Solved Windows 7 Backup Failed - Files Skipped

[Cyber Coach]

I'm trying to do a backup using Windows 7 built in tool to create an Image and a Data backup. This is for a senior who I happen to know.

The external drive is brand new. The backup runs and completes but instead of giving that nice 100% and Green bar it says it skipped files. Normally I would leave this alone as I can simply see what files are skipped.

This being for someone less techy I want it to finish with no error messages.

It says it can't find two files.

c:\users\Name\Desktop\New Folder\New Folder
c:\users\Name\Desktop\New Folder

There are no such entries or short cuts on this person desktop. There was a folder from 2011 call "My Documents". She wasn't sure where this came from. Double clicking on this short cut produces two folders, New Folder and New Folder(2). Double clicking on New folder takes you down a layer to New Folder. Double clicking on New Folder, you guess it, you get New Folder. There were four embedded directories from the top all called New Folder.

I went to bottom and deleted the New Folder directory. I deleted each empty New Folder directory all the way back to the top. Then I delete "My Documents" on desktop. This did not delete any real documents found in the Documents library.

Under the New Folder(2) directory I found a real file which I moved to Documents.

I rebooted and tried again. Same message, same two skipped files.

I assume because someone managed to create a short cut call My Documents and embedded all these New Folders with the same name Windows has become confused.

Not sure what to do next. Did a lot of reading but no real answers. One said a registry cleaner would remove the offending entries. I've seen mixed messages on registry cleaners. I thought I could create the file structure and place a dummy notepad file in it. (Right click on desktop, create new folder, etc)

Knowing the expertise in this forum is there a simple way, other than not using Windows Backup, to resolve this.

Thanks you.

 

[kado897]

I don't use windows backup any more but I seem to remember having this problem. I cured it by going through the backup setup routine again. Just open up the backup dialogue and press the change settings link and go through all stages.

 

[Cyber Coach]

Tried, no success. I made it worse. When I deleted the bogus "My Documents" I created a real shortcut by going to Documents in file explorer, right clicking and used send to to place shortcut on desktop. Now when I run backups I'm missing four files. The original two and now c:\users\name\documents\new folder and another nested one.

I created a dummy new folder on desktop and nested another new folder. In this I created a dummy text file. Ran backup and now I'm missing just the two new paths. I created a dummy Documents folder and nested a "new folder" under it and then another nest. In that folder I created a dummy text file.

Wonder of wonders the backup ran 100% success. Now she has two dummy folders on desktop. Seems silly but works.

Thanks for your help. Someone else ask why I used this product, valid question. Going forward I won't.

 

[kado897]

The problem is that if you delete any folders that are referenced in the backup definition you have to recreate it as I described above.

 

[Cyber Coach]

I did that. I even unchecked a box so that it would recognize change and saved settings. I did not see any type of reset button.

Would love to be to delete these two dummy folders. Is there a way to aggressively rewrite settings?

Thanks

 

[kado897]

No. Usually just going through the wizard does it. Maybe this is something else. You could always hide them. Sorry don't have any other ideas ATM.

 

[Cyber Coach]

Yes I believe it is as I thought about it. I had properly created a short cut on the desktop using the windows context menus. Then the backup said it couldn't find c:\users\name\doucuments\new folder\new folder. The short cut pointed to the proper windows junction point so there was no reason for it to try to find nested new folder directories. I did check and within documents there were no folders called new folder.

Thanks for responding. Lets called this one solved with a work around.