computer crash problems

[courtney]

My windows is crashing and has to be restored to factory defult, I have to backup all my files and then reinstall them after the new windows is put on my computer, can anyone tell me how this will affect SBM? If I save all my programs to a jump drive when I put it on the new computer will it still be in the same format etc. I do not want to lose hours of hard work on getting wonderful templetes from everyone and on making my own. So, I guess I just need to know that if I back up this file it will still be the same once its put back on the newly installed windows on the computer. HELP!!! Thanks bunches. Courtney

[TerryW]

Courtney,

I am always very cautious about giving computer advice - I much prefer to offer a few signposts - keeps me out of a lot of trouble.

I suggest 'BackupTime' from CEZEO Software, this is a high-end back-up programme and has a great tutorial (mostly movies) and the best bit is... 'ITS FREE' (only have to pay if you want ongoing tech support).

Check it out - http://www.cezeo.com/products/backuptime/

Best of luck and regards,
Terry

[courtney]

thanks and more advice Desmand?

Thanks for the advice, I will review that program. The problem with my computer lies in the software that allows me to burn to my cd burner, I will back up my stuff on a flash drive. I actually do not have many programs on my computer at all except for this SBM stuff. I do not want to lose all the templetes I have downloaded and saved, the ones that come up when I open SBM. I need some advice on how I back this program up and all the templetes and projects so that when I open SBM I will still see what I have on there now. If I save it to a flash drive, how do I go about that? After that how do I go about reinstalling it on my computer. I know I will have to reinstall the CD that I purchased with the program but it won't have all the templetes I have downloaded from this site. How do I get this back on??? I am so upset!!!

[twx]

Back Up

Desmond has some instructions posted on this thread for backing up. If you restore in the same place, you should be able to get back to your embellishments and templates that you backed up. I hope this helps.

http://www.scrapbookmax.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4434&highlight=backup

Good luck.

Terry

[Desmond]

The important locations are as follows:

Projects, Published Files, Templates:
My Documents\Scrapbook MAX!

Embellishments:
Program Files\Scrapbook MAX!\Gallery

If you back up those, and restore them after isntalling a fresh copy of Scrapbook MAX!, you should be good to go.

Desmond.

[TerryW]

Courtney,
I hear your concern - you havn't lost anything yet so take a breath and do your best to relax - DON'T DO ANYTHING UNTIL YOU ARE CONFIDENT.

The advice from Terry(TWX) and Desmond is solid and most certainly, Desmond will keep you sweet from the technical angle (with due respect to Terry) - I will just hold your hand for a bit.

That link I posted for you today has some good tutorial stuff - the entire site reads a little strange because of the imperfect translation but it is still quite understandable. Take a little time - you have expressed how upset you are so invest a little time into ensuring those important files are backed up and most importantly, recoverable.

You are asking for specific instruction on the process of back-up and restore, something I am not confident enough to do for you but... those tutorials will explain exactly HOW to do it and, together with Desmonds guidence regarding file locations etc (something he works with everyday) I see this challenge very quickly translating into a successfully completed exercise.

This is so totally do-able. Remember, you haven't lost anything (and its unlikely you will) so do your best to relax. Tens of millions, maybe even 100's of millions of back-ups are perfomed successfully every day of the year - why should yours be any different???

With kindest regards,
Terry. (TerryW)

[eye]

The important locations are as follows:

Projects, Published Files, Templates:
My Documents\Scrapbook MAX!

Embellishments:
Program Files\Scrapbook MAX!\Gallery

If you back up those, and restore them after isntalling a fresh copy of Scrapbook MAX!, you should be good to go.

Desmond.

Yes that is true. I did this awhile back to save all the stuff I downlaoded before as my computer was acting up. Wished I had of saved the new stuff but hey I did not know the wind was going to send in a power surge and fry my comptuer.

[Marion]

Yes that is true. I did this awhile back to save all the stuff I downlaoded before as my computer was acting up. Wished I had of saved the new stuff but hey I did not know the wind was going to send in a power surge and fry my comptuer.

Hey Eye, your pm box is full, empty it!

[Verleen]

Desmond ???

Desmond, a question about the SBM files and folders we are backing up -

Under Templates, for example, there are a group of folders and files for a specific template that we downloaded. Do we save the entire group as a whole to our CD or EHD? This is probably a silly question. Are all the files necessary? For example, under a template that I downloaded, there are:
a folder called Pages
a folder called Resources
file called Scrapbook Max! document
a thumbnail file

So lets say the template is called, "Silly Girl page template". Do I save this with all the above folders and files onto my external hard drive? Or something less than that? I am trying to get a handle on the file structure. Thank you.

[Verleen]

Another question related to this. Let's say we have saved a bunch of templates on a CD or EHD. If I am using the SBM program, how do I access these templates? Do I have to use Windows Explorer to reload them into the program? I can't find a way (ex, browse button) to access them, like you can with Embellishments, Scraps and Photos. Am I missing something here?

[Desmond]

Hello,

Under Templates, for example, there are a group of folders and files for a specific template that we downloaded. Do we save the entire group as a whole to our CD or EHD? This is probably a silly question. Are all the files necessary? For example, under a template that I downloaded, there are:
a folder called Pages
a folder called Resources
file called Scrapbook Max! document
a thumbnail file

Are you referring to the Templates folder, or Projects folder. Your templates folder should only have .smt files in it, i believe (screenshot of my templates folder is attached).

Regarding your question, assuming you're speaking of the Projects folder -- you need to back them all up. You wouldn't want JUST the sbm file, because it doesn't contain your picture files (it just tells sbmax WHERE to put them on the page).

Does that make sense?

Another question related to this. Let's say we have saved a bunch of templates on a CD or EHD. If I am using the SBM program, how do I access these templates? Do I have to use Windows Explorer to reload them into the program? I can't find a way (ex, browse button) to access them, like you can with Embellishments, Scraps and Photos. Am I missing something here?

You can just double-click the template file (.smt) -- that will copy it to the correct location on your system (you don't have to manually copy it). You can't browse for templates in other locations as of right now.

Desmond.

[courtney]

thanks again

OK, I have taken some time to think about this all and yes I am very lucky, so far nothing is lost. I will try and back up the files tonight and then have dell to their thing tomorrow night. I also am very lucky to have found this website and this wonderful program with all these wonderful people to help me out as needed, you all are great!!!

Now...after I reinstall the new copy of SBM on the fresh new computer how do I go about restoring all the files I have saved on my flash drive to the computer? Thanks again for all the help. Courtney

[courtney]

need one more thing

I can find under my documents the projects, published files and templates but I do not see how to find the embellishments under program fils, scrapbook Max and gallery.

Where do I find this?

[courtney]

restoring the files

OK, I am done coping all the files onto my flash drive that involve SBM (I finally located them ALL!!). Now...once I have a "new" computer how do I go about restoring them to it? Thanks again everyone!!

[Verleen]

Desmond, you were right on the first issue. I was referring to Projects. Thank you for your answer. It explains why I have multiple files for each. I assume that I should back up the entire folder package, instead of doing each one separately. So I keep all the elements together. Is this correct?

Now I still have a problem with where all the downloaded templates are. From your post above, you said they should be in My Documents\SBM\templates. I have downloaded quite a bit, but the only items showing up are a downloaded frames folder and one template. However, when I am in the SBM program, all these downloaded templates are there. I checked C:\Programs\SBM\Templates and there are 31 templates there. But none of them are the downloaded templates. So I still can't find where these downloaded templates are being held. If I can't find them, then I can't save them to my EHD or CD.