Genealogy Chat

I have just downloaded my tree to a TDK CD-R80 Cd Recordable disc - but the result says READ ONLY.
Does this mean I cannot use it if I have a disaster?
All I want to do is save my tree in such away that I can reinstate it and add to it as I do now.

Forgive my ignorance but like many people on here I was born in an age when the ball point pen was high tech.

Thank you in anticipation

Maurice

Hi Maurice,
With a cd-r you can only write data to it once. you cant add any more. you can read from it if you need to restore any lost info. it's really just as an emergency backup. You need to backup to a new cd on a regular basis. I usually save my tree on GR and ancestry, as well as in my tree prog. then do a backup to cd about once a week (but I usaully add a lot of data in a week) you might only need to do it once a month. Like I say its only for emergency in the very unlikely event that you lose your tree on your PC and on GR and anyother site your on. Hope this makes sense
Gary

Another option is to use a memory stick, as this is easier to update. You still have to backup on a regular basis and you can't use the memory stick to open the file directly with your tree program.

In either case, to access the back up, copy the data back from storage to your pc and open the file from there.

Lots of family tree information that is saved can only be opened again in a family tree programme due to the format of how it is saved.. I have mine on a memory stick but I have to open it in my family tree programme. Good luck Irene

Maurice, if you only have your tree on GR, I would urge you to get a different one that you can save on your computer and back up to disc and the internet.

Maurice, Yes the CD-R will say read-only, because, as previously said, it is a write-once type of disc. Once you've written once it then cannot be written to, so is read-only.
If you need to get back to the copy of the file that is on the CD, copy the file back to your computer (wherever is suitable), then right-click the file. From the menu that comes up, choose Properties. A dialog box will appear on the screen with a little box with a tick in next to the words Read Only. Click the tick and it will disappear, then click OK. The file will now be usable in the normal way.
Having said that, a memory stick would work out cheaper in the long run, because it can be used over again, rather than just once in the case of a CD-R. Please note though, for many Family Tree software (FTM for example), you will still need to copy it back to your computer to use, as the FTM software cannot use it whilst it is still on the memory stick.
Hope that makes sense.

RobG

Thank you all for such comphrensive advice.

Suppose I first make a GEDCOM file then save that to disc, will that still be read only?
I have in the past managed to send a GEDCOM to people of my tree and they have been able to open that ok in their family tree program. Maybe this is the best answer - or have I missed something?

If the computer crashed I could then reload the Family tree program then load the Gedcom from the disc?

Only a fraction of my tree is on GR as I have limited that element to Blood line only. we all know how easy it is to grow the tree well beyond "real" family. If I were to put it all on GR "using GR as a bank or storeage facility "- the downside is the vast number of people that make contact about fringe relatives (by marriage only) That I know little about and so wasting their time or giving false hopes.
Regards,

Maurice



Regards,
Maurice

Maurice, Yes any file would be read-only, so that includes a gedcom.
As for whether it's better to use a gedcom or stay with a file in the native format of whichever program you use, that would be up to you. If you would still use the same program (i.e. FTM) after any crash, then there would be no technical reason not to stick with the native format. Personally I would stay with that, as some programs don't support gedcom 100%, so may not save every little piece of info you've entered. But that is just my opinion.
The important thing is to back a back up of some sort.

RobG

Am I using the right type of disc?

maurice