Family Historian User Group

I am trying to set up a new laptop which I want to use for my Family Historian but I don't know where to start with installing it on there. I can't find my original disc but I do have my Family Historian 3 disc - can I use this to install and then download the upgrades to the latest version, or was this disc just an upgrade and I need the original? I'll be gutted if I can't get it on to the laptop as that was a main reason for buying the laptop so I can take my tree around with me.


ID:3870

Ok what does the CD say? If it's an V3 upgrade you will need your V2 CD as well.

If you can't find the V2 CD you have a couple of options

1. Buy a full copy of V4 and you can install that on your laptop and desktop if you want.

2. Drop me a PM, I still have a couple of 'new' copies of V2 in the loft I can let you buy one of them if you want.

Thank you Jane - all seems fine now I have found my disc. I do have another question though re the laptop. When I purchased it I was told I can have a free upgrade to Windows 7 in October. Will Family Historian automatically work with Windows 7? If I understand it correctly I will have to re-install any software after installing Windows 7 anyway so at least I now know how to do that! [smile]

I know some people are already using FH with Windows 7.

I don't know the in's and out's of the upgrade at this time, but it's possible programs may be migrated during the install, but if not you will just need to re-install as you did this time.

Good news, I feel more confident about the laptop now. Just got to get to grips with how to sync info between the laptop and desktop........
Cheers! [rolleyes]

In Europe Windows 7 is a full install only so it wipes the disc and you reinstall software (oh and back up data first!)

As to sync-ing, I use a portable drive I sync from my desktop with SyncBackSE and use as a drive on the laptop opened direct from FH (and gedcom census). I then sync back to my desktop next time.

Thanks for the tips. I have an external hard drive so I shall make sure I keep regular backups anyway. I have never had to sync anything before so need to find out a bit more first. I have used a memory stick to transfer my project folder across to the laptop but haven't a clue what I do once I have entered data on just one of the machines.

Oh dear! I am in a muddle now and need someone very patient, please, to explain to me step by step how to sync my FH files between laptop and desktop. I read up on SyncBackSE but it sounds a bit complicated and I am not sure if it means you have to have an external hard drive plugged in every time you work on FH and I don’t really want to go down that route.
My next idea was to read about networking folders on your computer but I don’t know if that is a way round it or not. The laptop (Vista) and desktop (XP) share the router ok but how do you network anything else? Would it achieve what I trying to do?
I thought I could just copy the FH Projects folder on to my USB stick every time I worked on it and transfer it on to the other computer but how would I be able to open the latest file next time? I am struggling so much I am beginning to think my laptop wasn’t the great idea I thought it would be and I don’t want to be beaten by this. Any help would be marvellous.

I'll try and keep it simple.

On both your computers you now have an FH project folder, this also exists on your keydrive.

What I would do is set syncback on both computers to syncronise to the key ( I am assuming you don't have a home network).

Then all you do is when you have finished working on one computer is to sync the project folder to the key and when you go to the other computer sync to that one.

Obviously you can't work on both computers at once, but once it's set up you just need to do the same thing each time.

I have teenagers and have to do the following
(1) Main pc copy Family Historian Projects folder(Which is in my documents) to portable drive.
Unplug drive and try to get on the netbook.
(2) Plug drive in,Open drive and select Family Historian Projects folder,right click and press copy.
(3)Go to my documents on the netbook and click paste. I am asked do i wish to replace the already existing file and i do so say yes.
(4) I then click on the desktop shortcut and start using the programme.
(5) When i have finnished i close the programme down and go to my documents and copy the file to my portable drive and agian am asked do i wish to replace all files and i say yes.

It is easier for me to not work on the project file from the portable.(It is only being used for transport as such) I am only using the one folder and every now and then i save to disc as back up.
Hope this helps???[question]

Thank you both very much (for the patience as well as the info). I shall start off with the 'copy to file' option and later on look into the sync one as my file gets bigger with more media being added. [smile]