* Restore Backup In Ver 6.04

[BobWard]

I thought this was an easy task, but something is not working. I just did a full backup from my desktop to my external hard drive so that I could do an updated Restore to my FH 6.04 version on my laptop.

So, I connected the external drive to my laptop, opened FH and selected File>Backup/Restore>Restore Backup. My directory opened up and I navigated to the backed up zip folder, selected the zipped folder, and the screen says "No Items Match Your Search". The type of file selected is "Zipped Files".

From reading the Help documents, I found nothing that says that I have to manually unzip the Backup file, it implies that FH does that for you.

What am I doing wrong?

[tatewise]

You are using the correct process Bob, and you do NOT unzip the files manually.

I wonder if you are selecting the Zipped File/Folder itself in the left-hand navigation pane?
You should select the folder containing the Zipped File/Folder, so that it is listed in the right-hand pane.
See glossary:backup_and_recovery|> Backup and Recovery.

Don't forget that you may also need to transfer any Preferences &/or Customisations of Diagrams, Fact Sets, Reports, Plugins, Queries, etc, etc, which is best done using the Backup and Restore Family Historian Settings Plugin.

See how_to:move_settings|> Move Family Historian Settings and Projects and how_to:family_historian_migration_guide|> Family Historian V5 & V6 Migration Guide, which also gives advice about using fhugdownloads:synchro|> Downloads and Links ~ Synchronise and Backup Tools to automatically synchronise your two PC.

[BobWard]

Yes, I was selecting the zipped file/folder. Maybe I have a computer or Windows 7 issue on the laptop.

I just went back to my desktop and tried a Restore and when I selected the zipped folder it did indeed select the zipped file and was ready to open it. So, it must be an issue with my laptop.

Thanks

[tatewise]

If you cannot resolve the Zipped File problem, then simply copy the entire Project folder to external drive using Windows/File Explorer, and copy it back into Project folder on laptop.

OR even better, synchronise FH via the cloud as I suggested before.

[CWhit64]

I have just installed Version 6 on my PC. I had previously backed up my data from my laptop in June onto a memory stick when it was on Version 5. The laptop has crashed and the files have disappeared from the software so I can't back up a new Version 6 to transfer to the PC. Can I still transfer the info on the memory stick onto Version 6 on my PC ?

[tatewise]

Yes, that should work OK.

But assuming your backup only includes your Projects, then any Tools > Preferences or Customisations of Diagrams, Reports, Queries, etc, will have to be applied again.

[CWhit64]

Thanks Mike

So the software is on the computer and the back up is on the memory stick. I have also downloaded it onto the computer (currently sitting in documents). How do I get it into the software? Please describe click by click as I'm not very advanced with IT. Thanks for your help. Caroline

[LornaCraig]

Hi Caroline,

Can you remember what steps you followed when you made the backup from the laptop in June? Did you copy the entire Project folder from your laptop onto the memory stick, or did you use one of the Backup options offered by FH (Full, Medium or Small)?

If you can’t remember, use Windows Explorer to have a look at the data you have transferred into Documents in your computer. Does it consist of a folder with your project name, and inside that folder some sub-folders starting with (your project name).fh_data ?

Or is it a single file called (your project name).ged?

Or is it a file ending .zip?

If you can tell us what form you data is in, we can tell you how to open it in FH.

[CWhit64]

Hi Lorna, I got some advice yesterday about transferring the projects using - File : Backup/Restore then Restore Backup. However this only worked for 3 of the 4 projects I was transferring but when I tried to transfer the 4th and largest I got a message saying 'unrecognised backup file format or type'. I'd backed up all the projects at the same time in the same way so not sure what the problem is. They were all in winzip files and it won't open in documents either so I can't check if there are any sub folders. Thanks Caroline

[LornaCraig]

Hi Caroline,
In that case I'm afraid I don't know what to suggest. If you followed the same procedure for all of the projects it is not clear why one of them is in an unrecognised format, if the others worked. Were the smaller projects backed up only as Gedcom files, while the larger one was backed up as a whole Project? Can you think of any other differences between the projects or their backups?

There may be a simple solution and hopefully one of IT experts here can make some suggestions.

[tatewise]

Double check that you have copied all four WinZip files in the same way and try opening each one using Windows Explorer. If that won't work for the 4th project then the prognosis does not look good.

[CWhit64]

Thanks to all re your advice. I am still not sure why 3 of the files downloaded and the other didn't. However I was able to reload the file from the laptop but first I had to re-arrange the contents of the file on the laptop (as it had been deleted and then restored and was jumbled) so it was in the right 'tree' arrangement as described on a previous forum entry. Thanks again - Caroline