Restore TfWA® and Checkwriter:

How to restore TfWA and Checkwriter from a backup file to a new or different computer.

Note: The instructions on this page are for BOTH TfWA® and Checkwriter, but will refer toTfWA.

Instructions are available for printing in PDF form

Restore from Backup

TfWA data files may be restored to a new, repaired or shared computer using backup disk(s) generated from the source computer. In TfWA, only the data files are on the backup disk(s), therefore it is necessary to have the original program loaded on the new, repaired or shared computer.

INSTALL TfWA on the new, repaired or shared computer (One Time Only)

1. The Telfarm for Windows Accountant (TfWA) Program must be available on the computer where the data files (from a backup disk) are to be restored. Use the original installation disk and follow the installation instructions. A "Windows Accountant" icon will be available on your desktop after installation.
2. If you have received any update disks since the original installation, run the most recent one (newest date - highest version).

TO RESTORE:

From the Home Screen, click; File | Restore.

You will see a dialog with the two choices below:

1. “Restore data where it originally came from”
2. “Restore data to some other location”

Your backup file “remembers” what the original “entity” name and year are that it was made from.  Let’s say for purposes of this illustration your entity name was “MyFarm”, and the year 2005.

In either case, after you click “Go” a “Find File to Restore” browse dialog opens.  This is a standard Windows tool.  Here is where you locate the .ZIP file you want to restore.   Using the window, browse to the correct disk, folder and file you want.  (This window only displays “.zip” files.)   Typically, you will browse to your A: drive and doubleclick on the file it shows.   In this case it would be  “MyFarm2005.Zip”. (The file could be on any medium however, a CD, a flash drive, superfloppy, your hard drive, etc.)

There are then two confirmation boxes that display the file names you selected, along with the latest date and time they were created/used.  This is to help you decide if you are using the right backup file.   Check the date/time.  Are they what you expect? 

1. “Restore data where it originally came from”

When you have to restore, this is the option you will use most often. This will restore your data to the original entity and year, in this case “MyFarm_2005”.

1. If that entity already exists, the current data in it will be overwritten, but you will be prompted BEFORE it does that and you can cancel it.   You need to be sure WHY you are overwriting existing data!  There are good reasons to do this, but BE SURE you understand what you are doing.
2. If that entity does not exist, the restore process will create it.  This is very convenient if you are restoring your data to a new/repaired computer after a clean install of TfWA. 

2. “Restore data to some other location”

This option allows you to specify the location your data is restored to.  Normally, you will probably not use this option.  This is somewhat trickier, as you have to be aware of the software/data structure of TfWA on your computer disk.  Normally:

[C: drive]m

                      “Program Files”m

                                                                “Wintel” m

                                                                                       “Account” m

                                                                                                                    MACC_Telfarm_2002

                                                                                                                    MACC_MyFarm_2002

                                                                                                                    MACC_MyFarm_2003

                                                                                                                                {etc.}

The folder names that begin with “MACC” are the folders the data is stored in with the entity name and year attached.  There may be any number of them.

If you use this option to restore data, you have to be sure the folder you want to use exists BEFORE you attempt to restore.  The restore process will NOT create it because you have to select it from a browse window that will open during the restore process.

The best way to create a new entity is to use the “Create New” button on the TfWA Startup screen (or File | Open from the menu bar).  This automatically creates a new entity in the correct structure: 

1. When you click the “Create New” button you supply a new name and year. 
2. The entity created is based on the current open entity.  (Which one you use doesn’t make any difference, because you’re going to immediately overwrite the new one with your backup data.)

Let’s say you have created a new entity in this way called “YourFarm_2005”.  When you use the “restore to another location” option, you first find the file (typically on your A: drive).  After you respond to the two confirmation boxes, a “Browse for Folder” dialog opens.  You have to browse to the folder where you want the restored data to go.

In this case, you browse to:

  C: | Program Files | Wintel | Account | MACC_YourFarm_2005

And click OK.

You get another confirmation box.  When you respond to that, you SHOULD get a warning labeled “DynaZIP Unzip Warning”, that you are about to overwrite the file already there.  Answer “Yes to All” and away it goes.