Wrote over with a backup

Anki Syncing & AnkiWeb
1

Hello I have the same Problem…

I always learning from my old Laptop (1) and yesterday I did a few cards with my phone. Today I wanted to proceed learning with my new laptop (2) but clicked the wrong button and wrote over with a backup from March. The problem is, I’m on vacation and do not have access to my first laptop and the local backup. What can I do?

2

[I split you to your own thread, because AnkiWeb account issues are better handled separately.]

I want to make sure I understand.

  • Laptop #1 has your complete collection. It was the most updated version until …
  • “I did a few cards with my phone.” – If that was directly on the AnkiWeb site (because I don’t see any history in your AnkiWeb account of syncing with a mobile app), that made your AnkiWeb account the most updated version.
  • Then you opened Laptop #2, which was significantly out of sync, so you needed to do a one-way sync, accidentally chose the wrong direction, and have put an outdated version of your collection on AnkiWeb.

Is that all correct? If so –

The collection on laptop #1 is still good, so you wouldn’t even need a backup there. It has everything except for the few reviews you did on your phone.

Option A:
Is there someone you trust to go get Laptop #1 and upload that version of your collection to AnkiWeb?

  • When they open Anki, they’ll get a one-way sync notification, and need to choose upload to AnkiWeb.
  • Once that’s done, you can sync Laptop #2 again, and correctly choose download from AnkiWeb.
  • [You’ll lose any history or changes made on other platforms since you left Laptop #1.]

Option B:
Don’t study until you get back from vacation and can sync Laptop #1 to upload that version of your collection to AnkiWeb yourself. [I’m not suggesting this – I’m merely stating that it is an option. :sweat_smile:] You’ll have a backlog of overdue cards when you get home.

Option C:
Ask me to restore your AnkiWeb account from the last server-side backup. I’m looking at the AnkiWeb account connected to the email address you used to post here, and the most recent backup was made in the past couple days, on/at [click here for timestamp in your local time zone].

  • I don’t know if that was before or after your mis-sync. If it was after, the next server-side backup before that is from a week earlier.
  • Depending on how consistent you were with syncing on Laptop #1, that version might be even more outdated than that date suggests.
  • This will create a bit of a mess for you to disentangle when you get back to Laptop #1 and want to re-merge your collections. It won’t be as simple as a usual sync. [Future-you can speak up if you need help with that. Some cards might end up with some editing or scheduling oddities, but it’s unlikely to be a disaster.]

Given all that, if you want Option C – confirm you want me to restore that most recent backup version of your collection.

3

Hey thanks for your reply!

It is exactly as you described it. First I also thought of Option A but unfurtunately I don’t have access to this laptop for a long time :sweat_smile:

So, I would be glad if you restore my most recent backup version of my collection. My time is UTC+2 (MESZ). It doesn’t matter if it’s from the 09.09 or 08.09.

4

You can’t choose a different time-point or date. The only possibility is that specific date-timestamp I gave you above (or a week before that). If I get involved in time-zone conversions, it will get confusing quickly, so be sure for yourself if that’s what you want.

5

Ahh okay I get it! That backup at that time is perfectly fine!

6

I’ve restored that to your account. When you next sync, select download from AnkiWeb