* Family Historian won't load

[Gowermick]

Notwithstanding Mike's advice about the CD disk, we should be thankful that FH uses a GEDCOM as its database. In worst case scenario we just have to re-load it into another program if we can't get FH running.

Other products like FTM, use their own proprietary (i.e. Hidden) data structure, which is useless without FTM. Lose FTM and without a regular GEDCOM backup to hand, all your hard work is down the swanee.

[Fred]

@Robin,
thanks for posting the Help Desk solution...I am now back up and running
Great support guys!

Thanks again,
Fred

[rfj1001]

Tx Mike,

Calico Pie provided me with my missing licence key. They also provided a temporary link to the v5 to v6 software upgrade that would be needed for a re-install (not that I needed it as I had safely saved a copy previously).

My v5 and v6 keys are now saved along with the v5 to 6 software upgrade and their email about how to de-install and re-install from scratch, the latter, as expected, being consistent with the FHUG wiki on the topic

[AdrianBruce]

... I can accept the whitelist as a short term expediency, but the developers affected should either amend their own code, or ensure their programs (with correct crc/hash figures etc) are catered for by the virus etc checkers.

I wonder if the developers could ever obtain a specification that would enable them to suppress the false positives? Surely no security company would ever release a specification that says, "This is what we check for..."?

I have always presumed that security software worked either on a signature-basis (and I think that's only a minor part of the detection of malware) or on the basis of algorithms that say, "X, then Y, then Z - looks dodgy". The various packages don't agree on what looks dodgy or not and if one of X, Y or Z is a Microsoft routine, then when MS alters it at an major update, the detection routines come up with a different analysis of dodginess.... Maybe?

[SueG26]

I am now well and truly up calamity culvert - not only am I unable to run FH, but I am using BitDefender, and I am unable to find my installation discs - I managed to find v2. 3 and 4 but have no Idea where 5 and 6 are - and what's more, I can;t remember whether they actually were discs or downloads. I am running 6.2 - when it is running that is. I don't know what to do next !!!

[LornaCraig]

Sue, don't panic. If you read one of the earlier posts by rfj1001 (the first of the posts dated 12 Jan) you will see that it is not necessary to re-install. It is a case of excluding FH from the BitDefender checks. He gave brief instructions there on how to do that. If you need more guidance ask here again and someone who is running BitDefender will be able to give you detailed instructions.

[SueG26]

I read all the posts, and tried to put the FH .exe line into the whitelist - but that didn't work so must have done something wrong. I copied the line from the properties box of FH which was "C:\Program Files (x86)\Family Historian\Program\Fh.exe"

[rfj1001]

@SueG26

I'm running Bitdefender Total Security 2018 which may be different from your BD product.

When I go into Advanced Threat Defense I have an option "Add Applications to the Whitelist". If I click on it another window opens called "Add Trusted Application". (It's a bit like a truncated explorer window.)

I then had to work through the directory structure to get to the FH file path. (I didn't have an option of copying and pasting which is the way you did it.)

I know it did not work first time for me but I've enclosed a screenshot of what the Advanced Threat Defense window looks like now FH has been successfully added to the whitelist and lets FH load correctly.

Hopefully that will help you know whether your whitelist entry looks the same as mine.

Good luck.

Untitled picture.png (10.3 KiB) Viewed 9164 times

[SueG26]

thanks for that rfj1001 - different to my BD but I did find the whitelist which doesn't give me the option to select a file. Having tried the full path from the properties box and just FH.exe - neither of these work.

I understand from Calico Pie that MS will be issuing a patch to solve the matter, so hoping this will be soon.

[tatewise]

Sue, which version of BitDefender are you using?

The menus and options may vary from version to version.
The advice for BitDefender 2017 is given below, but others may vary, and look different to Robin's:
https://www.bitdefender.com/support/how ... -1784.html

C:\Program Files (x86)\Family Historian\Program\Fh.exe is correct, but try entering just the path without Fh.exe.

BTW: Robin is using a non-standard installation path D:\Genealogy\Family Historian\Program which is NOT advisable.

Sue, regarding installation media (CD/Download), you only need the V6 purchased media, forget about the rest.
But assuming it was a V5 to V6 Upgrade you will need both the V5 and V6 licence keys.
See Knowledge Base > Family Historian Installation Details regarding upgrades.
See Knowledge Base > Mislaid Licence Details or Software Download and if you purchased a Download from Calico Pie they will have what you need.
It is imperative you resolve this, as you never know when you will need to re-install.

[SueG26]

Thanks Mke. I'm on Bit Defender 2018, and I shall be conducting a major search of the house to find the discs, as I agree, they are necessary

[tatewise]

Here is the advice for adding exclusions to BitDefender 2018:
https://www.bitdefender.com/consumer/su ... swer/2121/

As I said before, you only really need one disc - the V5 to V6 Upgrade.
But you also need the V6 and the V5 installation licence keys.
The V6 licence key should be with the V6 disc.
The V5 licence key should be with the V5 disc, so you may need to find that too.

[SueG26]

Thanks for posting that guide. However, I have followed carefully step by step, browsed the files until I found the one in the properties box mentioned previously, and still it won't work. I did omit the fh.exe as advised in the previous post.

[tatewise]

If you go back into BitDefender and check the List of files and folders excluded from scanning then is the path C:\Program Files (x86)\Family Historian\Program listed with both On-Access and On-Demand?

When you say "it won't work" do you mean FH won't install or it won't run?
Have you tried re-installing the latest FH free download after excluding the FH folder from BitDefender?

You could try the techniques described in the Knowledge Base > Family Historian Installation Problems Introduction involving Run as administrator and Safe Mode.

If you still cannot get any success then I suggest you contact Calico Pie again for assistance.
See Knowledge Base > Problem Reporting.

[SueG26]

FH won't run. I will try your latest suggestions and see if I have success.

[rfj1001]

If you haven't already done so, try opening FH in windows safe mode as per Mike's suggestion.

If FH opens successfully then it probably isn't an install problem but another programme, like BD, interfering with FH that hasn't been loaded in safe mode.

If FH doesn't open in safe mode then it suggests that there is something wrong with the FH install.

Hopefully this will help you narrow down what is potentally causing the problem and what might not

[SueG26]

FH opened in safe mode - when eventually I managed to get safe mode to run !!! Today been on chat to BD and the solution has been found - albeit temporary, as they now have a copy of the exe file to try and determine why it went pear shaped in the first instance.
If anyone is still stuck, let me know and I will try and pass on what I have learned.
If I hear from BD with the result I will update.

Thanks for the help and tips given on here.

[tatewise]

Sue, you say "the solution has been found" but don't disclose what that solution was, which I presume lets you run FH?

[SueG26]

Yes Mike - now up and running

[SueG26]

The file path is now on the whitelist not the antivirus exclusions

[tatewise]

That is fascinating, because the whitelist is meant to nominate safe websites not program paths.

[CurtisB48]

SueG26

Could you please let me know who you contacted to solve this problem. I started a "chat" this morning but it was with somebody from Romania who did not know what I was refering to. My experience of getting help from Bitdefender staff is not good, they can help with simple things but nothing else.

Brian

[Jane]

I don't use Bit Defender, but the links below are about adding exceptions

https://www.bitdefender.com/support/wha ... -1294.html

https://www.bitdefender.com/support/how ... -1784.html

If you have FH installed in the normal place you need to add

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Family Historian"

your exclusion list and whitelist, you may also need to add

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Family Historian\Program\Fh.exe"

[CurtisB48]

Jane.

Thank you for your quick reply.

I have Bitdefender Anti Virus Plus 2018 and will follow all the information you sent to me. I'm sure all will back to normal when I get a chance later today. I was very dissappointed that staff in Bitdefenders Support department were not able to help, but thats life.

Brian