5 replies to this topic

[mcphilbrick]

For some reasons, photos and other images that I've recently scanned keep disappearing out of my media folder. Fortunately, I'm running a backup that copies files to a USB drive and was able to get most back.

 

I searched to see if this issue could be caused by clicking 'remove media' in the database. According to what I found, that should not cause my issue.

 

However, I am fairly certain that I clicked on remove media for at least one of these photos yesterday.

 

Is it possible that my action removed the photo from my hard drive? If not, are there any ideas of what could be the issue?

 

Background Info:

• Windows 7
• Roots Magic 7
• I'm new to RM and probably making mistakes in how I'm adding / removing pictures.
• The folder options are set to use the same image folders as my Master Genealogist installation uses. (I'm not adding/removing media from individuals in Master Genealogist.)
• I'm trying to go paperless in a world with LOTS of paper documents and photo albums. Thus, I'm doing a LOT of scanning.
• I ran chkdsk and other diagnostic tools last week when it first happened and no major hard drive errors were found.
• I defragmented my hard drive last week.
• When it happened last week, I concluded that I needed to use the full path to the folders/files instead of the link in my 'Libraries'. Yesterday, I'm fairly certain I was using the link in my 'Libraries'

[Laura]

RootsMagic only stores the path to the media in the database when you link a new media file. Essentially, RM saves a shortcut to the file in the database.

Clicking on the Remove media tab on the Media Gallery or a Media Album screen deletes media file path for the highlighted file from the database.

Removing a media file from the database does not make any changes to where or how the file is saved to the hard drive.,

You can highlight a file and choose Properties.

Choose Change media file. Any changes you make on that screen does affect the file on the hard drive as you are then working in Windows Explorer. If you delete a file on that screen, the file will be deleted from the hard drive.

I have never used the Windows Explorer Library. My understanding is that adding a file or folder to the Library does not move the file or folder from where it is actually saved on the hard drive. To me that means a shortcut to the file or folder is what is actually shown in the Library.

You might find this site about Windows Library useful to read:

http://windows.micro...q#1TC=windows-8

I link media files to the RM database to the actual file path to where the file is actually saved on the hard drive.

If you wish to edit the tags for a highlighted media file, go to the upper right pane on the screen and add new tags, edit a tag or delete a tag from that pane. Do not choose Remove media when all you want to do is delete a tag. Use Delete tag in the upper right pane.

[mcphilbrick]

Thanks Laura.

 

I will read the Windows info.

 

This is driving me crazy! I scan a photo or document and save it to my master folder. I then copy it into my exhibits folder for RM. I'm then going back and trying to link the file to the source (sometimes an hour laters, sometimes a day or more later). Sometimes the source is there and sometimes it isn't.

 

I just spent about an hour trying to find a PDF file I scanned earlier today. It was nowhere to be found with Windows Search. I ran the sfc function (as per instructions I found on a Microsoft site) and it eventually came back.

[Renee Zamora]

You won't find PDF listed when you add the Media Type Image. PDF are not image files so they will not be displayed. You would need to use the Media Type File for them. 

[Frog]

I too have experienced this in the last couple of weeks.  I'm running RootsMagic 7.0.7.0

I recently "broke" off a branch of my family tree, and saved it as a separate rmgc file.  I worked on it a few days, then went back to work on my original tree.  When I try to look at many of the media items in this tree, I now get the "broken link" message.  Using Windows Explorer, I find the files (images) are no longer on my hard drive.  The only files that seem to be missing are media files that have been linked to using RootsMagic.

Anyone else experiencing this?

[Renee Zamora]

I did a Google search of "files disappearing on Windows 7" and there is a lot of discussion on it.

 

Here is one I think might be good to try.

"a Microsoft technician gave advice that fixed the problem:

Go to Control Pane. Then Indexing Options. Then Advanced. Then Rebuild.
The indexing re-built itself, and now my "lost" folders show up right away after saving, and in the proper locations."