* New computer with Windows 10

[heathermary]

I want to update my FH records and basically start all over again and my question is whether to buy a CD installation of the newest Family Historian version or buy it as a download? I had the original programme on CD and after that various downloaded updates and CDs too but feel I want to start all over on my new computer so am treating myself to version 6 and trusting I can reload my tree into it from my backups.

The reason is because, unfortunately, I had a catastrophic time trying to update from Windows 7 to 10 and I ended up reverting to 7, only to find all, and I mean all, my documents have been corrupted. It is a long story but the outcome is a new computer with fresh new Windows 10 installed on it. Now I am working out which files I have backed up on flash drives, CDs, external hard drive et. and to my horror I can't find all my Family Historian folders. I do have an up to date backup of my main gedcom and its data and I also have all old image files but I have lost a lot of supporting documentation.

I am gutted that I have lost the smaller trees that I had split off my main one and developed as separate ones and I still can't quite believe I didn't have comprehensive backups of my FH Projects folders as I was sure I did. Let that be a lesson to anyone else thinking of upgading to Windows 10. I didn't think it would happen to me but it did!

[tatewise]

Sorry to hear about your problems, but as you say, let it be a warning to others to double-check backups, and search for advice about a major change such as upgrading Windows OS. It is important to ensure that whatever backups you have taken, that they are on some external media and NOT your main C: disk drive. See glossary:backup_and_recovery|> Backup and Recovery.

If you buy a download you can save it to CD/DVD anyway.

Providing you are sure you have your FH V4 licence details, you can purchase the discounted V4 to V6 Upgrade.

You should be able to import whatever backups you have found into FH V6.

[davidm_uk]

Yes, I've seen lots of reports on Windows 10 related technical forums that upgrading to Win 10 from Win 7 (8 and 8.1) and then "undoing" the upgrade via the option provided by Win 10 can scramble even non Windows files on the C: drive, and indeed end up with not even the original Windows working.

Best to keep all of your data files on a D: drive, even if this D: is actually on the same physical disk as C: (which is quite common on computers with only a single hard disk drive). However even with this configuration, by default Windows puts the My Documents folder (which some programs, including FH, then will use as the default location for their data and settings files) on the C: drive, so you can still end up with problems.

It is possible to relocate the My Documents folder to another drive (eg. D:), but you can't just do it with Windows Explorer, there are other settings involved, and even then some programs object if they don't find the My Documents folder in it's usual place on C:

Part of the answer is to not use My Documents, but create and use a D:\My Data (or any name you prefer) folder and have all of your data on there, and where possible tell your programs to use that area by default. Even better is if D: is on a separate physical disk drive.

It can be a bit of a "buggers muddle" I'm afraid.

[heathermary]

It was a complete shambles what happened to me but I only have myself to blame for thinking I had all the backups I would need when I actually didn't.

To move on, I certainly do have the original registration key but I am not sure how I go about using it to upgrade to version 6 (I like the idea though, thank you) as FH is not installed on my new computer. It was a devil to sort out last time I changed computer as it involved old discs and downloads and although I do still have them I am scared of mucking things up even further.

My new PC has an SSD, a 1TB hard drive and my old" partitioned hard drive and I intend taking a system image as soon as I have everything in place.

[davidm_uk]

A system image (of C:) is absolutely a good way to go, I make one before I do anything major, including downloading the Windows updates from Microsoft (I have automatic updates turned OFF so I don't get caught out).

Best if you save those images to a USB hard drive that you then disconnect and keep in a drawer. Don't forget to use your imaging program to create a bootable rescue disk (CD/DVD or USB Stick if your PC supports booting from it) as well, so that you can use that to re install the image if Windows gets so messed up that it won't run properly or at all.

With an SSD taking images is quite quick, so I'd recommend taking full images at regular stages rather than wait until everything is working, then you won't have to go back to first base if there is a problem.

There's advice in the KB about installing FH from old versions, but if you post here what versions and keys you have someone will explain exactly how to use them to get up to the most recent version of FH.

[tatewise]

All the details are in how_to:reinstall_family_historian|> Family Historian Installation Advice, but essentially you simply install the FH V4 to V6 Upgrade and it asks for both your V4 and V6 licence details. Easy! No old CD or downloads required.

It will automatically install the program and a few master folders on the SSD, but as suggested you should create a substitute Documents folder on your hard drive and customise all programs including FH to put their working data there.

[Pollowick]

If I can add a couple of comments and agreement with what is already posted.

Data storage is cheap! Buy a reasonably large 500GB or 1TB external USB drive and then copy all of your files across to a dated directory and do it on a regular basis. As well as your FH files, letters, photographs remember to copy your email files too.

Yes, you might end up with multiple copies of the data stored there but you will be able to recover it if you need to.

Use COPY (or drag and drop) rather than a Backup program. This leaves your data in native format and you can check it is accessible by asking te application, FH for example, to open the file on that drive rather than the normal default C: or D: drive.

Disconnect the drive when not in use and keep it separate from the PC. Occasionally, do a DVD image of the files and store this elsewhere too.

[tatewise]

Another painless and free option is to use cloud storage such as DropBox (2GB free), Google Drive (15GB free), or Microsoft OneDrive (30GB free). You don't have to remember to do anything, it saves every file automatically in the cloud, and even if your house burns down your data is safe.

[davidm_uk]

Re cloud storage, I've never been able to find a definitive answer about how their synchronisation works vis a vie:

Create a new file on the local (PC OneDrive, Google Drive etc) folder - ok it appears on the cloud storage and gets added on any other devices synced to the cloud.
Update a file on the local folder - it gets updated on the cloud, and gets updated on any other devices synced to the cloud.
Move a file on the local folder - it moves on the cloud storage, and gets moved on any other devices synced to the cloud?
Rename a file on the local folder - it is renamed on the cloud storage, and gets renamed on any other devices synced to the cloud?
Delete a file on the local folder - it gets deleted on the cloud, and gets deleted on any other devices synced to the cloud? I know that deleted files are kept on the cloud, but for how long?

A file disappears from the local folder (or the local folder gets deleted/corrupted), maybe due to finger trouble or a fault on the local PC, or the PC has been rebuilt - what's happens when synced to the cloud?

I remain to be convinced (but would like to be) that the cloud storage is safe as a backup, as distinct from just a way of sharing files between PCs/devices.

[tatewise]

As far as I am aware they support all the normal file manipulation operations: edit, rename, move, copy, delete, etc. However, there are subtle differences between the different services. Some allow old versions of file to be recovered.

Deleted files go into a cloud recycle bin, typically for 30 days.

Not sure what happens if a folder vanishes from a PC synched to cloud.

Cloud storage is certainly not an archive backup, because anything deleted on any PC gets deleted via synchronisation everywhere else (but with 30 days recycle bin grace). However, as a backup of current files it is quite convenient.

An alternative way of using cloud storage is to just copy files from your working folders to the cloud folders occaisionally. Then you get the benefits of cloud backup, without the risks of accidental deletion.

Another side-benefit of cloud storage is that it is available on any PC anywhere in the world providing you have an Internet connection.

[davidm_uk]

An alternative way of using cloud storage is to just copy files from your working folders to the cloud folders occaisionally. Then you get the benefits of cloud backup, without the risks of accidental deletion.

I take this above approach at the moment, using SyncBack to detect any data files added or changed, zip them with a password and add the zipped files into the local cloud folder. This means that I have copies of old files on the cloud as well, so I've had to buy more storage capacity and periodically clear out old stuff. I've also moved my local cloud folder from C: to D:

However I'm still uncertain what will happen if my PC breaks, and I then connect a rebuilt or new PC with an empty local cloud folder. Which way will it sync with the cloud? I suppose that I could always disable the cloud sync program on the PC before connecting to the internet, then connect to the internet and manually download from the cloud into my local cloud folder then re enable the cloud sync program on the PC. If I remember all this while in the midst of a PC "crisis"!

One of these days I'll have to set up some tests and see just what does happen in these various scenarios.

[Pollowick]

The cloud! Just remember ...



And why bother to ZIP or compress a file with fast access and cheap storage available? You are adding another layer which could cause a problem ... it was useful when we had 56k dial up and CDs were expensive but now, why?

[tatewise]

On reflection I believe the initial OneDrive settings (on say a new PC) determine what gets synchronised.

When I installed OneDrive on PC 'A' it was the only client.
Then I installed OneDrive on PC 'B' and the settings told it to synchronise with certain cloud folders, so it downloaded all the folders requested.
I imagine a new PC would work the same way.

[davidm_uk]

And why bother to ZIP or compress a file with fast access and cheap storage available? You are adding another layer which could cause a problem ... it was useful when we had 56k dial up and CDs were expensive but now, why?

It's not the compression that's important to me, it's just a means of encrypting my data that using ZIP can give me. OK, it's not the best encryption method available, but it's a lot better security than nothing (yes I know it's just someone else's computer) and it's it's easy to set up and automate. My sensitive data files are already encrypted on my PC (not with ZIP, and I'm not saying how).

[heathermary]

Wow, thanks for all the contributions everone! I will let you know how I get on and then I will think long and hard about which way to back up on a regular basis.

[heathermary]

I have decided to go for the full version 6 download after all. I had the original version 2 with update disc for v3 , but also needed a CD backed install at that time, then downloads for upgrading to v4 and it is so convoluted I can't cope with it. For a few pounds extra on top of the cost of an upgrade to v6 I might as well have a clean start on my nice clean, new computer.
Many thanks for all the advice. This learning curve is never ending!

[heathermary]

I should have added that the product key I have found is for version3 and I can't do an upgrade anyway until I have FH back on my hard drive.