Restore from Backup creates a working database from a saved backup. Use it to recover earlier work, move a tree to another computer, or inspect the contents of an old backup. Restoring does not merge that backup with your current research.

Before restoring

Identify the backup by its filename, date, and location. If your current tree contains later work, back it up first. Restore an older backup into a separate folder when you want to compare it with the current tree without replacing it.

If RootsMagic asks you to close an open database before restoring, close that database and start the restore again. Keep the backup file until you have verified the restored tree.

Restore the tree

1. Select File, then Restore from Backup.

2. Select a backup from the search results, or choose Browse for File and locate it yourself.

3. Choose the folder where you want to save the restored tree. Click Browse for Destination to choose a different folder.

4. Check the folder and filename, especially if a tree with that name is already there. Click Save to restore the backup.

5. If the backup contains media, decide whether to restore it too. Restored media is placed in a folder beneath the database folder, and the restored database is linked to those files. Existing media on the computer and media restored from the backup may therefore be separate copies.

 

Verify the result

Open the restored tree and check its path, a few known people, recent facts, notes, and citations. Open several media items to confirm that their files can be found. A backup without media cannot recreate image files that are missing from the computer.

If you restored an older tree to recover just some information, use Compare Files to inspect it beside your current tree before copying information. See Opening an older RootsMagic file for conversion of backups from earlier versions.