Using restore on replaced HHD

Hi
I am about to receive and install an HDD replaced under warranty. I have not a Windows 7 image backup but I think I have somewhat out-of-date datafile backups. (How can I tell the backups are generated by Windows 7). The simple question is do I (try to) restore the data before or after reinstalling the programs.
A supplementary problem. I have full backups using Acronis True Image 11 which I now find is incompatible with Windows 7 mainly because of driver issues. Acronis normally allows the extraction of chosen folders and files. Ideally I would like to extract the emails and email addresses, as well as various other data files.
Any advice most welcome
Thanks
John

Do you have an Acronis Image backup? It should work using the boot disk to reimage the new HD.

If you have any WD or Seagate HD's attached, you can use their free compatible Acronis premium programs from their Support Downloads webpage. The Manual is here as well.

To restore a Win7 file backup, open the Backup center in your newly installed Win7 with the backup files copied over in place.

Hi gregrocker
Just got home and read your message. Many thanks. The Acronis True Image 11 backup is indeed on a WD external drive. Sorry but I have been unsuccessful in finding the download for the 'free compatible Acronis premium programs from their Support Downloads webpage' on the WD Support Downloads website. Please could you give me the url or other pointer. Off to bed now as approaching midnight here.
tia John

It might recognize the plugged-in external HD as a valid drive qualifying for using the free Acronis app to clone or image your new HD. Try it.

Here are the download and Manual: WD Support

Hi
Many thanks for the url. Once the new HDD is installed I will download the current Acronis True Image WD edition to a WD external drive if I can. (I do not know what make the replacement HD will be - the failed one was a Samsung.) Then I will do a complete backup of my new HDD so I should be able to restore if necessary. Only then will I see what if anything I can recover from the Acronis True Image 11 backup. But I am not too optimistic as I have read this has compatibility problems with Windows 7.
Thanks again - I will report back on progress.
John

Sorry to say but I have been unwise enough to connect my external Western Digital HDD to a WinXP computer. The WD had an Acronis Safe Zone with backup generated by True Image 11 from the Windows 7 computer. Now on connecting the external WD drive to a different Windows 7 machine the partition seems to have disappeared together with the backup. Although there was no certainty that the backup could be useful in any way (True Image 11 not being suitable for Windows 7) it is rather frustrating. I do not know if this is a querk of the WD drive or a Windows problem.

I suspect the Safe Zone and backup cannot be recovered. Any ideas?

John

I would plug the external back into the machine where Acronis image is recognized, use the Acronis feature to Convert Image file to Windows Backup image, place WindowsImageBackup in the external root, then boot the Win7 DVD or Repair CD to "Recover Using an Image" to the target HD. Again, this might work.

Thanks for the suggestion. Still awaiting the return of the HDD.
John