Download problem.

We do a lot of genealogy work. As usual, during the process, we backed up the files periodically so as not to lose that valuable info. Recently, we transferred a complete file to a USB Flash Drive contemplating downloading it to newly acquired laptop with windows 8. doesn't work. Can anybody help with this?

Can you move it to a Windows 7 Machine? Also, I hope you have other backups, something as important as that should have redundant backups.

Does the Windows 8 machine detect the drive, and does it show the contents? Perhaps you could elaborate on exactly what you are doing and how you are doing it, and what programs are involved in the process, using screenshots to show any errors you may be getting.

We are talking about a Family Tree which is installed with a Family Tree program and the source is Ancestry.com. My wife has been working this for years on her computer with the Vista O/S. She has others (2) that use her computer and she was concerned about the possibility that she would lose her Family Tree Program so she transferred it to a "stick" as a backup. Meanwhile, we decided to buy a laptop (Dell Inspiron 15 w/windows 8) for her own personal and private use. We did so thinking that she could plug the "stick" with the transferred program on it into her new laptop and go from there. It goes as far as displaying the title but then we get this: Specified Path does not Exist C:\FTW.exe. The FT means Family Tree and I'm not sure about the W is. We did transfer the program on to another stick and I plugged it in to my computer with Windows 7 O/S it does download to the point where it shows as a title on my list of documents, but I cannot open it in spite of trying all of the openers listed.

It's where the Program would have been installed. It may be where the backup is supposed to be located - Try copying it to that path, creating the folder, and putting the backup there, and then use the Program to restore the backup.

The singer of my band uses this. It may install to a totally different folder in windows 8, depending on 32 or 64 bit editions. You have Family Tree installed on Windows 8? Also, I'm not sure it there is a version of that program compatible with Windows 8, you may try looking for an update.

There is a program called Real Time Labour Guide and Automotive Expert, both of them create the same kinds of folders - RTEW and RTW.

You may want to read this

Restoring a File from a Backup in Family Tree Maker

Meanwhile, I found out that the version of Family Tree Maker that my wife owns is not compatible with Windows 8. Problem solved.

Ok, but you still may be able to make a backup and use a newer version to access it.

Can you update the version on your wife's PC? Also, before starting family Tree on Windows 8, tell it to be compatible with an earlier version of Windows, that may allow it to work and find your backup. But remember what I said about sticking the backup on your C drive in the folder named C:\FTW

It's pretty rare for a program that has to be installed works when just the files are transferred somewhere else. What you need to do is install the program on other system and than transfer the files it made to appropriate folder at the new location.

That's what I was suggesting. But some programs will not update old backups. So, the original program should be updated, and then a new backup can be made, one that works with the new version.