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Topic: What Files Do I Need to Resurrect Recorder 6

Hi,

Recently the windows 10 PC that hosted our standalone version of Recorder 6 gave up the ghost. 

I have a copy of a Recorder 6 back-up file that I created in October 2021, but since then I know I have entered more records.

I wish to reinstall Recorder 6 on a new machine.

I can apparently access the hard drive of the dead PC and I was wondering (having never done this process before) is it only possible to restore our previous database using the October backup, or are there other files I could copy over to use instead to resurrect a never version of the database?  If so which files do I need? (I'm not so worried about the mapping site of things as I didn't really use that feature).

Thanks!

Andy

Biodiversity Information Officer
EcoRecord

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Re: What Files Do I Need to Resurrect Recorder 6

Hi

You need to recover the file nbndata_Data.mdb.
It will normally be somewhere like

C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL15.MSSQLSERVER01\MSSQL\DATA

It might also be useful to take a copy of the Recordr6 folder.

1. Install SQL Server on the new machine. R6 doesn't work properly with SQL Server 2019 so install 2017.

2. You must also install the Management Studio Tools. Any version of this will be OK

3. Dowload and install the latest version of R6 from the Recorder6.info web site.

4. Do an install and make sure it is working.

5. Use Management Studio to detach the installed database

6. Copy in nbndata_data.mdb from your old machine.to replace the one that is there

7.  Use Management Studio to attach it.

8. You now have the latest verion of the software with a DB which may not be in line. Depending on which version you had on the old machine.

9. Run the R6 upgrade (s)  necessary to bring the DB up to the latest software version.

Mike Weideli

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Re: What Files Do I Need to Resurrect Recorder 6

Hi Andy

You should be able to copy the actual database files from the old drive and attach them to SQL Server on the new PC. Do this before you reinstall Recorder 6 as it will be easier.

The database files are in "C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL13.SQLEXPRESS2016\MSSQL\DATA" on my home PC so hopefully will be somewhere similar on yours. And they should be called "nbndata_data.mdf" (the data file) and "nbndata_data_log.ldf" (the associated log file).

1. Install SQL Server onto the new PC (I presume you are using SQL Server Express). It can be a newer version of SQL Server but if it's more than two versions newer the attach won't work directly because you can't upgrade a database more than two versions at a time.
2. Copy both files to the equivalent folder on the new PC.
2. Open SQL Server Management Studio (you can download it for free from "https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/ss … rver-ver15" if you haven't installed it already), right click on the 'Databases' icon and select 'Attach'.
3. Click on the 'Add...' button and select the .mdf file and then click 'Ok' and it should attach it to the new server.

It's possible the attach won't work because SQL Server thinks it is still attached to the old server, but should be a way around this to force it to attach (message me if it doesn't work).

Good luck.
Andy

Andy Foy
Systems Manager
Greenspace Information for Greater London (GiGL) CIC
www.gigl.org.uk

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Re: What Files Do I Need to Resurrect Recorder 6

Thanks both, that's really helpful!

Biodiversity Information Officer
EcoRecord