* All Project Data & Backups Lost

[Douglas]

Hi,

I have only just started using Family Historian 7. I set up my own family project and have started filling in fields for close relatives. As I have ended each session I have saved and backed up each time. Yesterday I spent some time filling in facts about myself and when I finished I saved and backed up as normal. Later I went back to check how it all looked and the whole lot had disappeared, even the various back ups were completely empty. Luckily I have Family Historian on two laptops so all is not lost but can anyone explain why this should happen on one of them. I am now very nervous of putting too much detail into this program. I know I am a novice to this but any help would be appreciated.

[tatewise]

Welcome to the FHUG Douglas and I'm sorry to hear about your problem.

It is extremely unusual for FH to lose its Project data and backups.

Can you explain in more detail what led up to the loss of data. Please answer as many questions as possible.
Is your Project still listed in the File > Project Window...? If so, what is its Last Updated date-time stamp?
If not listed, have you been changing the Location: below the FH Projects list?
If you can open the Records Window are any records listed on any of the tabs?
If you created a Backup every time you closed FH there should be multiple Backup ZIP files. Are they all empty?
Are you using the File > Backup/Restore > Restore Backup... command to recover from the Backup ZIP files?
If you use the File > Backup/Restore > Revert to Snapshot... command are any saved Snapshots listed?
How do you transfer your Project from one laptop to the other laptop? (cloud storage, shared disk drive, ... )
FH should have automatically created the Family Historian Sample Project. Is that still present and correct?

[Douglas]

Hi,
Thanks for the warm welcome to the group.
In answer to some of your questions - I have only just purchased Family Historian 7 and have been using it for about a week just filling in details of immediate family. I suppose I have had approx 8 or 9 sessions typing in details of family members. At the end of each session I have tapped 'save' and under the back up option I have opted for the Full (Entire Project Folder). This has indeed provided a series of back ups dated and timed. My last session I was filling in a number of facts about myself, did the same routine as before but this time when I tapped on the FH7 Desktop Icon instead of bringing up the screen with full details of where I'd left off this time there was absolutely nothing. I have checked some of the earlier backups and yes there is a copy there but not for the last session even though I'd done exactly the same as before. What floors me is that clicking the FH7 Desktop Icon brought up a completely empty field nothing from my previous session every thing I had added had disappeared. Now I am quite open to seeing this as my fault being so new to this program but I would have thought that hitting 'save' would have done just that.
I have used the earlier backup copies to reinstate a lot of what had disappeared so thanks for that advice. I had tried as you suggested using File Backup Restore but there was nothing there. I have reinstated everything that I had which because I've only just started wasn't too bad. I can only thank you so much for your help. I have ordered a FH6/7 Manual which I hope will prove useful as the program looks vast. I am sure I will be posting more questions. Thanks for your help
Douglas

[tatewise]

What you describe is indeed a very odd symptom, and it would be very useful to find an answer.

Do you still have the 'empty' Backup ZIP file? Can you use File > Restore Backup to reload that 'empty' Project?
Having done so, open the Records Window by clicking the 2nd icon in the left-hand Navigation bar.
That should have several tabs for Individuals, Notes, etc...
Check each one and let me know if there are any records listed.