Gedcom file in a text editor (one that you cannot save with FH, but is not important), make a small amendment, then see if you can save it. If you cannot, [1] it is a windows/ file/ other program issue [2] try copying the file somewhere else and see if that can be edited and saved.

Try temporarily disabling your virus program.

[mjashby]

Alan,

I believe you've definitely come up with an original problem - I've searched around extensively and this is not a behaviour anyone else seems to have experienced/reported.

The first thing I would try to rule out is the possibility of a software installation problem/glitch by fully uninstalling Family Historian. Using the Microsoft uninstaller won't do this, so it's best to use a third party tool such as Wise Uninstaller, GeekUninstaller or IObit Uninstaller which are all available as free 'portable' applications so do not need to be installed themselves. These get rid of linked Windows Registry entries, and hidden files that the Windows uninstaller tends to ignore and which can be the true source of problems.

For a clean start you also, you need to uninstall:
a) Family Historian PDF (nova PDF 7.7 Printer);
b) Microsoft Visual FoxPro OLE DB Provider; and
c) Microsoft Visual C++2010 x86 Redistributable

All of the above are 'dependencies' installed by Family Historian. Note: The Visual C++ dependency, in particular, may by installed/used by other software you have installed on your system, so take care. Visual FoxPro is much less common, unless you use/have used The Master Genealogist or some other database software created with FoxPro.

Re-install Family Historian and the latest update (5.0.11) and retry. Note: Check that the above 'dependencies' re-appear after installation.

Good luck.

Mervyn

[AlanParry]

I does save successfully some of the time, I take a copy of the .ged file each time there is a successful save so I have a backup.

When it fails I use a text editor to check the .ged file and that's where I can see the first section of the file is missing and it starts a random point through the file.

I will try the full uninstall and re-install and try again.

My starting point for install is a full version of FH 3, followed by the upgrades to 4 then 5 then the latest 5 patch.

I will write back with my results, thanks for your help.

Alan

[Jane]

As you have V5 you don't need to start from V3, just install the V5 upgrade and enter both the V4 and V5 licences.

The behaviour you describe is very odd, so my guess would be something other than FH is interfering with the writing process.

[mjashby]

Alan,

To follow up on Jane's suggestion and having done a bit more research, any software which undertakes live scanning can interfere and corrupt file saves, so you need to identify which programs, if any, you are running which constantly monitor file changes.

Chief among these are third party Virus Scanners, Firewalls, Backup/Sync software, Script Blockers and Pop-up Blockers. If you have any of these background processes running you need to ensure that they are not able to 'interfere' with your Family Historian data file saves by using the relevant program settings for the individual software. Norton Antivirus/Firewall seems to be one frequently mentioned product, but generally in relation to failed/blocked downloads rather than corrupt file saves.

There also seem to be more identified problems where 32-bit software installations (which includes virtually all family history programs) are installed on 64-bit versions of Windows 7, but those seem to relate mainly to file/folder protection issues and settings which, until changed, prevent saves taking place.

Mervyn