{"id":9840,"date":"2020-06-14T21:19:28","date_gmt":"2020-06-14T21:19:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fhug.org.uk\/kb\/?post_type=kb_article&p=9840"},"modified":"2024-11-06T08:21:54","modified_gmt":"2024-11-06T08:21:54","slug":"backup-and-recovery","status":"publish","type":"kb_article","link":"https:\/\/www.fhug.org.uk\/kb\/kb-article\/backup-and-recovery\/","title":{"rendered":"Backup and Recovery"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction<\/h2>\n

Every computer user needs a strategy for making backup copies of their precious data. Modern PCs are a lot more reliable than they used to be, but can still fail without warning. In addition, the user could make a mistake that corrupts their files, or the PC gets damaged or stolen.<\/p>\n

A file that is not backed up is a file that you are happy to lose.<\/p>\n

This overview of backup options considers options within \u0192h<\/span><\/span>, and gives pointers for more experienced PC users for incorporating \u0192h<\/span><\/span> into a general backup strategy.<\/p>\n

What needs to be backed up?<\/h2>\n

See Understanding the Scope of Features<\/a> for a full description of where \u0192h<\/span><\/span> saves its data. A comprehensive backup needs to save all of these data, covering both your tree and program settings.<\/p>\n

Options within Family Historian<\/h2>\n

These options give comprehensive coverage of \u0192h<\/span><\/span> data and settings but do not copy any other files.\u00a0 They are most appropriate for less experienced PC users, as they are easy to set up and use and do not require detailed knowledge of PC filing systems.<\/p>\n

A limitation of these methods is that they do not copy any other user data, so need to be part of an overall strategy to protect your user data, not your sole backup mechanism.<\/p>\n

User data<\/h3>\n\u0192h<\/span><\/span> provides three different data backups, with increasing scope, ranging from just the GEDCOM file to all files in the relevant project folder. Note that media files are copied only if they are within the project folder. Files held elsewhere that are linked to your project are not copied.<\/p>\n

Backup options are set from the Backup tab under either File > Backup\/Restore > Backup Options…<\/a> or Tools > Preferences<\/a> in the \u0192h<\/span><\/span> menu, both of which bring up the selection form. \u00a0The various options available are well described in the \u0192h<\/span><\/span> help for Version 6<\/a> and Version 7<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

To run a backup, select File > Backup\/Restore <\/a>\u00a0 and the required backup type from the main \u0192h<\/span><\/span> menu. \u00a0If the option is set (on by default), \u0192h<\/span><\/span> will also save a backup when closing the program (if the project has changed).<\/p>\n\u0192h<\/span><\/span> also takes automatic “snapshots” of the project GEDCOM file to facilitate restoring an older version in the event of error or corruption.\u00a0 Optimisation of snapshot frequency is described in the program help for both Version 6<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Version 7<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Backup file<\/h3>\n

The \u0192h<\/span><\/span> backup compresses your data into a single backup file. These backup files use the standard Compressed (zipped) Folder format. In \u0192h<\/span><\/span> version 7 they are saved as Family Historian Backup (.fhbak) files, but earlier \u0192h<\/span><\/span> versions retain the default .zip extension. If necessary, advanced users can unpack them by using utilities such as 7-Zip and PkZip (but note that \u0192h<\/span><\/span> blocks opening .fhbak files by simply right-clicking and selecting Open, as this produces a message directing users to restore using \u0192h<\/span><\/span>).<\/p>\n

Program settings<\/h3>\n

Although many individual \u0192h<\/span><\/span> custom features can be saved or exported individually, the program does not provide any options for automatically saving all customisations and other settings in the same way as it does for user project data. The easiest option is to download either the Backup and Restore Family Historian Settings<\/a> plugin or the new Backup and Restore Family Historian Settings via Windows<\/a> plugin. Guidance on how to use the plugins are given in their help documentation.<\/p>\n

Why two plugins?<\/h3><\/summary>

The original Backup and Restore Family Historian Settings<\/a> plugin has been available since the days of \u0192h<\/span><\/span>5, but it is becoming increasingly more complex to fully encompass the variability in different languages and other national settings while still supporting all versions of \u0192h<\/span><\/span>.<\/p>\n

All \u0192h<\/span><\/span> settings are saved either as files in the Windows ProgramData or AppData folders (for system-level and user-level settings, respectively), or in one of two Registry keys. As such, they can all be copied directly from Windows itself, so if you know where the files are and the identity of the Registry keys, you don’t need either plugin to perform a complete backup or restore.<\/p>\n

The new Backup and Restore Family Historian Settings via Windows<\/a> plugin, released in May 2022, simply compiles these backup commands for you from the configuration entered in its menu, then hands over to Windows to do the actual copying.<\/p>\n

The new plugin has a number of advantages over its predecessor:<\/p>\n