* Have lost access to FH on desktop and laptop (OneDrive)

[erowland]

Mike
I have unlinked OneDrive and relinked OneDrive Chosen OneDrive folder. A lot of uploading and syncing activity going on. I attach screenshot of "Choose Folders" showing location on your PC C:\Users\Edward\OneDrive.
I hope I have done this correctly
Edward

[erowland]

Mike
The DT and LT are syncing
Desktop and Laptop Project windows are the same and I attach screenshot of both.
Both have Rowland Family-Rowland (Folder: Rowland Family) which is extraneous.
Both have Rowland Family but both now have last updated 18/05/2023
Sample is dated 03/07/2023 I assume because I added a brief addition to test.
Bowen dated 16/01/2021 as before
Sharon Gibbons dated 06/06/2023 as before.

Edward

[erowland]

Mike
Laptop Project Window screenshot attached.
Edward

[BillH]

Mike,

Sorry, I don't mean to hijack this thread, but I notice that Edward is still set up to have files available on demand. I thought they needed to be available offline all the time.

Bill

[NickWalker]

I have OneDrive set to on demand on my laptop and it works fine for me. I do have a good Internet connection though. I use on demand on lots of computers. It improves the sync time considerably but means it is a bit slower when things load up but I don't really notice it very often.

[Little.auk]

Having OneDrive file access set to on demand is OK, if you can guarantee internet access. I am not a pessimist, more of a pragmatist so I always have 'keep on this device' set for my FH project files - on both laptop and PC.

I know from bitter experience how frustrating it is not to be able to work because of lack of an internet connection.

[tatewise]

Edward, by some combination of settings you have successfully synced your PC.

Use the same method as before in File Explorer to delete the rogue Rowland Family-Rowland file on one PC.
It should automatically be removed from the other PC via OneDrive sync.

To ensure your Projects are available, even if the Internet is not working, then disable Files On-Demand via the OneDrive Settings > Sync and Back up > Advanced settings as I explained some time ago and I hope you made notes.
That must be repeated on both Desktop and Laptop.
Presumably, that setting was overlooked when recently adjusting your OneDrive Account.

I suggest you use File Explorer to look through your OneDrive folders for any Family Historian Projects folders other than the one in OneDrive Documents. Let me know what you find because they should not exist.

[erowland]

Mike
I have deleted the Rogue Rowland Family- Rowland file on the Desktop.
The Family Historian Projects listed on both PCs are the same:
Bowen Family 16/01/2021
Family Historian Sample Project 03/07/2023
Rowland Family 18/05/2023
Sharon Gibbons Tree 06/06/2023
The Rowland Family has not reverted to 27/06/2023
We are syncing!

I have disabled Files on Demand via the Internet on both PCs.
I will using File Explorer trawl through OneDrive folders as suggested tomorrow and revert.
I can hardly express how relieved I am to have been brought to this point. I can imagine how absolutely relieved you must be. I am not quite out of the woods yet. I have more work to do!

Edward

[erowland]

Mike
I have used File Explorer and looked for FH Projects folders other than the one in OneDrive Documents.
Desktop,Clicked on OneDrive-Personal , Family Historian, Family Historian Projects and found the following:
Rowland Fam desktop 22. 12.2015 (27.3.16).fh_data X1
Rowland Fam desktop 22.12.2015 X3
Z Gedcom Backup-Rowland Fam desktop 8.4.2025 zip X3
Z FH Project Backup-Rowland Fam desktop 8.4.2015 zip X1
Z Gedcom Backup-Rowland Fam desktop zip Archive X3
Z Gedcom Backup-Rowland Fam Desktop latest X5

Edward

[victor]

For me I have a folder under Family History Projects called 'family information' in this folder I have loads of separate folders called by the different surnames. Under each surname I have separate folders for each family member. That works well with me
Victor

[tatewise]

Edward, as usual, a screenshot would be clearer than your descriptions which I'm not sure I understand.
Since we are cleaning up possible junk files I need to be sure what I'm suggesting you delete.

BTW: Please ignore Victor's comments that are not relevant to our discussion.

[erowland]

Mike
I attach a selection of screenshots. There is probably duplication but I hope they give a clearer picture

Edward

[erowland]

Mike More attachments
Edward

[tatewise]

Wow! I presume you realise that is quite a muddle that needs extensive tidying.
I do NOT propose going through each file and folder individually.
Instead, I will provide some guidelines for you to follow.

In all that follows, I'll refer to the Desktop C:\Users\Edward\ but the advice equally applies to the Laptop C:\Users\Toshiba\

First some terminology definitions that I use throughout:

1. File
   These documents hold the information you work with and have various icons and Types.
2. Folder
   These only hold lists of folders & files, have the yellow folder icon and their Type is File folder.
3. Path
   These define a series of nested folders such as C:\Users\Edward\OneDrive\

Guidelines:

1. Very Important Path (VIP)
   These are coupled to program applications and must NOT be changed without making a similar change in the application.
   e.g.
   C:\Users\Edward\OneDrive\ for the OneDrive application location.
   C:\Users\Edward\OneDrive\OneDrive Documents\Familiy Historian Projects\ for the FH application Location.
   VIP also include almost every root folder that is created by the Windows OS.
   e.g.
   C:\Program Files\
   C:\ProgramData\
   C:\Users\
   C:\Windows\
   Other VIP also created by the Windows OS include:
   C:\Users\Edward\AppData\
   C:\Users\Edward\Application Data\
   C:\Users\Edward\Desktop\
   C:\Users\Edward\Documents\
   C:\Users\Edward\Downloads\
   C:\Users\Edward\Music\
   C:\Users\Edward\Pictures\
   *
2. Old Backup Files
   Any backup files dated over a year ago should be reviewed for deletion. Perhaps keep just the one with the latest date.
   e.g.
   FH Project Backup ...
   FH Gedcom Backup ...
   *
3. Folder Organisation
   Think of your PC filing system as an office filing cabinet.
   Each drawer in the cabinet holds related information and each divider holds related documents.
   You would not randomly save documents in arbitrary drawers or dividers. You may never find them again.
   The same concept applies to the PC filing system.
   For example, the path C:\Users\Edward\Pictures\ should hold photographs or other pictorial information.
   The path C:\Users\Edward\Pictures\Holidays\ should hold holiday photos, and so on...
   
   In your note book I suggest you design folder paths to hold your types of information.
   I cannot do that for you because only you know what information you want to keep.
   Then create those folder paths on your PC and move appropriate documents into them.
   *
4. Comments on Screenshots
   
   OneDrive - Personal\Family Historian\ seems to hold redundant FH details that probably can be deleted.
   Especially the Family Historian Projects folder with an old Rowland Fam desktop project.
   Note that this is quite different from the VIP ...\OneDrive\OneDrive Documents\Family Historian Projects\
   
   Edward Rowland\OneDrive seems to hold information entirely independent from VIP OneDrive - Personal.
   It has another Family Historian folder whose contents you have not posted.
   If its contents are like the folder discussed above then it probably can be deleted too.

[erowland]

Mike
Thank you for the very comprehensive guidance note on sorting out my muddle.
I have deleted a good many rogue/obsolete files. There may be some a small further number to tackle.
I the course of this process I encountered problems syncing the Laptop and Desktop in turn with Family Historian and other OneDrive folders. The Microsoft OneDrive help support person brought me through a process of Resetting OneDrive and finally reinstalling OneDrive. I am now fully satisfied that both PCs are syncing. I have tested Family Historian and other files and both are syncing without delay.
However in our last recent communications the Project Window contained a listing of the correct projects. Now in addition a further five rogue projects have appeared in the Project Window. I presume that is as a cosequence of the muddle. I attach a screenshot of the Project Window which is the same in both PC Project Windows.

Edward

[tatewise]

Those are all recurrences of previous problems that we have discussed and fixed.
As before those rogue files need to be deleted via File Explorer.

I cannot judge why those problems are recurring.
I assume you are sticking to the rules of only running FH on one PC at a time and always waiting for OneDrive to sync.
It might be a side effect of you sorting out the muddle.
It is more likely that there are OneDrive/Internet sync issues that need investigation by a local computer shop.

[erowland]

Mike
Thank you.
IAs a preliminary I would try to remove/delete the Sharon Gibbons or Sample projects from the Project Window list. I take it that I should confine my efforts for deletion of the folders via File Explorer only.

Edward

[tatewise]

I'm not entirely sure what you are asking.

To remove just the rogue entries involving -DESKTOP-088HJVQ and Rowland Family-Rowland that are listed in the wrong Folder, use File Explorer to search the Folder: named, and delete the rogue file.

To remove any Project completely, use FH File > Project Window..., select the Project, then use More Tasks > Delete Project.

BTW:
I suggest you search all your OneDrive folders for files ending in -DESKTOP-088HJVQ and let me know what you find.
If there are any outside the Family Historian Projects folder then you have a more widespread OneDrive sync problem.

[erowland]

Mike
I have searched via File Explorer all my OneDrive folders on the Desktop for files ending in Desktop-088HJVQ. I attach relevant screenshots pertaining to OneDrive and OneDrive Documents.

In regard to FHBackup-Rowland fam desktop I have files dating 2015 Screenshot attached. These are Zip files.
Edward Rowland-OneDrive-OneDrive Documents-OneDrive (path)

There are also Rowland Fam desktop files dating 2015
OneDrive-Personal- Documents (path)
Can I delete these files/folders

Edward

[tatewise]

I don't understand why your two screenshots show different results.
The search in OneDrive and All subfolders should also list the files found by the search in OneDrive\OneDrive Documents because the OneDrive Documents folder is a subfolder of OneDrive.
Have you any explanation for those different results?

What it does illustrate is the OneDrive sync problem is quite widespread.

Regarding the old ZIP files see my recent Guidelines point 2. Old Backup Files ...

[erowland]

Mike
I do not understand why my two screenshots show different results. I would very gladly explain if I could.
I have deleted the following files FH Rowland Fam desktop 8.4.2015
FH Rowland Fam desktop 8.4.2015.fh-data
FH Rowland Fam desktop 8.4.2015 Nov 2015
I have deleted 4 X FHBackup- Rowland Fam desktop 8.4.2015 ZIP
I have deleted 2X FHGedcom Backup-Rowland Fam desktop 8.4.2015 ZIP
I have deleted 2X FHProject Backup-Rowland Fam desktop 8.4.2015 ZIP
I have deleted/removed Project Sharon Gibbons Tree.
I have deleted any identified Rowland Fam desktop files.
I have identified as per screenshots, files ending Desktop-088HJVQ. I have not attempted to delete these files.

Edward

[tatewise]

It should be OK to delete the Desktop-088HJVQ Family Historian Project & Chart and Gedcom files.

I suspect the O20_Birth_Certificate_...Desktop-088HJVQ can be deleted as it belongs to the Family Historian Sample Project so is not important and will get recreated when that project is reset.

I don't know anything about the LORCRIMAR ACCOUNTS 2012 WIP files.
If the ones with the Desktop-088HJVQ suffix duplicate good copies then they can be deleted, otherwise try renaming without the suffix.

[erowland]

Mike
I have continued with process of deletions and tidying up. More to do!
The two computers are syncing.
The Project Windows are showing the original Projects: Bowen; Sample and Rowland. I removed Sharon Gibbons.
I hesitate to say that all appears to be well given the "Muddle"

Edward

[erowland]

Mike
I would like to express my thanks to you for your enduring support and assistance in helping to resolve the well recorded problem above over the past weeks.

Edward

[erowland]

Hello again
FH is syncing perfectly on my Desktop and laptop since last July and many thanks to support from Mike Tate. On 19 Jan 2024 a sub folder appeared on the Project Window of both computers "Rowland Family-DESKTOP- 088HJVQ (folder:Rowland Family) 01/01/1971" Refer screenshot. Can I safely delete this folder from the Project Window and how should I do this?

Edward Rowland