Working on your family history with the help of the most renowned and reliable genealogy software, that is Family Tree Maker, is quite exciting in itself until you find out you have missed the media files or are dealing with the corrupted ones.
It will appear in many ways, such as a magnifying glass icon, a file not found message popping up on your screen, or the media files no longer being linked to your tree. It just sounds like ruining your days of hard work, with tension ready to take the lead and logic leaving the room in no time. But things are quite simple if handled correctly.
Yes, these are some of the major concerns for Family Tree Maker 2019 users, as they prevent images, PDFs, and important records from displaying correctly in the tree. Well, if you are on this page, it means you are close to the solution. Today, in this guide, we will explore how to fix missing media and corrupt files in Family Tree Maker 2019 and provide a complete Family Tree Maker corrupt file fix in order to help restore your tree successfully.
Fix missing media and corrupt file – leading causes behind these issues
Here are some of the reasons mentioned below that may require you to fix missing media and corrupt file issues in the Family Tree Maker. Have a look at them one by one.
- If you have renamed, deleted, or moved a photo or folder on your system right outside of the FTM, the connection will automatically break, resulting in a “file tree maker file not found” message.
- To move only the .ftm tree file into a new system or folder, and not copy the associated media folder
- If you are storing or saving your media on a USB drive or external hard drive that is unplugged or assigned a different drive letter by your operating system.
- If you are syncing your tree with Ancestry.com and there is an interruption during the download or upload process, the media files will automatically fail to transfer properly.
- To restore an FTM backup that only has tree data but doesn’t have the folder of linked media items
What Are The Usual Signs Of Missing Media Files
All the symptoms mentioned below are highly associated with a FamilyTreeMaker media error. Go through all of them at once.
- The photos or documents will be unable to open when clicking
- Broken image icon will pop up instead of photos
- Blank placeholders will show up where the media should be visible
- You will notice error messages stating that the media file cannot be found
- Missing thumbnail within the media workspace
- All the family members’ profiles will show missing media indicators
- There will be no display of linked photos, certificates, or records
- Even if you restore, back up, or move the tree to a new computer, a few images or documents will still be missing
- The media reports will show incomplete or missing attachments.
What is the right procedure for fixing missing media and corrupt files in Family Tree Maker 2019?
If Family Tree Maker 2019 is unable to locate photos, documents, or any other media files linked to your family tree, you can use the missing media tool to reconnect them. Just follow the steps below to do so.
- Click the family tree maker and open the family tree with missing media files.
- Click the media workspace to view all media items linked to your tree.
- Now head towards the media menu and select Find Missing Media.
- Now the tool will scan your tree and showcase a list of media files that the family tree maker is unable to locate
- Now just browse your computer, backup location, or external drive, and select the folder where you have stored the missing photo, record, or document.
- After selecting the correct folder, Family Tree Maker will attempt to relink the missing files without any manual intervention.
- Now click several profiles and media items to ensure that photos and documents are displayed correctly.
- After successfully restoring the media links, just save your tree and create a fresh backup to protect your data from potential issues in the future.
How To Repair A Corrupt Family Tree Maker File 2019?
To repair a corrupt file in Family Tree Maker 2019, follow the steps below.
Compact A Corrupt File
- Close the tree from the file menu
- Now choose the compact file from the tools menu
- From here, navigate to the correct location of your file, select it, and open it.
- Now, within the compact file window, check the “perform extended analysis” box, then click compact.
- Now, note down the percentage of the file size reduction and click ok
- Keep this process on repeat until the reduction comes to 0.00%
- Reopen the file to check whether any corruption persists.
Restore From A Backup
- Click the File menu and select Restore.
- Navigate to the backup file location, select it, and click Open.
- Now in the new window, select a safe destination folder and enter a new name for the restored tree.
- Click Save to complete the restoration.
Steps To Prevent Missing Media
Here are some of the steps given below regarding how you can prevent missing media. Have a look at those mentioned below.
- Make one folder for all and keep all photos and documents within it. Don’t rename or move these files outside of the software.
- Use the FTM interface to attach images and documents instead of uploading them solely from Ancestry.
- Define the default media folder in the tree menu > media to establish the location of your media assets.
Steps To Prevent a Corrupt File
These are some of the steps given below about how you can prevent corrupt files. Go through all of them at once.
- Compact your Family Tree Maker on a regular basis in order to improve the performance and remove unnecessary data.
- Back up your tree and media files regularly to keep your research safe and secure.
- Store all of your backup copies in various locations, including the computer, cloud storage, and an external drive.
- If you have a stable internet connection, then sync with Ancestry only and avoid making large-scale changes in a single sync session.
Experts Tips For Family Tree Maker Users
Here are some of the effective tips that you can take help of while using a family tree maker. Go through all of them one by one.
- Keep your tree compact on a regular basis
- Back up your tree frequently
- Keep your backup stored in various locations
- Sync with ancestry carefully
- Do keep your software updated
- Organize your media files in a proper manner
- Do verify your sources and citations before using
- Take advantage of color coding and groups
- Merge the duplicates carefully
- Maintain a research log
Conclusion!
Although Family Tree Maker 2019 is a good and effective genealogy software, users may occasionally need to fix missing media or corrupt file issues. If you come up with these, you can take the help of various features such as compact file utility, missing media tool, and backup restoration options; these kinds of issues can be identified and fixed without any strain.
All these ways are quite effective, but you must practice prevention to avoid such issues. This includes maintaining frequent backups, keeping software up to date, and properly managing media files, which will help ensure your family tree stays stable and accessible.
Frequently Asked Questions!
Question: What does a magnifying glass indicate in Family Tree Maker?
Answer: If a magnifying glass appears on your screen, then it simply means Family Tree Maker is unable to link the media file and is searching for its original location.
Question: What should be the frequency of compacting family tree makers?
Answer: You should compact the Family Tree Maker frequently, especially when making significant changes, importing large amounts of data, or merging duplicate records.
Question: What should be done before syncing with Ancestry?
Answer: Before syncing, create a fresh backup of your tree, make sure you have a stable internet connection, and avoid making changes in bulk immediately before the sync process.
Question: What is the most effective way to protect my Family Tree Maker data?
Answer: If you are looking for the best protection strategy, it includes creating regular backups, keeping the software updated, properly organizing media files, compacting the tree regularly, and syncing carefully with ancestry.
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- Manually Uninstall FTM 2017 for Windows
- Find Missing Family Trees on Ancestry
- How To Add Pictures To Family Tree Maker Program
- Using The Find Missing Media Tool In FTM 2019
- Fixing Broken Media Links In Family Tree Maker 2019
- Ancestry Media Sync Issues On Family Tree Maker 2019
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For male
Other gender
used for indicating the marriage
Indicating the cohabiting couple who are not married yet
Symbolizing the parents who are not married and also who are not cohabiting
Those who have a divorce
used for those who have married twice and have their first spouse on the left
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for indicating the biological descent
for indicating the adoptive descent
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