[FME Form 2024.2.] Losing Database- and webconnection on new machines

Perhaps look over this article in case the format is affected by  https://support.safe.com/hc/en-us/articles/25407729702029-FME-Deprecations 

https://support.safe.com/hc/en-us/articles/25407422109965-Using-Esri-Personal-Geodatabases-in-FME-2022 check the format was = PERSONAL_GEODATABASE and not GEODATABASE_MDB

​@j.botterill Thanks for the reply, however the links you provided are mainly about the formats (readers/writers), and not about the Database- and webconnections that are written to the fme_userconnection.data  file. Adding/removing database can be done via Tools → FME Options → see image below 
 

Sorry the personal database made me think of the Personal Geodatabase from Esri. 

Do you still have the previous FME version installed? Personal Database (default): The connections data file is stored and encrypted on the user's local system. 

• C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\Safe Software\FME

I suspect the installing of the new version has overwritten where these default paths to user connections reside. The below article describes how you can ‘Share’ the default path to a network drive and avoid this

https://docs.safe.com/fme/html/FME-Form-Documentation/FME-Form/Workbench/options_default_paths.htm

​Hello ​@joy 

For FME 2024, we have recommended using a “Shared Database” in virtualized desktop environments due to the changes mentioned in https://support.safe.com/hc/en-us/articles/25407756230669-Changes-to-Connection-Storage-in-FME-Form-2024 

A “Shared Database” can be set via Tools > FME Options > Default Paths > Connection Storage.

 
As the Database Folder and Key Folder paths for a “Shared Database” cannot be set to %appdata%\Safe Software\FME, the paths should be set to another location where files are copied as part of the virtual desktop profile. Each user would have their own personal “Shared Database”.

You need to ensure the master key (.fmekey) is copied to the location set in the Key Folder parameter as part of the virtual desktop profile, as the key allows for decryption of data stored within the connection storage database.

For an added layer of security, it is also recommended to adjust the operating system file permissions to the master key file appropriately. For example, permissions on the key file can be adjusted so it is accessible to the user that owns the key file.

In addition, any connections added or imported must be marked as “Shared” in the web or database connections manager, otherwise these connections will not persist the next time a user logs in to their virtual desktop. If a connection is not marked as 'Shared', it is saved as a personal connection, which are encrypted per-user and per-machine even in a “Shared Database”.