* Have I lost everything?

[Russ]

Hi there,

I have been off work so have constantly been using Family Historian this week. I got the software at the beginning of the year and transferred my Gedcom file from GenesReunited on to FH and from there I was off. I've added loads. I used to do a full back up from time to time in the beginning, but have since just been saving the file each time and have had no issues.

I was using it earlier absolutely fine, saved it, and closed my PC down. Upon restarting it did Windows updates.

I then went to re-open FH and got an error message saying 'unrecognised file format'. I tried opening .ged files and project files and either got that message or 'project failed to open'. I tried going to file, then restore, which it apparently did. But I can't open anything other than the sample file. I also managed to open the original Gedcom file from GenesReunited all that time ago... Which is now of course horrendously outdated.

I am using 6.2.2 on Windows 10.

I have emailed Family Historian support and got an email back asking for some further details, but thought I'd ask here, and see if anyone has experienced this before?

I am really worried that I've lost everything I've ever done on FH.

Thanks,
Russell

[Gowermick]

Russell,
I realise it won't be a consolation to you, but my Windows 10 PC also went through an update when I closed last night, but my FH opened without problem this morning. Like you I 'saved' before closing FH, then shut down PC.
At least you can discount a problem with the update
Mike
PS as gedcom is a text file, try opening in Notepad to see if it corrupted

[Russ]

Russell,
I realise it won't be a consolation to you, but my Windows 10 PC also went through an update when I closed last night, but my FH opened without problem this morning. Like you I 'saved' before closing FH, then shut down PC.
At least you can discount a problem with the update
Mike
PS as gedcom is a text file, try opening in Notepad to see if it corrupted

Hello Mike, thank you for your reply.

I opened Notepad, then opened a gedcom file, it was as if someone had just held down the space bar. There was no text, but you could highlight lots of nothing... If that makes sense. At least I can rule out Windows being at fault.

Cheers,
Russ

[tatewise]

In FH the File > Backup/Restore > Restore Backup command will do nothing unless you have been saving FH Backups.

I assume the Gedcom filename is correct, i.e. the Project name plus .ged file type.

It is a longshot, but in File Explorer try right-click on the Gedcom file and choose Restore previous versions and in the Properties dialogue select Restore previous versions tab.
Wait for the dialogue to populate and you may have a Windows backup available to restore.

As a relative newcomer, checkout how_to:key_features_for_newcomers|> Key Features for Newcomers especially Backup & Recovery and follow that advice. Your disk/PC can crash at any time, and Windows can screw things up. Your only hope then is independent backups, not just for FH, but any important files on your PC.

[NickWalker]

A lot of Family Historian users use my Ancestral Sources software to enter census and other source information. I don't know if you ever used Ancestral Sources but if you did there would probably be a copy of your GEDCOM file in a folder in your documents folder called Ancestral Sources.

[NickWalker]

You may already have tried this but run File Explorer, click on 'This PC' from the list on the left and then in the search box enter *.ged and see what the search finds.

[Russ]

In FH the File > Backup/Restore > Restore Backup command will do nothing unless you have been saving FH Backups.

I assume the Gedcom filename is correct, i.e. the Project name plus .ged file type.

It is a longshot, but in File Explorer try right-click on the Gedcom file and choose Restore previous versions and in the Properties dialogue select Restore previous versions tab.
Wait for the dialogue to populate and you may have a Windows backup available to restore.

As a relative newcomer, checkout how_to:key_features_for_newcomers|> Key Features for Newcomers especially Backup & Recovery and follow that advice. Your disk/PC can crash at any time, and Windows can screw things up. Your only hope then is independent backups, not just for FH, but any important files on your PC.

Hi Mike, thank you for your reply.

I tried a restore back up on a back up I did and it had a progress bar with 55 files and it said restore complete, but I still can't do anything.

In 'family historian projects' folder I have a Masters family tree.ged file there. There is also a folder called Masters family tree, in that is two folders named 'Masters family tree.fh_data' and 'public'. There is also a file called Masters family tree.fh_proj. In the first folder, there is another Masters family tree.ged. I also have a folder on my desktop I've named FH, I've done a print screen of this. Clearly as I've been trying things it has made multiple folders.

3.jpg (70.16 KiB) Viewed 10728 times

A lot of Family Historian users use my Ancestral Sources software to enter census and other source information. I don't know if you ever used Ancestral Sources but if you did there would probably be a copy of your GEDCOM file in a folder in your documents folder called Ancestral Sources.

Hi Nick, I do not use Ancestral Sources unfortunately.

I will try both of your advice on file explorer, thanks very much.

Cheers,
Russ

[Russ]

Is it worth noting that if I try to upload any of my gedcom files on to findmypast, it fails.

Also, in the above image you can see a gedcom file there. If I go to properties, it says the date created, modified and accessed is 6th October 1601...... This is the same for some of the other gedcom files I seem to have. Some seem to have a normal (yesterday's) date though. They don't work either.

[Russ]

Just one more thing... In April I sent a gedcom file to a relative of mine. That file has been in my recycle bin for a while, but I just bought it back on to my desktop and that opens and loads up on FH absolutely fine?

[tatewise]

Hi Russ, there is lot to reply to:

Restore Project From Backup
Please check glossary:backup_and_recovery|> Backup and Recovery advice on File > Backup/Restore > Restore Backup command.
I assume you were restoring from an FH Project Backup ... zip file, which should create a new Project.
In the Restore Project From Backup dialogue it shows the Location to Restore to ~ did you check that?
It offers the default My Documents\Family Historian Projects location, which may differ from your File > Project Window > Location, so ensure they are the same.

Project Location Folder Structure
You say the Family Historian Sample Project works OK, so that is the model to follow for other Projects.
See how_to:v4:understanding_projects|> Understanding Projects under Project Structure.
The Masters family tree.ged file in your Family Historian Projects folder is a standalone Gedcom, NOT a Project.
The Masters family tree folder structure is a valid Project Structure.

Anything in your desktop FH folder will not be shown in the FH File > Project Window unless you change Location.
It looks like that is where you may have been restoring your Project Backups?
If you double-click to open either a Gedcom (.ged) file or a Project (.fh_proj) file within a valid Project Structure then FH should open the Project wherever it is located.

Uploading Gedcom to Other Products
FH V6 uses UNICODE UTF-16 character encoding for its Gedcom files.
Although a Gedcom standard, that encoding is not recognised by many products including FindMyPast.
See how_to:exporting_gedcom_with_multimedia|> Exporting a Family Tree with Multimedia under Gedcom Formats at the bottom.

File Date Properties
Usually the earliest Windows File Explorer Date is 01/01/1970.
But the NTFS filing system does actually start from 01/01/1601.
So it looks like those files have been disrupted in some way incompatible with Windows.
Note that their Date modified is not even listed in your screenshot.

[Russ]

Hi Mike, thanks again for your informative response.

I did check the location each time, and tried different locations, tried opening different files and no luck. The only files I have been able to open are the sample file and the aforementioned .ged file I made to send to my relative.

Thank you for clearing up the Findmypast issue. I had wondered if it wasn't working since it may be corrupt.

Yes I have no idea what the 1601 date is about.

Thanks,
Russ

[Russ]

Nothing I try seems to be working. I sent a file to FH Support who seem to think it is indeed corrupt.

I will have to start again.

What can I do to prevent files from getting corrupted?

I will do a full back up each time I exit from now on (even though I cannot open my full back ups now).

If I email the .ged file to myself each time, will that work? I'll have a working copy of the file saved on my email at least, just like the working file I sent to my relative.

I will also save copies to external hard drive.

Any advice regarding the above?

Wish me luck on this daunting task ahead...

Russell

[tatewise]

What is more important than using the FH Backup on exit is to follow the glossary:backup_and_recovery|> Backup and Recovery advice, and keep backup copies of everything important on external media (NOT just FH Gedcom files). Because a disk/PC crash, or worse, can happen at any time, and the only way to prevent losing everything is external backups.

Did you try using File Explorer and right-click on the Gedcom file and choose Restore previous versions and in the Properties dialogue select Restore previous versions tab?
Wait for the dialogue to populate and you may have a Windows backup available to restore.

Can we pursue why your FH Backup .zip files do not appear to restore correctly.
e.g. FH Project Backup - Masters family tree - 2016-09-12 1212.zip
Exactly what commands are you using, and what folders & files are involved?

You say FH gives the impression of working through the restore process, but the resulting Project does not open.

What does the restore process create? It should be a Project structure as discussed before.
Where does it create it that structure? It should be in your Project Window > Location folder.
Does that restored Project get listed in your Project Window?

If you use File Explorer to Open (not Extract) the FH Backup .zip files, is the Project structure evident within?

[Russ]

Thanks Mike. I have an external hard drive, I will have to get in to the habit of using it regularly.

I go on FH, I go to File, then Backup/Restore, then Restore Backup (only available option).

It says 'select file to restore' so I go and select one of the zipped folders from the folder on my desktop in the print screen I sent earlier/yesterday.

It gives it a project name (In this instance 'Masters family tree (5)' and I click restore. It runs through 55 files and then says 'project has been restored'.

So that is now in the 'family historian projects' folder as 'Masters family tree (5)'. In that folder we have a folder called 'Masters family tree (5).fh_data' as well as a file 'Masters family tree (5).fh_proj'. In the folder are folders called 'cache', 'log files' and 'media', as well as a Gedcom File called 'Masters family tree (5)'.

If I open Project Window in FH, with the location set to 'family historian projects', (5) is in there. I select it, try to open it, alas, 'project failed to open'.

FH Support said to try and select the original one and go to 'more tasks' and then 'manage snapshots', but there were no snapshots.

Russ

[tatewise]

In that same family historian projects folder Location is the Family Historian Sample Project present & correct and listed alongside Masters family tree (5)?

Does the Media folder and its image files all restore OK?

In notice those FH Backups were performed on 15/09/2016 16:xx which is only about 2 hours before your original posting.
Was that before or after the Windows updates?
Why did you choose to perform those three FH Backups then?

Have you any earlier FH Backups or any in other folders?

Have you tried the Restore previous versions technique yet?

[Russ]

In that same family historian projects folder Location is the Family Historian Sample Project present & correct and listed alongside Masters family tree (5)?

It is, yes.

Does the Media folder and its image files all restore OK?

Yes, all the photos I have uploaded to FH are here.

In notice those FH Backups were performed on 15/09/2016 16:xx which is only about 2 hours before your original posting.
Was that before or after the Windows updates?
Why did you choose to perform those three FH Backups then?

I'm not sure why they are dated this way. Could have been because I moved it all in to the same 'FH' folder for ease, after the update, after I was getting problems. I last did a full backup upon exiting months ago. I had only been saving recently.

Have you any earlier FH Backups or any in other folders?

I cannot find any.

Have you tried the Restore previous versions technique yet?

I have not, no.

Thanks Mike once again. Answers above in red.

FH Support said they can phone me and have a look at my PC remotely too.

[Russ]

Just got off the phone to FH Support who remotely looked at my PC. Seems as if there's nothing they can do.

I guess I'll be starting again. *gulp*. Wish me luck.

Thanks again for all of your efforts, I really appreciate it.

This has really struck home the importance of backing up, and then backing up the back up. And keeping more back ups.

Thank you.

Russell

[tatewise]

Do try the Restore previous versions technique on the original Gedcom file.

What is the full filename of those three FH Project Backup - Masters family tree - ... files?

[Russ]

Hi Mike,

When I click 'restore previous versions', it says there are no previous versions available.

They are called:
FH Project Backup - Masters family tree - 2016-09-15 1631
FH Project Backup - Masters family tree - 2016-09-15 1650
FH Project Backup - Masters family tree - 2016-09-15 1654

But I certainly did not do a back up yesterday.

Russ

[tatewise]

Well those filenames are created by FH when it performs a Project Backup.
So they are saying FH performed those backups on 15-09-2016 at 1631, 1650 & 1654 respectively.
Assuming the PC Date & Time has not been adjusted then it appears those backups were made on Thursday afternoon.

Pity that Restore previous versions was unfruitful.
I use the Windows 7 Backup feature in Windows 10 and that not only creates Backup Sets but also enables version backups within System Restore points, so previous file versions can be retrieved from either.
Are you running Windows 10? Have you enabled System Restore points? Because they are OFF by default.
See glossary:windows_10_upgrade_tips|> Windows 10 Upgrade Tips Post-Upgrade Tips.

[BobWard]

This has really struck home the importance of backing up, and then backing up the back up. And keeping more back ups.

Russell

Yes, that is really an important protocol to faithfully pursue. I do Full Backups to as many as 3 different external hard drives after each day's session with FH.

[jbrooks]

Hi Russell,

I recently recovered a lost/corrupt file (my sons 6 months work and now he backs up) using "EaseUS data recovery" program. This was for a word doc so may be completely different. There were many versions of the file that could not be recovered but did not work and then I did something like a "deep dive" (check in the program); the program found some more folders/files. Managed to recover the file. I got the impression the first files offered for recovery were from word and after the "deep dive" windows 10 OS. I am no expert here.

It is free (for so many BMs recovered) and took me 1-2 hours of "fiddling". If trying to recover a file ALWAYS make a copy of destination files with a different name.

[Russ]

Thank you all for your efforts and advice, much appreciated.

Yesterday I started again on FH. I had the horribly disorganised Gedcom from GenesReunited that I imported, as well as he Gedcom file I sent to my relative - which turned out to be an accidental back up of a large-ish portion of my tree. Still, a lot of work (that I've already done once!) ahead.

I just want to say what a friendly and helpful forum, and thanks again. All of your advice on backing up is duly noted and I started last night by doing a full backup as well as copying the files to my external hard drive.

Kind regards, and thanks again.

Russell

[jbrooks]

Hi Russ,

Hard disks are great although still magnetic media. I live in an area where lighting strikes on the overhead power cables will kill disks beyond repair.

For important data consider writing to a CD/DVD. These I have found the most reliable. I have had USB sticks die frequently.

I have experienced (a few years back) writing out to CD/DVD and checking on the same drive that data is good. However, moving to a different drive data cannot be read, which is possibly due to miss-alignment of heads. If you have the option check CD/DVD data backups can be read on a different drive.

Regards Jonathan.

[Russ]

Thank you Jonathan, I will bear that in mind. I've just finished a full day's work and did a full back up, copied it to an external hard drive, as well as emailing myself a copy of the .ged. I'll look in to getting some CDs.

Cheers,
Russ