* Migrating to new Windows 10 PC

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keithp
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Migrating to new Windows 10 PC

Post by keithp »

I am migrating projects from a Windows Vista laptop to a new Windows 10 PC. Following the Standard Migration Steps I used Auto Repair Links to remove all of the crosses "X" from Work with External File Links. I am now left with a C: hierarchy that I don't know how to correct. Briefly it goes C: Users Keith Documents Duplicate Downloads (which contains a sub structure Project Data Folder Media (which contains 17 JPG files). From Duplicate Downloads it continues My Pictures from Mesh PC Census Originals July 2007 (which contains 50 or so JPG files of census details). At the end of these JPG files is a Project Data Folder and a Media folder (which contains the same 17 JPG files as above).
I have read some other posts but none seemed to cover my issue so I would appreciate a step by step to help me to organise my FH folders and files correctly before I migrate them all to my new PC. By the way I have installed the recommended plugin "Backup and Restore Family Historian Settings" to both my laptop and new PC but assume that I have to sort out my folder structure first.
Many thanks!
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tatewise
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Re: Migrating to new Windows 10 PC

Post by tatewise »

Hi Keith, I've moved this to the FH General Usage Forum, because the Importing and Exporting Forum is, as it says, for "Importing from or exporting to another genealogy program."

If I understand correctly you are following the how_to:family_historian_migration_guide|> Family Historian V5 & V6 Migration Guide.

At step 1) on the old Vista PC you first discovered that some file links were broken and marked with an X.
I am surprised you were not aware of that problem beforehand, as those images would have been missing from the Project.
After using Auto Repair Links presumably that repaired all the broken links and no X marks remain?

Then you discovered that many of your Media files are outside the Project Data Folder.
Presumably when adding Media you have not been importing them to the Project Media folder.
You are correct that those need to be sorted out before moving to the new Windows 10 PC.

It is very odd that Project Data Folder - Media and its 17 JPG files are listed twice.
Could you please post a screenshot of your External File Links window so we can see exactly what you see.
To show all the top structures, expand the window, and click on the lower folder [-] icons to collapse them.
See info:forums|> Forums Usage Tips for posting attachments.

Eventually the advice in how_to:changing_external_file_links|> Changing External File Links should fix the folder structure.
Then your External File Links window should have no C: drive entries and look like this:
ExternalFileLinks.png
ExternalFileLinks.png (39.35 KiB) Viewed 6167 times
Mike Tate ~ researching the Tate and Scott family history ~ tatewise ancestry
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keithp
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Re: Migrating to new Windows 10 PC

Post by keithp »

Thank you for your advice and I have attached the screen shot of External File Links as you asked. The folder 'census originals July 2007' contains around 50 JPG files. What do I do next to get rid of my C: structure?
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work with external file links 301017.jpg
work with external file links 301017.jpg (119.66 KiB) Viewed 6120 times
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tatewise
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Re: Migrating to new Windows 10 PC

Post by tatewise »

OK, that screenshot looks much tidier than I expected.
(The twin Project Data Folder display that you originally described is not evident.)

The task is to relocate the about 50 JPG census originals to the Media folder.

So, use Windows Explorer to move all those JPG files from
C:\Users\Keith\Documents\duplicate downloads\My Pictures from Mesh PC\census originals July 2007\
to
C:\Users\Keith\Documents\Family Historian Projects\080110\080110.fh_data\Media\

(Either use the multi-select & drag & drop method, or use multi-select & cut & paste.)

Finally in FH use the External File Links dialogue Auto Repair Links button.

Then all those JPG census originals should join the other 17 JPG within the Project Data Folder - Media folder.
Mike Tate ~ researching the Tate and Scott family history ~ tatewise ancestry
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keithp
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Re: Migrating to new Windows 10 PC

Post by keithp »

I followed your instructions, then to Work with External File Links and clicked on Auto Repair Links. The resulting screen shot is attached. Sorry if I'm being slow here but what do I do with the folders and files that I don't want to see in the File Links window? How do I stop C:, Users, Keith etc folders from showing in the File Links window; do I need to be deleting files/folders? I've clearly got a lot more files where they should be in the Media folder (about 60) but why do a small number still show in the 'census originals July 2007' folder?
By the way, many thanks for your help again.
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work with external file links 2 301017.jpg
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tatewise
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Re: Migrating to new Windows 10 PC

Post by tatewise »

Presumably, you have NOT yet successfully moved those last few JPG files to the Media folder.
(I suspect you used Copy which leaves the original behind.)

Once they have been moved to Media and no longer exist in census originals July 2007 then the Auto Repair Links button will adjust those File Links to point to the Media folder instead of the C: drive census originals July 2007 folder.

If versions of those JPG files remain in census originals July 2007 then Auto Repair Links will prefer to leave the File Links pointing there rather than adjust them to point to the Media versions.

BTW:
It is not a fault, although a little unusual, but I notice some Media records are linking to the same JPG file.
e.g.
Owen Duce 1861.JPG
Wadie 1861.JPG
There may be others within the Media folder.
In other words, two Media records are linked to the same JPG file.
Theoretically, those pairs of Media records could be merged, and I can explain how.
Mike Tate ~ researching the Tate and Scott family history ~ tatewise ancestry
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keithp
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Re: Migrating to new Windows 10 PC

Post by keithp »

Success; well partly. My Work with External File Links window now starts with my Project Data Folder and shows my Media folder containing lots of JPGs and there is no C: path shown. Checking the individual's records in FH many of the media files are showing, however a number of JPG files in the Media folder are not showing in the individual's record. I have used the Auto Repair Links but it seems this has not restored links to all of the media files. Perhaps I should transfer existing records as they are, over to my new PC and then re-link those that are missing? Is it possible that some of these problems are to do with assigning census records either as individual records or household records?

Could you explain (as simply as possible!) how the pairs of media records could be merged where two media records are linked to the same JPG file

Many thanks Mike
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tatewise
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Re: Migrating to new Windows 10 PC

Post by tatewise »

If there are no X marks against any of the File Links in the Work with External File Links dialogue, then all your Media records are successfully linked to your Media folder files. (If there are still X marks then let me know.)
Do NOT migrate your Project to a new PC while there may be missing details on old PC. That is asking for trouble.

There are many positions in a Project that can link to Media.
The Media tab of the Individual record Property Box is just one of them.
They may also be linked to Family records, Source records, Place records, Facts or Citations.

It is normal for photos of people to be linked to Individual records or Family records.
Document images such as Certificates and Census records are more likely to be linked to a Source record, especially if you captured them using Ancestral Sources.

To investigate further, open the Records Window, then its Media tab, and check the Links column.
Only those with a 0 are not linked to any other record. Do you have any of those?
Double-click any Media record to open its Property Box and the Links tab will list the records where it is used.

Before actually merging Media records, review their two Property Boxes to check their fields are compatible.
If happy to proceed, then select one Media record, and use the Edit > Merge/Compare Records command.
In the Select Records To Be Merged dialogue, select the other Media record, then click > button and OK.
The Merge Records dialogue shows what fields will be merged, so if happy click Merge, otherwise Cancel.
Check the effect, and if it is wrong, then use the Edit > Undo Merge Records command immediately.
Mike Tate ~ researching the Tate and Scott family history ~ tatewise ancestry
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keithp
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Re: Migrating to new Windows 10 PC

Post by keithp »

Hello Mike and thanks again for your help thus far. Despite your help I still do not understand how I transfer my data from my Vista OS laptop to my Win 10 PC. I think it is because I have a different file structure to the one required. Can I ignore the existing links and relink the media once I have copied my projects to my new PC? (it seems this should be simpler) If so how should I do this? Is it just a case of copying the FH project folders from my Vista laptop?
Having loaded FH on to my Win 10 PC it has created the following file structure in my Document folder.

FH Sample Project contains the folders:

FH Samples Project.fh_data
Public (empty)
FH Sample Project

FH Sample Project.fh_data contains the folders:

Books
Cache
Charts
Media
Plugin Data
Settings
FH Sample Project

Can you also explain why it is not possible to make the transfer using the full backup file created when I close FH or even a GEDCOM file?

Many thanks
Keith
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tatewise
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Re: Migrating to new Windows 10 PC

Post by tatewise »

Keith, none of the techniques you have proposed will work satisfactorily if there are still images outside your Project folder.
Copying the FH Project folders will NOT copy Media image files located outside of those folders.
Similarly, Full Project Backups do NOT include Media image files located outside the Project folders.
The GEDCOM file does NOT include any of the Media image files at all.

So if the Media files are NOT included, they will NOT exist in the Windows 10 PC and cannot be linked into FH because they will only exist in the Vista PC.

Why do you think you have a different file structure to the one required?

Why do you think linking on the new PC will be any simpler? All the same problems will exist, potentially even worse.

That is why I insist you follow the how_to:family_historian_migration_guide|> Family Historian V5 & V6 Migration Guide.
If the Tools > External File Links window satisfies the criteria in step 1) of that guide then it will all work perfectly.
Or you can disregard my advice and do your own thing.

In your posting in November it wasn't clear if you had eliminated all the X marks, as you had moved onto other concerns.
But those concerns now seem to have dropped off the radar.

Merging Media records certainly can be postponed until successfully on the Windows 10 PC.
Mike Tate ~ researching the Tate and Scott family history ~ tatewise ancestry
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