Selecting Folders to restore in Microsoft Windows 7 Backup and Restore

[Crumbley]

I have taken a full (Image ?) backup of both my laptops to an external expansion drive.

I am now trying to recover some files and folders from one of the backups.

I have some folders in the C:\ root directory and some in the C:\users\fred\applications folder.

I cannot get the restore program to select the folder in the C:\ root, and whilst I can search for the folder called Applications in the C:\users\fred the restore program will not show all the folders under the user fred when browsing.

I've tried the search, browse, folders and files etc. but Micrsoft apear to assume that all users will only use the half dozen standard document music, video folders.

Does any body know how I can make Microsoft Windows 7 restore show all the folders when browsing?

I have read the help before posting this issue.

Regards,

 

[Brink]

Hello Crumbley, and welcome to Seven Forums.

If this is for a system image and not a Windows backup, then you could use the method in the tutorial below to manually extract files and folders from the image if you like.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/24771-system-image-extract-files-using-disk-management.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Crumbley]

Thank you Shaun,

I'll go through your disk management tutorial in the morning.

Does the Windows backup and restore have the limitations I seem to have, or am I missing something simple?

Regards.

 

[Brink]

Yeah, if you move a backup folder from the original save location, it will usually cause Windows to no longer be able to recognize it to be able to restore.

 

[Crumbley]

Hi Shawn,

I haven't changed the folder locations. It took all the files and folders down to the expansion drive, I just want to be able to restore individual files and/or folders as circumstances require.

You help is appreciated.

I look again in the morning. It's 21:36 here.

Regards.

 

[Brink]

No worries. You should be able to use what I posted above for a system image.

If by chance this is for a Windows Backup, then you could use this below instead.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/174270-backup-manually-extract-files-vista-windows-7-a.html

 

[Crumbley]

Hi Shawn,

I've had a first read of your tutorial for manually extracting files from a full windows backup.

Am I correct in thinking that you have to extract all the files in the backup to restore just one file?

Probably the least painful way out of my problem is to put the folders in the C:\root and the folders the backup and restore doesn't recognise in the user folder to be the next level down from the documents folder.

Is there a free restore program which will allow me to browse the windows backup, folder by folder then files within folders?

The windows restore folder browsing should show all the folders in a particular level, not just the very limited number that Microsoft thinks cover everything.

I was getting ready to congratulate microsoft, but now I'm not so sure.



Regards,

 

[Brink]

Well, first I need you to clarify if you are trying to restore files from which folder below since the methods of recovery are different for each one.

In addition, did you move or rename this folder from the original location you saved it to when first created?


drive letter:\computer name\Backup Set YYYY-MM-DD HHMMSS (Windows Backup)

OR

drive letter:\WindowsImageBackup\computer name\Backup YYYY-MM-DD HHMMSS (System Image)

 

[Crumbley]

Hi Shawn,

You have to put all the folders you wish to be backed up in the windows backup before running it.

I had assumed that all the folders were in the full backup.

The 7-zip program you advise in the tutorial won't run on my 64bit laptop. 32bit only.

Excellent tutorials.

You've heard the expression "If all else fails, read the instructions" I presume.

Regards.

 

[Brink]

Were you able to recover them?

 

[Crumbley]

Hi Shawn,

Once I had included the folders in the backup and restore, performed a backup, I could then recover them.

I had assumed that the system image contained all my folders and that microsoft recommended folders would include all my folders. But I was wrong.

It looked as though the backup and restore would be intuitive, but not to me.

I am happy that I now have it under control and I am writing my own instructions for the way that I wish to use it.

One thing that I am having trouble with is finding is a free program which will just print the directory tree in an ergonomic manner. The ones I have found are either not suitable for windows 7 or produce far more detail than I need. This would be good to decide which folders to include on laptops other than mine.

My daughter is away at the moment and I want to backup all her PHD stuff on her laptop before she gets back.

She nearly lost 3 yeas PHD work to a virus. Focuses the mind a tad.

I under stand that she had F-Secure running. If so it's the first one I have heard getting past F-Secure. I've been running F-Secure for 6 years on three laptops without virus or mallware issues.