Hello Tim,

If you don't have access to an IWZIP file, then use the 'Backup' button at Project Selection screen, instead of the 'Import' button.

The 'Import' button is for use with IWZIP files only.

This article explains how to use .iwprj2 files:

How to restore a backup copy of a project

Kind regards,

Paul

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Hi Paul, Thansk so much for your help with this. When I go to the location you specify Backup it is grayed out for me. I attached a screen shot.

Yes, the button will be grayed out until you select a project, but as you have no projects showing in the Project Selection screen you won't be able to do that.

All is not lost, yet...  in your first post you mentioned that you have a file with an .iwprj2 extension  -  backup_bn5b80q2.iwprj2 -  where did this file come from?  Did you save it from your old Windows installation before reformatting your PC?

In order to be able to recover a WebSite X5 project using an .iwprj2 file, it is necessary to also have access to the various files and folders which WebSite X5 creates as you work on a project, and which it places by default in the following location:

C:\Users\name_of_Windows_user\Documents\Incomedia\WebSite X5 - Pro (or Evo if working with the Evo edition)

Each time you create a new project, WebSite X5 creates a new folder (which takes the name of the project) inside this root folder.

And inside each individually named project folder there are other folders, one of which is the 'Backup' folder.

In a healthy WebSite X5 installation, the software can successfully recover a project provided it has access to at least one .iwprj2 file in the Backup folder, as well as all the other files and folders in the project folder.

So you need to have copies of these specific files and folders referred to above, which were present on your previous Windows installation.  If you do have these then you have a good chance of recovering your project by recreating the directory structure that existed in that installation.

The built-in 'Backup' is designed to assist recovery of corrupted projects on the same machine.

When moving projects from one computer to another (or one hard drive/Windows installation to another) it is more appropriate to 'Export' the project as an IWZIP file:

How to import/export a project from one computer to another

The IWZIP file is a self-contained copy of an entire WebSite X5 project in a single file.

OK so I have the Website x5 v17 evolution installed on py pc (the one I reinstalled windows on) the project files are on a local server and I think the files are in a location on this server. Here is a pic of the file structer

You may not have the necessary files in that case, Tim.

The directory structure (inside a WebSite X5 project folder) should look very similar to this:

You can see the 'Backup' folder at the top (where the backup .iwprj2 files reside).

But you also require the various XML files which WebSite X5 creates, as well as the Library folder.

Did you save these onto your local server before you reformatted your PC?

Hi, Thanks Paul for all your help! Here is  a pic of the directory structure within the server. I wonder if I could just install the webSite x5 v17 Evolution on that server? Would that help? anyway the directory looks very simular to your pic please advise.

Thanks!!

Tim

You can try creating a folder called 'AMS InfoZone' at the following location on your PC:

C:\Users\name_of_Windows_user\Documents\Incomedia\WebSite X5 - Evo  (replace 'name_of_Windows_user' with your actual Windows username!)

Then copy and paste the entire contents of the files and folders shown in your last screenshot, into the new 'AMS InfoZone' folder.

Restart WebSite X5, and check if you can now see (and possibly open) your AMS InfoZone project, from the Project Selection screen.

If you still can't see the project there, then create a temporary test project (you can delete it later) to see where WebSite X5 is putting your project files.  Adjust the path to your 'AMS InfoZone' folder to suit, if required.

Well, so I just installed the website x5 on the server that had the files on it. Pointed the preferences to the site templates directory and I am working now. How do I save it so I can restore it from a backup copy in the future? I mean the zip file that it is looking for when I try and import 

After each web design session (or even more frequently if you like) go to Step 5 > Export > Export the Project

This will produce the IWZIP file.  For extra redundancy it's good practice to save or replicate this file on a few different mediums (SSD, USB, DVD, or cloud, etc.)  -  and keep different versions with dates/timestamps, as appropriate.

The IWZIP file is all you need to succesfully restore your project in its entirety in the future.

Good luck!