# Losing flows from changing of device name **URL:** \ **Category:** General\ **Created:** [28 April 2021 15:02 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/losing-flows-from-changing-of-device-name/44875 "2021-04-28T15:02:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HappyArthur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/779978/32.png) [@HappyArthur](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/HappyArthur)\ **Post date:** [28 April 2021 15:02 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/losing-flows-from-changing-of-device-name/44875/1 "2021-04-28T15:02:35Z")
So I recently was tasked to do a project, and Node-red was involved in it. I had to change the name of my device to download another software, but after changing when I launch my Node-red all of my previous flowcharts are gone. Is it really gone or can I retrieve it with "~/.node-red." Is it possible that by changing the device name it will erase my temporary files, it being my flows? ---
**Author:** ![Steve-Mcl](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/steve-mcl/32/4826_2.png) [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)\ **Post date:** [28 April 2021 15:07 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/losing-flows-from-changing-of-device-name/44875/2 "2021-04-28T15:07:16Z")
Erase? It should not. Node-red pre V2 loads a flow file based on host name. If you change the host name it tries to load a different flow file. Look in ./node-red folder for flows\_?oldhostname?.json - your flow is in there. You can Permanently fix the flow name by modifying settings.js or by passing the name of the flow file in as an argument. ---
**Author:** ![HappyArthur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/779978/32.png) [@HappyArthur](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/HappyArthur)\ **Post date:** [28 April 2021 15:08 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/losing-flows-from-changing-of-device-name/44875/3 "2021-04-28T15:08:42Z")
So theoretically speaking it shouldn't be missing or rather it cannot be missing just by the action of changing one's computer device name. It should be in one of the files ---
**Author:** ![Steve-Mcl](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/steve-mcl/32/4826_2.png) [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)\ **Post date:** [28 April 2021 15:09 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/losing-flows-from-changing-of-device-name/44875/4 "2021-04-28T15:09:36Z")
Correct to both 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![HappyArthur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/779978/32.png) [@HappyArthur](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/HappyArthur)\ **Post date:** [28 April 2021 15:10 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/losing-flows-from-changing-of-device-name/44875/5 "2021-04-28T15:10:32Z")
ahhh I see... Wheww scared me, I thought 6weeks of hardwork was going to go down the drain like that ---
**Author:** ![Steve-Mcl](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/steve-mcl/32/4826_2.png) [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)\ **Post date:** [28 April 2021 15:10 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/losing-flows-from-changing-of-device-name/44875/6 "2021-04-28T15:10:56Z")
Backup NOW 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![HappyArthur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/779978/32.png) [@HappyArthur](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/HappyArthur)\ **Post date:** [28 April 2021 15:12 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/losing-flows-from-changing-of-device-name/44875/7 "2021-04-28T15:12:00Z")
Ahh As it is a insituition property I do not have it now with me, so I need to wait till tomorrow when I am at the lab then I can find it. But Thanks man!!! ---
**Author:** ![Colin](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/colin/32/17040_2.png) [@Colin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Colin)\ **Post date:** [28 April 2021 15:31 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/losing-flows-from-changing-of-device-name/44875/8 "2021-04-28T15:31:16Z")
> [@HappyArthur](#): > > I thought 6weeks of hardwork was going to go down the drain What would you have done if the disc had failed? ---
**Author:** ![HappyArthur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/779978/32.png) [@HappyArthur](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/HappyArthur)\ **Post date:** [29 April 2021 01:47 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/losing-flows-from-changing-of-device-name/44875/9 "2021-04-29T01:47:59Z")
I would have restarted the project that my senior spent 6 months on and finish it in 2-4weeks ---
**Author:** ![Colin](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/colin/32/17040_2.png) [@Colin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Colin)\ **Post date:** [29 April 2021 08:47 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/losing-flows-from-changing-of-device-name/44875/10 "2021-04-29T08:47:42Z")
I assume you have now learnt a lesson and started making regular backups. ---
**Author:** ![zenofmud](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/zenofmud/32/316_2.png) [@zenofmud](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/zenofmud)\ **Post date:** [29 April 2021 11:25 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/losing-flows-from-changing-of-device-name/44875/11 "2021-04-29T11:25:04Z")
As @Steve-Mcl said you can add a permanent name in the settings.js file. In addition you can pass the name in when starting Node-RED using: `node-red your_flow_name.json` allowing you to have different flows to use `node-red my_first_flow.json` `node-red bosses_flow.json` `node-red my_test.json` You could also setup node-RED to use projects. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/1X/d073cd938eafa2e558d7c2cd59003b3ef4963033.png) [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)\ **Post date:** [13 May 2021 11:25 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/losing-flows-from-changing-of-device-name/44875/12 "2021-05-13T11:25:21Z")
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