How to restore currupted contacts data

Although E-Z Contact Book is designed for minimal support, unexpected issues can occur. Your database file may become corrupted due to abnormal program termination, hardware issues, duplicate contacts, or other unforeseen reasons. If you're experiencing problems, restoring your database is usually straightforward. You can rename the original database file and restore from it it or use one of auto-backup files.

Step 1: Locating the Database File

The program database is stored as a single file: contacts.db (displayed as contacts without the .db extension in Windows)

It is located in: C:\Users\your_user_name\AppData\Roaming\E-Z Contact Book\

(Replace your_user_name with your actual Windows username)

Alternatively, you can access this folder by typing %APPDATA%\E-Z Contact Book\ in the Windows explorer address box.

Important Notes:

• This folder is hidden by default, so you may not see it in Windows Explorer
• Windows hides known file extensions, so contacts.db may appear as just contacts

Making Hidden Files Visible:
To locate the file, adjust Windows Explorer settings:

• Open File Explorer and click the View tab
• Click Options (far right), then select Change folder and search options
• In the Folder Options window, adjust these settings as shown:

• Click Apply to Folders, confirm with Yes, then click OK

Now, you should be able to see and restore your database file.

Step 2: Rename the Database File

• Close E-Z Contact Book before renaming the file (File > Exit). If the program is running, Windows may prevent you from renaming it
• Locate contacts.db and rename it (e.g., contacts_bak.db). Ensure the file still has the .db extension so the program can recognize it

Step 3: Restart E-Z Contact Book

• Open E-Z Contact Book
• When prompted to create default groups, skip this step. The program will automatically generate a new contacts.db file

Step 4: Restore Your Contacts

In E-Z Contact Book, restore your data from the file renamed in step 2:

• Use Database > Restore, or
• Drag and drop the file into the program window.

Follow the on-screen prompts and select the appropriate restore option.

If Restore Doesn't Work

If no contacts appear after restoring, the file may be an empty database created during startup. Try restoring from an earlier auto-backup file:

1. Navigate to:

   • C:\Users\your_user_name\AppData\Roaming\E-Z Contact Book\Backup
2. You'll find files like:
   • CONTACTS_AUTO_BACKUP_20181005.DB

The number part represents the backup date in YYYYMMDD format.

3. Start with the most recent backup, and :
   • Check the file size:
   • If it's larger than ~31 KB, it contains contacts
   • A ~31 KB file is likely empty

Following these steps should help you restore your contacts successfully.