Gary Templeman wrote: > If she had previously worked with her file on that computer, is it possible > that rather than doing a restore, that she opened it from the File menu and > used a copy on the hard drive (which may not be in the default location)? > The full path is shown at the top of the window when the file is open in > PAF. What happens when you launch PAF again, or if you go to File and select > her file name from the recent file list? If PAF can't locate it then it was > probably on the flash drive which got corrupted. If PAF can open it from the > recent file list you will be able to easily see the location. > > It is also possible that here flash drive is one of the brands that has to > be run the first time under an administrator login for Windows to find it, > which could explain why it could be explored on another computer but not > that one. The fact that it worked on the other computer also indicates that > the drive itself is not faulty. > ************** The drive has previously worked on that computer. Later when I re-plugged it in the computer recognized it and it worked. When I arrived it was "disconnected", but plugged in. (I.e. the computer did not recognize its presence, but it was in the socket. I strongly suspect that the connector had been "bumped" and this caused a momentary disconnect of one of the pins. This in turn could have caused the computer to "disconnect" - - - or something. But we will never know.. Richard ************* > Another possibility which we had happen was on a computer with two USB ports > on the front, where two drives had been plugged in (becoming drives E and F > for example). When one of those got plugged in on a different day in the > other port, it couldn't be found, because apparently Windows tried to > remember the previous drive letter and also apparently assigned a new > letter, which created double drive. I had to go in to Administrative > Tools_Disk Management to see that the drive was actually connected. After > manually changing the drive letter it went back to normal. I really suspect > that the admin issue or a drive letter conflict was the cause of it not > showing as connected (unless the USB port itself is fried, but that would > affect ALL drives plugged in there). > > Gary Templeman > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Richard Halliday" <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Saturday, January 26, 2008 4:33 PM > Subject: [PAF-5] A Problem with a USB Flash Drive (Thumb Stick, USB Memory, > Flash Drive, etc.) > > > >> All; >> Wednesday when I arrived at our Family History Center one of the >> patrons was finishing a data entry session using PAF. She had spent >> several hours entering information from paper records. Her mentor was >> leaving and I tried to take over. >> To our dismay PAF would not do a Backup to the USB Flash Drive. I >> checked the bottom of the monitor screen and the Flash Drive was not >> shown as "Connected". We were not very worried as we assumed that when >> she arrived she had "Restored" her database from the Flash Drive to the >> C Drive in the computer. A search of the directory where all the PAF >> Data files are stored did not find the file. We tried to examine the >> Flash Drive using Windows Explorer but could find nothing. As far as >> Windows was concerned the Flash Drive was not connected. >> We took a chance and unplugged the Flash Drive and moved it to >> another computer. That computer found the Flash Drive, but the file she >> was working on was NOT present. >> Today I talked to the individual who had been helping the patron. >> We are still not certain what happened. I strongly SUSPECT that the >> connection of the Flash Drive to the computer had been disturbed. >> Perhaps one of the connectors was momentarily disconnected. Regardless >> of the exact nature of the problem, these consequences can be avoided as >> follows. >> 1. Do NOT use a Flash Drive as the primary repository of a >> database. Instead use it as a backup repository. It MAY be more >> reliable than a floppy disk, but it is not as reliable as a hard drive. >> 2. When you begin a work session Restore the database from the >> Flash Drive (or floppy disk) to the hard drive. >> 3. Work using the copy on the hard drive. >> 4. Periodically Backup from the hard drive to the Flash Drive (or >> floppy disk). The rule I use is "When I have done enough work that I do >> not want to risk losing it, then I do a Backup" -- it only takes a few >> seconds and that is cheap insurance. >> 5. Take the backup USB Memory (Flash Drive) or floppy disk home. >> Before you begin another work session Restore the database from the >> backup medium to the hard drive. >> I have occasionally seen disparaging remarks about the reliability >> of floppy disks. My experience has been otherwise -- when they are used >> properly. It is true that they do have a high "infant mortality". So. >> . . I watch them closely when they are young. I listen to the floppy >> drive when I am making a Backup. The drive has a regular sound pattern >> when it is recording. If I hear a disruption in that sound pattern I >> listen carefully. When a floppy drive cannot record then it tries again >> and again. I hear this as a series of short "buzzes". When this occurs >> I throw that disk away. >> One of the reasons that I like floppy disks is the large label. >> Every time I use such a disk I record the date (in tiny letters). Those >> disks are designed for 100 uses. I have a number of them that are over >> five years old and that have been used over 100 times. (I will replace >> them soon -- as soon as the label is full). >> I have changed the Configuration (Preferences) of my PAF program so >> that the default location for a Backup File is the "F:" drive; the one >> that my Flash Drive uses. I backup my files to that location several >> times an hour. At the end of the session I make another Backup to the >> Flash Drive AND then to a floppy disk (on which I write the Backup date). >> I have been using a set of five floppy disks to backup each of my >> PAF files for over fifteen years It has never given me a problem >> probably because I weed out the bad or marginal disks. About three >> years ago I began also backing my PAF data files onto the USB Memory. I >> have heard several reports of problems with them, but have had none >> myself. >> My motto is: "Better spend a little time being safe than a lot of >> time trying to recover data from a damaged record.". >> >> May all your backups be good ones and all of your ancestors be >> identifiable, >> Richard >> "If the Lord wanted a perfect job he would not let me help. >> "However, that is no excuse for not doing my best." >> >> ------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >> [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the >> quotes in the subject and the body of the message >> > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > >