* Transferring Projects to New Laptop

[DerekAth]

I have 4 x Projects that I wish to transfer to my new laptop - is there a simple way to do this?

[tatewise]

Hi Derek, I've moved this to the FH General Usage Forum as it does not involve Import/Export to other products.
There is a well-trodden path in a step-by-step guide, but whether it is a simple way I leave to your judgement.

See how_to:family_historian_migration_guide|> Family Historian V5 & V6 Migration Guide.

You need to know how to re-install FH V6.2.7 probably from a V5 to V6 Upgrade that needs both your V5 and V6 licence.
Have you got the original installation media (download or CD) and know both licences?

You need to have your Media files held within each Project's own Media folder.
The guide checks for this because otherwise migrating Media files is tricky

You will use the Backup and Restore Family Historian Settings Plugin to migrate all the customisations.
A particularly tricky case is custom Diagram Icons. Do you have any?

Are you thinking of synchronising the two PC via cloud storage, or is this a once-off move before discarding old PC?

[DerekAth]

Many thanks Mike - Again!

I have re-installed Version 6.2.7 and am not concerned with media as this is something i keep totally separate.

Nor do I have any particular diagram icons.

As you say, the idea was to synchronise the two before passing on my old laptop - I have tried drop box, but do not understand it well enough to operate it!

2 of my projects are quite large which might make it tricky?

Any help appreciated.

[tatewise]

Derek, you should be concerned about your Media, especially if you keep it separate.
Where exactly do you keep it, because if not within the Project folder then migrating it to the laptop may be a challenge.

If you are not going to synchronise the two long term it is probably not worth the hassle.
It gets extra tricky with your Media outside the Project folder.

How large is quite large? With this kind of exercise, specifics are very important.
What I need is the total size of all your Projects, i.e. the Family Historian Projects folder, plus all the Media files.
Dropbox only offers 2 GB free, OneDrive 5 GB and Google Drive 15 GB.

[DerekAth]

Looks like I will need Google Drive - I've never used that before is it similar to One Drive?

I intend to add the photos into the programme when I am up an running - I will use a memory stick to move my photos!

Thanks

[tatewise]

Yes, in concept it is similar to OneDrive, but you must download and install the Google Drive for desktop App and will need a Google Account, which you may already have if you use Gmail or Google Photos.
See fhugdownloads:contents:utility_google_drive|> Utility ~ Google Drive for details.
However, I don't understand why you are so keen on such a complex very temporary setup unless you see it as beneficial as a backup resource.

Do I understand you to be saying that you have no Media linked into your FH Project?

If transferring your photos via USB memory stick, then I advise you to move your Projects in the same way.

[DerekAth]

I will check the capacity of my memory stick and hopefully I will transfer it that way - it does seem “less convoluted “.

Many thanks Mike,

[tatewise]

If you do not have any Media internal to your Projects, I am surprised they exceed 5 GB (i.e. too big for OneDrive).

The largest Projects that I know of, with well over 10,000 Individuals but without Media, are much less than 1 GB.
So unless there is something unusual, your 4 Projects should be less than 4 GB.

One unusual possibility is what I call 'Snapshot bloat', where FH is not purging old Snapshot files.
I have seen cases of dozens and even hundreds of old Snapshot files.
So use File > Backup/Restore > Revert to Snapshot to open the Snapshot Manager dialogue.
If there are more than 8 old Snapshots then select all the old ones and click Delete button.

[DerekAth]

Mike,

Many thanks - all projects now transferred successfully - even a dozen or so media that I expected to lose!

Great support - thanks

[tatewise]

Don't forget to use the Backup and Restore Family Historian Settings Plugin to migrate all your customisations of such as Diagrams, Reports, Queries, Plugins, Fact Sets, Property Box tabs, Records Window Columns, etc, etc, and most importantly your FH User Credentials.

See the how_to:family_historian_migration_guide|> Family Historian V5 & V6 Migration Guide.

Also, if you use Ancestral Sources, don't forget to migrate that too.