Genealogy Chat

For anyone who has all their family history in a GR tree or an Ancestry tree *only*.

Neither of these sites will be around forever. They make no commitment to protect your data.

*Right now* download a copy of your tree to your computer.

If it's GenesR; the link is a button near the bottom of the screen - "Import/Export Gedcom"

If it's Ancestry; the link is in the "Manage Tree" screen, just below the Tree Description. Or go to Help and search for "Export Tree".

Now, if the site should go away tomorrow, you have a copy of all your hard work in a standard format that can be loaded into (nearly) any family tree product.

Just remember to do it regularly, say, weekly. Then you will preserve the changes you make to the tree.

To be even more safe, copy the GEDCOM file from your computer onto a memory stick (or a CD). Now you're safe if your online tree goes away and the same day your computer dies as well.

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Dave

Thanks all! Will have a go later and hubby can help.... Lynn.

Found the instructions of saving from FTM to memory stick

To save FTM tree to a memory stick (flash)
First go into the tree that you want to save.
Put the stick into your computer
Now FILE
EXPORT FILE
ENTIRE FILE
You should have another screen up which will say at the top 'New Family File'
Press the little blue ARROW at the top of this new screen, it should be next to 'My Documents'
A drop down menu will appear, select your memory stick.
Name your file as you normally would & press SAVE
words in capitals are to highlight the buttons you should be pressing

I would suggest that anything important is saved on a memory stick as this is the latest way to back up data.
What you don't want to happen is your computer to blow up, you go out & buy a new one & then find it has no facility to access your saved work.
Sticks are about £10 in Argos.

hi lynn you could always save it to a memory stick just plug in to a usb port and save it on to there

Hi Lynn

I did mine all manually..but hope you get an answer that will tell you an easier way

Julie

Is there a kind soul who will tell me how to save a copy of my tree to disc please? I am a complete computer nerd and don't want to lose all my hard work on my tree! Lynn