Lost Reunion 9 & Reunion file

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Level 1

9 points

Lost Reunion 9 & Reunion file

I have used a fully-paid-for version of Reunion 9 for some years, and have used the software to create a family-tree called 'Toby'sFamily.'

Last month, I accidentally deleted some Library files on this notebook.

Mercifully, I had just before that backed up my hard disc to an external drive, using Time Machine.

A helpful assistant at the local Apple Genius-bar used the external drive to restore, as I thought, the status quo.

However, when I now launch Reunion 9:

1. It tells me that I am using only a demonstration-version, and not the fully-paid-for version.

2. Toby'sFamily is nowhere to be found, either on the external drive or on my hard disc.

What can have happened ?

MacBook Air, Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Apr 16, 2012 4:20 AM

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Answer 1

a brody

Level 10

85,308 points

Apr 16, 2012 6:05 AM in response to paieye

It sounds like they didn't restore the preference file, and/or the data file that was associated with it. If you still have the backup handy, do NOT, I repeat DO NOT, use it again for Time Machine until this issue is resolved. Every rewrite it can potentially wipe out a former backup. Read my FAQ on backing up:

https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-1992

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Answer 2

paieye Author

Level 1

9 points

Apr 16, 2012 6:16 AM in response to a brody

I am grateful for the warning, but I thought that the whole point of Time Machine was that it created a sequence of back-ups, each separate from and independent of the one preceding it. Is that not the case ?

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Answer 3

a brody

Level 10

85,308 points

Apr 16, 2012 6:20 AM in response to paieye

You misunderstood. While they are a sequence, they are in fact dependent on each other. You can't have infinite space. So eventually going to be dropped in favor of a newer backup depending on the age of the backup. You may have backups that work out like this:

1. every hour

2. every day

3. every week

4. every month

5. every year

Your usage obviously will have to dictate how many hourly backups it can store before having to resort to only storing the latest daily, and every daily will have to go back to every weekly, and so forth. In a world of infinite space, sure you could store all the backups you want. But there isn't. After performing a complete backup using the menubar, see if the archive you have contains any data you wish to save for posterity. If not, you live with the possibility that during a future backup it may disappear if it is not on your original.

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Answer 4

paieye Author

Level 1

9 points

Apr 16, 2012 6:26 AM in response to a brody

If I understand you correctly, the back-ups are separate and independent so long as the destination-drive has space enough to maintain that state of affairs. However, if and when there is not enough space, then the programme will delete back-ups, oldest first, to the extent needed to enable the sequence to be maintained.

I am a long, long way from that particular precipice, but I am going to keep your warning firmly in mind.

Many thanks.

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Answer 5

a brody

Level 10

85,308 points

Apr 16, 2012 6:48 AM in response to paieye

You may be closer to that state of affairs than you think. I've seen it start deleting old backups sooner, simply because it had one large file to transfer. So you have to be real careful, not to delete an essential original from your original you want to stay within your backup, otherwise it is at risk of disappearing unless put somewhere else other than Time Machine.

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Answer 6

paieye Author

Level 1

9 points

Apr 16, 2012 7:03 AM in response to a brody

Thank you !

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