Backup/Restore

[camckay 0]

Before formatting my laptop, I backed up my TMG data choosing every possible selection during the entire backup process, even if I didn't know what it was. The result was a huge 74mg file that I thought contained EVERYTHING. Not satisfied, I copied the entire "The Master Genealogist' Folder to an outside source.

 

When I downloaded the latest version of TMG, my 6.07 data wouldn't work with it, and 6.07 is apparently too old to download anymore. Instead, I had to install my original version and update it with the 6.07 patch I'd had the foresight to save.

 

Long story short, and after many error messages and finally having to uninstall and reinstall, I now have a working program. It appears all the data is there, as well as sources, tags, colors, etc, but none of my preferences, layouts, etc . I'm also getting that cryptic DOS error message "Abort, Retry, Ignore" whenever I add a new tag.

 

All I want is the program to work like it used to. How do I get my preferences back, and if I can't, how can this be avoided in the future?

 

Thanks,

Carol

[Jim Byram 0]

First, you should be running the latest version of TMG.

 

1) I would have backed up your project and exhibits.

2) Install the latest version of TMG on the new machine using the latest full installer.

3) Restore your project and exhibits.

4) Open Preferences and adjust the settings to your likings (which will take a few minutes at most).

 

You should never back up any customizations unless you understand exactly what you are backing up and why. If you blindly back up customizations, for the most part, you are backing up things installed by the program that are never changed. What's the point in that?

 

You also don't want to backup customizations and restore them to a later version of the program. You might be overwriting a setting or file that has been changed. You might be losing a setting that has been added as the program has been updated.

 

In your case, I would uninstall TMG from the new machine and delete the TMG program folder. Scrub your TMG data (project, exhibits). And then start over following the steps above.

 

If you have some specific 'customizations' on the old machine that you want to retain, simply copy those files from the old installation and add them to the appropriate folders in the new installation. Things you might want are: custom layouts (.lo), color schemes (.col), report (.rpt) or GEDCOM (.xpt) configurations (and other files depending on what you have customizad).

 

I would not copy the app.ini (program settings) from the older installation to the new installation. It's easy enough to go to Preferences in the new installation and adjust the settings. (I don't object to copying the current app.ini if you are going to scrub an existing working installation and do a reinstall.)

 

I scrub TMG and make new TMG installations constantly for testing. I have a folder (TMG_baseline) where I keep a copy of the latest 'customizations' that I'm using. When I make a new installation, I simply copy the contents of the baseline folder into the new TMG program folder after I install TMG.