PAF 3: Creating
& Restoring Backups

(last updated 01 Mar 2003)

Making Backups

Genealogists who do not make backups lose data.  Considering the amount of time most researchers spend on their genealogies, it seems ridiculous that some fail to back up their files.  A favorite saying comes to mind here:  "If you don't have time to do it right, where will you find time to do it over?"  Why lose hundreds of hours of research someday because you were too lazy to take thirty seconds to make a backup?

Here is the backup process in PAF 3:

1. From the Small Pedigree screen, press the Esc key to exit the program.
2. From the Exit Personal Ancestral File screen, press F3 to make a backup.
3. From the Backup the Current File screen, make sure the Drive/Directory to Backup to field contains the letter of your floppy drive, followed by a colon.  If your floppy drive is "A," the field should read "a:" or "A:".
4. Put a formatted floppy disk in the floppy drive, and press F1.
5. At the Backup Complete screen, press F1 to continue.
6. From the Exit Personal Ancestral File screen, press Esc to keep PAF open, or press F1 to exit PAF.
7. Remove the floppy disk from the drive.  Label it PAF 3 Backup and add the name of the file.  If you don't know how to use your computer to check the date a file was created, write the date on the label, too.
8. Store the backup disk away from magnetic fields, like power cords and the like.   Send a copy to a relative through the mail or by e-mail.  Exchange backups with a friend.  Backups are like the memory chips in your computer; you can never have too many.

Restoring Backup Files

To restore a Backup file, follow these instructions:

1. From the Small Pedigree screen, press F6 for More Options.
2. Press Y for the Utility Menu.
3. From the Utility Menu, use the arrow keys to scroll the highlight bar to Restore a File from Backup Copy.  Press Enter.
4. Insert the backup disk into the floppy drive.
5. Assure that the Drive/Directory To Restore From field contains the name of the floppy drive (usually "a:").
6. Assure that the Drive/Directory To Restore To field contains the drive and directory where you want the new restored PAF file to appear.  The default directory (the one that is already typed in) is that which PAF currently uses for PAF files.
7. Note that the Name of File to Restore field is blank.  PAF is asking you to type in the name of the backup file.  Sometimes this file name is hard to remember.  If that is the case, press F6 for a list of backup files on the floppy disk.
8. From the Backup Files screen, use the arrow keys to highlight the file you want to restore.  Press F1.
9. From the Restore a File from a Backup Copy screen, press F1 to continue.
10. From the Restore Complete screen, press F1 to continue.
11. From the Utility Menu, press Esc to return to the Small Pedigree screen.