Win OS reinstall looses Program files including logs - GCM file found

[Dave H]

Mary Ann,

Sorry to hear about your troubles.  It's not good practice to keep any of
your data files, gnucash or otherwise in C:\Program Files on Windows.  You
should create a GnuCash folder in your Documents folder and save your
gnucash data file(s) in that and also back them up to an external drive or
similar so the answer to number (2) is yes.

There is a brief mention of gcm (Gnucash Metadata) files in the wiki -
http://wiki.gnucash.org/wiki/FAQ#Q:_Why_can.27t_GnuCash_find_my_data_file_anymore.3F_It_just_says:_parser_error_:_Start_tag_expected.2C_.27.3C.27_not_found
as below ...
*Q:* Why can't GnuCash find my data file anymore? It just says: parser
error : Start tag expected, '<' not found *A:* We're very sorry, but you
just shot yourself in the foot. GnuCash uses $HOME/.gnucash to store
metadata files. In particular, $HOME/.gnucash/books stores metadata about
your data files. In versions 1.8 and earlier the metadata file was named as
the encoded name of the full path to your datafile, but as of 2.0 this was
changed and the metadata file is just named the same as the data file. So
if you saved your data file into $HOME/.gnucash/books and updated your
versions, GnuCash just overwrote your data file with the metadata file.
You'll need to copy a backup file and move it somewhere outside of
$HOME/.gnucash and tell GnuCash to look there by using the File -> Open
feature to load the new datafile. *Note:* This should no longer happen as
someday [in 2011?] the metafiles got the extension *.gcm* *GnuCash Metafile*,
while by default datafiles get *.gnucash*. Nevertheless it is a bad idea to
store your datafile in this application settings folder.
Cheers Dave H.


On 1 February 2015 at 14:04, John Ralls <jralls at ceridwen.us> wrote:

>
> > On Jan 31, 2015, at 7:08 PM, Mary Ann Wallace <wallace at naples.net>
> wrote:
> >
> > Facts:  Gnucash v.2.6.3 originally installed on Win 7 Pro 32-bit (X84)
> laptop.  Hard disk failed 7/2014, but an image of the disk was created and
> shows all logs and data through that date.  Program files and data were
> also able to be copied over to an external drive and loaded onto a Win XP
> substitute computer which was used for Gnucash until 1/16/2015 when the XP
> OS failed without having an image backup.  Extensive travel delayed repairs
> and both the Win7 & and XP were repaired this past week.  The Win 7, with a
> new hard drive and Acronis image backup restored Gnucash with all the
> program files and logs up to the last 6/25/14 log.  Unfortunately, the XP
> OS that had later data was re-installed and the process deleted all program
> files not originally on the OS and because the logs were saved in C/Program
> Files, these are gone.  The only remaining files are GCM files located in
> Documents and Settings under .gnucash.  The last entries were done on
> 01/06/2015 and this file exi!
>  sts:  gnuxmlaacounts.gnucash.20140917001406.gnucash.gcm dated 01/06/2015,
> 6kb.
> >
> > The manual says nothing about GCM extension files.  I found a program,
> Dolphin, that handles GCM but this appears to be for video games.  When I
> tried to click on the above file, I got an error message saying "No
> suitable backend was found for the file." Gnucash would not open the file.
> I downloaded Dolphin, but have no idea how to use it or if I should. I
> can't find anything in the manual under backing up and recovering data that
> applies to my situation.
> >
> > It was my mistake not verifying more closely where my logs were being
> saved on the XP.  I thought they were being saved on an external hard drive
> since I started the program from there. Instead, I found too late that they
> were on the C drive in Program Files.
> >
> > I do not know programming, although I can follow directions to edit
> registries and the like.  I am a retired CPA/accounting instructor. I love
> Gnucash and was delighted to have found it after being totally frustrated
> with using Quicken.  It's based on sound accounting principles and you make
> adjustments like you would in regular accounting.  I thank the developers
> for developing this program.
> >
> > 1) Is there any way that this GCM file might contain the "image" of
> everything I've done up to the last date, 1/06/2015 and any way of
> restoring it to a log or other type of Gnucash file that the Gnucash.exe
> program would read?  The Win7 is now back in operation has everything up
> until July, 2014 and I've copied the .gnucash with GCM file in /books;
> /checks; /translog from XP to Win7. (checks and translog are empty). Any
> hope?
> >
> > 2) Also, can important data logs be saved to Documents and Settings and
> run from there rather than C:/Program Files for easier backup? Apparently,
> in restoring Windows, users need to be aware that data files saved in
> C:/Program Files will be lost and diligence is required in backing them up.
> >
> > 3) I notice each time Gnucash is started, whether or not anything is
> done, a GCM file appears with the current date in Documents and Settings
> and 3kb in size: gnuxmlaacounts.gnucash.gcm.  What is the purpose of these
> files?
> >
> > Yes, I have pages of printouts and could painstakingly and with many
> days recreate over 6 months of data with the files I have on the Win7 as a
> last resort.  I'm hoping there might be another solution. Thank you for any
> suggestions and help.
> >
>
> The documentation doesn't say anything about .gcm files because they're a
> gnucash implementation detail for saving the program's state with a
> particular book, things like which tabs you have open, what windows are
> displaying where on the desktop, stuff like that. If you've lost the
> .gnucash file -- it isn't in $HOME/.gnucash -- then the .gcm file won't
> help you at all.
>
> If you still have the XP disk, there are a number of enterprises that will
> retrieve as much data as can be retrieved from a dead disk.
> http://www.drivesaversdatarecovery.com/ is one well-known example. They
> typically charge around $500 to evaluate the disk and provide a quote; the
> cost of actual data recovery runs to several thousand depending on
> difficulty and disk size. Since you have the paper trail it might be
> cheaper to hire a temp to keyboard the data for you. Your call.
>
> There's nothing we can do for you, nor is there any magic hidden GnuCash
> backup. Sorry.
>
> Regards,
> John Ralls
>
>
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