Can't find backup files to restore project file

In another thread, I saw this path to try and find my resolve projects.

C:\ProgramData\Blackmagic Design\DaVinci Resolve\Support\Resolve Disk Database\Resolve Projects

After my Windows 10 became corrupt after an update (due to insufficient size on my C drive) I had to reinstall Windows 10 which kept all my data/files but deleted all apps including my Resolve Studio edition.

When searching my C drive for the above path, I only have C:\ProgramData\

I don't have a cloud subscription to restore from there so looking for ideas on where I can find those Resolve projects if a fresh install of Windows 10 isn't supposed to erase data as I had read up on.

Hello, try photorec from CG security, perhaps it could help.


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If you didn't backup your Library or Project files, you may be hosed.

One thing I find helpful for situations like this is to keep nothing project related on the System drive. Add additional drives for your work files.

The file location you posted would be for the location of the default database in older Resolve installations (and it's a source location, not a "backup"). The location as of 17(?) is I believe c:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Blackmagic Design.....

In any event, search the disk for "project.db" and see if you come up with any results. That will tell you if you have any projects on the disk.

It's a continuing mystery why computer users don't think to backup data, including projects, but never mind....

The file location you posted would be for the location of the default database in older Resolve installations (and it's a source location, not a "backup"). The location as of 17(?) is I believe c:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Blackmagic Design.....

In any event, search the disk for "project.db" and see if you come up with any results. That will tell you if you have any projects on the disk.

It's a continuing mystery why computer users don't think to backup data, including projects, but never mind....

Without getting into it I have been a Mac User for most of my life and still don't know my way around a PC (and still learning to navigate Resolve). But your suggestion to search the disc for "project.db" turned up many results. Thanks!

But when I click to open any of the folders through Resolve, I get the message "No items match your search". Similar happened when I found all the project folders, and the first screengrab shows there are "project" files when looking through File Explorer, but still not being recognized when opening the folder through Resolve.

Hope that all makes sense to someone!

Okay, you have a database which appears to be intact (containing your projects), as well as project backups.

What you need to do is locate, on disk, the "Local Database" folder as seen in your screenshot, so you can find it again. When you've established where it is, open the current Resolve installation, go to the Project Manager, then click on the icon on the far left, in order to get to the database manager (aka "library manager").

You may see there one or more disconnected databases (aka libraries). In any case, click on "add library" button at the bottom and on the next screen select "Connect". Then give the database you located a new unique name -- not "Local Database". Then browse to it from the appropriate field and select.

That should do it. There's some additional housekeeping you might want to do, but for now.....

Thanks for much for that!!! I will give that all a try very soon

Okay, you have a database which appears to be intact (containing your projects), as well as project backups.

What you need to do is locate, on disk, the "Local Database" folder as seen in your screenshot, so you can find it again. When you've established where it is, open the current Resolve installation, go to the Project Manager, then click on the icon on the far left, in order to get to the database manager (aka "library manager").

You may see there one or more disconnected databases (aka libraries). In any case, click on "add library" button at the bottom and on the next screen select "Connect". Then give the database you located a new unique name -- not "Local Database". Then browse to it from the appropriate field and select.

That should do it. There's some additional housekeeping you might want to do, but for now.....

I guess I'm having a challenge navigating to the location of the database. As you can see in a second screen grab there is no "AppData" when trying the same path as seen in the first screen grab (nor when searching disc there is no Black Magic Folder as seen in 3rd screengrab) so I'm just going to wait until a friend can help locate that for me...I think I should be good from here if I am indeed following your instructions correctly. Thanks again for taking the time to help with my dilemma!

First of all, you don't "create" existing databases, you "connect" them.

It looks like you have the default database, which is empty, as expected. What you haven't done, or what you appear not to have done in these two screenshots, is locate the database which holds your projects. Remember when you searched for "project. db"? That's the database (and the series of folders) you want.

What you need to do is go backwards from the folder which holds the project.db files, through several more nested folders until you get to the topmost folder. *That's* the database to which you have to CONNECT. Not "create".

The thing that’s usually confusing here is that protect.db is NOT a Resolve database. It’s a recognizable file contained WITHIN a Resolve database.

As John said you have to point Resolve to a folder ABOVE the project.db file for Resolve to be happy.

In several other threads I’ve suggested that BMD smarten the database open logic so if it’s pointed to a file WITHIN a database then it climbs the hierarchy trying successive parents to see if there’s a valid database “above” the file. But so far no luck.

So… I think you want the Grandparent of project.db. But you can tell for sure by looking at the folder structure for the default library on your machine and pointing the same number of levels up as is used there.

[quote="Joe Shapiro"[/quote]

So I got my friend on this who is much more PC literate than myself and I think I'm back to square one.

To my knowledge we tried everything you have suggested but when we hit "connect" (multiple times) the dialog box blinks for a split second then comes back as if nothing happened.

Moving on from there, the first screen grab you can see is us trying a back door route where my friend copied the backup folders into the folder where Resolve is now currently saving the backup files (as I have installed a fresh copy of DaVinci Resolve since this all began) but Resolve isn't opening a "Test Copy" from within the same folder where the current backups are, but they are not opening up from there as well, but the newly created "CJF Test" project that isn't within a folder is opening up as it should.

The second screen grab shows us experimenting using the create versus connect and after reading the error, he said "It's like there's something missing".

Also, I noticed when changing the file name (in a test folder within the same folder as the rest of the projects) as you can see in the third screen grab the "type" changes to "database file" and the project now has gears, but the projects below it are blank and the "type" is not recognizable by DaVinci apparently.

This is all going way over my head now so I'm not sure if I'm being clear here but that's the best I can convey based on what we just tried a moment ago.

Any further suggestions?

Open Resolve, and create a project with a name you'll remember. This is assuming that your new default database is active, as your screenshot suggests.

Exit Resolve, and using the OS find the folder in your first screenshot, with the many previous projects folders listed by name. Copy all those folders.

Now (again based on your screenshots) go to

... crack/AppData/roaming/Blackmagic Design/Davinci Resolve/Support/Resolve Project library

Open Resolve Project Library and continue opening subfolders until you find the "Projects" folder. Inside it, you should find a folder with the name of the project you just created. If not, you're in the wrong folder. Otherwise past all the folders you just copied into this location. You should now see all the separate folders for past projects, as well as the one you just created, each distinct.

If so, restart Resolve and go to the Project Manager.

If you don't see the project folder you just created, keep looking, and then paste.

As John said you have to point Resolve to a folder ABOVE the project.db file for Resolve to be happy.

In several other threads I’ve suggested that BMD smarten the database open logic so if it’s pointed to a file WITHIN a database then it climbs the hierarchy trying successive parents to see if there’s a valid database “above” the file. But so far no luck.

This behavior is ridiculously bad for such a great software in 2023. It would be bad in 2013 as well. I can't fathom why this just isn't addressed.

Sorry for rant but it's just mind boggling. Good luck with restoring.

I guess I'm having a challenge navigating to the location of the database. As you can see in a second screen grab there is no "AppData" when trying the same path as seen in the first screen grab (nor when searching disc there is no Black Magic Folder as seen in 3rd screengrab) so I'm just going to wait until a friend can help locate that for me...I think I should be good from here if I am indeed following your instructions correctly. Thanks again for taking the time to help with my dilemma!

That is because in Windows the "AppData" folder is hidden, so unless you enable the view option to show hidden folders and files you will not find it.

Open Resolve, and create a project with a name you'll remember. This is assuming that your new default database is active, as your screenshot suggests.

Exit Resolve, and using the OS find the folder in your first screenshot, with the many previous projects folders listed by name. Copy all those folders.

Now (again based on your screenshots) go to

... crack/AppData/roaming/Blackmagic Design/Davinci Resolve/Support/Resolve Project library

Open Resolve Project Library and continue opening subfolders until you find the "Projects" folder. Inside it, you should find a folder with the name of the project you just created. If not, you're in the wrong folder. Otherwise past all the folders you just copied into this location. You should now see all the separate folders for past projects, as well as the one you just created, each distinct.

If so, restart Resolve and go to the Project Manager.

If you don't see the project folder you just created, keep looking, and then paste.

Thanks again for your time and interest in helping me out with this John I greatly appreciate it.

I'm pretty sure my PC knowledgeable friend and I tried what you are suggesting, and what I may not have explained properly from that first screen grab in the previous thread (which I've inserted in this threat again)... we copied those folders you see in project manager where that new project "CJF test" was saved from within REslove, but when trying to open any of those folders they were empty with no project to open, including the "Test Copy" to the right of "CJF Test" project.

If that is not what you're suggesting I'm afraid this will all go over my head until next Monday as that is when my friend has a day off to help.

The next couple screen grabs shows how I just don't understand how Windows works... First green grab is finding the test project you suggested I make (using your JP initials) which shows the path you mentioned but when clicking on that folder where it lives, the destination seems to change and I am at a total loss.

I'm not sure if this is something that ever happens on this forum, but if you're comfortable and willing to jump on "Quick Assist" with me one day, I can share my email address in this thread and possibly set up a time for you to walk me through this? If so, I would be happy to send you a Starbucks gift card for your trouble. If not, do you know if there's a way to connect with someone at Black Magic directly?

The thing that’s usually confusing here is that protect.db is NOT a Resolve database. It’s a recognizable file contained WITHIN a Resolve database.

As John said you have to point Resolve to a folder ABOVE the project.db file for Resolve to be happy.

In several other threads I’ve suggested that BMD smarten the database open logic so if it’s pointed to a file WITHIN a database then it climbs the hierarchy trying successive parents to see if there’s a valid database “above” the file. But so far no luck.

So… I think you want the Grandparent of project.db. But you can tell for sure by looking at the folder structure for the default library on your machine and pointing the same number of levels up as is used there.

Thanks for your time and trying to help Joe!

I guess I'm having a challenge navigating to the location of the database. As you can see in a second screen grab there is no "AppData" when trying the same path as seen in the first screen grab (nor when searching disc there is no Black Magic Folder as seen in 3rd screengrab) so I'm just going to wait until a friend can help locate that for me...I think I should be good from here if I am indeed following your instructions correctly. Thanks again for taking the time to help with my dilemma!

That is because in Windows the "AppData" folder is hidden, so unless you enable the view option to show hidden folders and files you will not find it.

I see thank you!

I suggest that next time you make a screen recording rather than just a grab and try to narrate what you’re trying to do as you go. That’ll give us a great deal more info on what you’re doing and where things are going wrong.

I suggest that next time you make a screen recording rather than just a grab and try to narrate what you’re trying to do as you go. That’ll give us a great deal more info on what you’re doing and where things are going wrong.

I had no idea that could be done... I will give that a go next time I try to tackle this!

Thanks kindly to everyone who has made an effort to try and resolve my issues. I have now reached out to Blackmagic directly, and if I do find a resolution, I will do my best to share how I got there for others to learn from.

Did you get any conclusion to this by any chance? I believe I'm facing the same issue.