Backup - Manually Extract Files from in Vista & Windows 7

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    Backup - Manually Extract Files from in Vista & Windows 7

    Backup - Manually Extract Files from in Vista & Windows 7

    How to Manually Extract Files from a Backup in Vista and Windows 7
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    Designer Media Ltd


    How to Manually Extract Files from a Backup in Vista and Windows 7

       Information
    This will show you how to manually extract files from a Windows Backup in Vista and Windows 7. This can be handy if you are unable to restore the files from the backup normally in Windows.

    This tutorial is not for manually extracting files from a system image backup.

       Note
    New backups are saved in this format:

    drive letter:\computer name\Backup Set YYYY-MM-DD HHMMSS
    For example: If your computer name is Brink-PC, your backup location is on hard drive (network or local) F: , and you backed up on July 9th 2011 at 3:10:38 PM (it will use 24 hour time), then your backup would be located at:
    F:\BRINK-PC\Backup Set 2011-07-09 151038

    There will be a incremental Backup Files YYYY-MM-DD HHMMSS folder in the Backup Set... folder location above that contains ZIP folders each under 200MB in size. These ZIP folders contain the selected backed up files. If a file that you included to be backed up is larger 200MB then it will be automatically broken up into several pieces each under 200 MB to fit into multiple ZIP files.


    EXAMPLE: Original Files that were Backed Up
    NOTE: As an example used in this tutorial, these are the files that I included to be backed up in Windows Backup. I used two files as an example, AOE-3_setup.exe (over 200MB) and GPU-Z.0.5.0.exe (under 200MB) to help make the steps below easier to compare with what you want to restore instead.
    Backup - Manually Extract Files from in Vista & Windows 7-example.jpg



    OPTION ONE

    To Extract Your Windows Backup Files using 7-Zip


    NOTE: Thank you to Michael for pointing out this option.
    1. If you have not already, you will need to download and install the latest version of the free 7-Zip program.

    2. Create a New folder on your desktop. You can name it anything you like.

    3. Open the drive that you saved the Windows Backup to, right click on the computer-name file (ex: BRINK-PC), and click on Open. (see screenshot below)
    NOTE: If you double click on the file to try and open it, this will not work. You must right click and click on Open.
    Backup - Manually Extract Files from in Vista & Windows 7-step1.jpg
    4. If prompted, click on Continue and Yes (UAC-Windows 7) or Continue (UAC-Vista). (see screenshot below)
    NOTE: You will only get this prompt if this is the first time that you opened the file from step 1. You must be logged in as an administrator to approve.
    Backup - Manually Extract Files from in Vista & Windows 7-step2.jpg
    5. From here, open the Backup Set YYYY-MM-DD HHMMSS folder (ex: Backup Set 2011-07-09 151038) with the date and time of a backup that you would like to restore files from. (see screenshot below)
    NOTE: Each Backup Set folder is a separate new backup.
    Backup - Manually Extract Files from in Vista & Windows 7-step3.jpg
    6. From here, open the Backup Files YYYY-MM-DD HHMMSS folder (ex: Backup Files 2011-07-09 151038) with the date and time of a backup that you would like to restore files from. (see screenshot below)
    NOTE: Each Backup Files folder is an incremental backup of the files in the specific Backup Set folder.
    Backup - Manually Extract Files from in Vista & Windows 7-step4.jpg
    7. Select all of the listed Backup files #.zip files, right click on them, click on 7-Zip and Extract files. (see screenshot below)
    Backup - Manually Extract Files from in Vista & Windows 7-7-zip-1.jpg
    8. Click on the browse button, select the New folder from step 2, and click on OK twice. (see screenshot below)
    Backup - Manually Extract Files from in Vista & Windows 7-7-zip-2.jpg
    9. 7-Zip will now start extracting your files from the compressed Backup files #.zip files into the New folder from step 2. (see screenshot below)
    Backup - Manually Extract Files from in Vista & Windows 7-7-zip-3.jpg
    10. If prompted by 7-Zip, click on Yes to All. (see screenshot below)
    Backup - Manually Extract Files from in Vista & Windows 7-7-zip-4.jpg
    11. When 7-Zip is finished extracting your files, you will now be able to open the New folder on your desktop to do what you like with your files from the Windows Backup.



    OPTION TWO

    To Manually Extract Your Windows Backup Files


    1. Open the drive that you saved the Windows Backup to, right click on the computer-name file (ex: BRINK-PC), and click on Open. (see screenshot below)
    NOTE: If you double click on the file to try and open it, this will not work. You must right click and click on Open.
    Backup - Manually Extract Files from in Vista & Windows 7-step1.jpg
    2. If prompted, click on Continue and Yes (UAC-Windows 7) or Continue (UAC-Vista). (see screenshot below)
    NOTE: You will only get this prompt if this is the first time that you opened the file from step 1. You must be logged in as an administrator to approve.
    Backup - Manually Extract Files from in Vista & Windows 7-step2.jpg
    3. From here, open the Backup Set YYYY-MM-DD HHMMSS folder (ex: Backup Set 2011-07-09 151038) with the date and time of a backup that you would like to restore files from. (see screenshot below)
    NOTE: Each Backup Set folder is a separate new backup.
    Backup - Manually Extract Files from in Vista & Windows 7-step3.jpg
    4. From here, open the Backup Files YYYY-MM-DD HHMMSS folder (ex: Backup Files 2011-07-09 151038) with the date and time of a backup that you would like to restore files from. (see screenshot below)
    NOTE: Each Backup Files folder is an incremental backup of the files in the specific Backup Set folder.
    Backup - Manually Extract Files from in Vista & Windows 7-step4.jpg
    5. From here, you will see the Backup files #.zip files that each contain your backup files up to 200MB per ZIP file. (see screenshot below)
    NOTE: Unfortunately, you will have to open and search through each ZIP file to find the file that you wanted to restore from the backup.
    Backup - Manually Extract Files from in Vista & Windows 7-step5.jpg
    6. Set Windows to show known file extenstions, then do step 7 or 8 depending on the size of the original file that you wanted to restore.

    7. If the Original File is 200 MBs or Under
    NOTE: You will know if the file is 200MB or under if there is only one listing of the file (ex: GPU-Z.0.5.0.exe) in the opened ZIP file, and the ZIP files above and below it.
    A) Open the ZIP file (ex: Backup files 1.zip) until you see files in it.

    B) Select the file (ex: GPU-Z.0.5.0.exe) that you wanted to restore, then copy (drag and drop) it to your desktop. (see screenshot below)
    Backup - Manually Extract Files from in Vista & Windows 7-step6_under-200.jpg
    C) When finished, go to step 9.
    8. If the Original File is Larger than 200 MBs
    NOTE: You will know if the file is over 200MB if there is one or more listings of the file (ex: AOE-3_setup.exe) in the currently opened ZIP file, and more listings of this file in the ZIP files above and below it.
    A) First, find out how many ZIP files that the file (ex: AOE-3_setup.exe) you want to restore is listed in. (see screenshot below)
    NOTE: For example, my AOE-3_setup.exe file (612MB) was listed in the Backup files 4.zip to the Backup files 7.zip file. It will listed in order. You will just need to find the first and last ZIP file that it's listed in.
    Backup - Manually Extract Files from in Vista & Windows 7-step8.jpg
    B) Open the first ZIP folder (ex: Backup files 4.zip) in the order, select all listings of the file (ex: AOE-3_setup.exe), then copy (drag and drop) it to your desktop. (see screenshot below)
    NOTE: Each listing of the file is a piece of that file that had been broken down to pieces under 200MB when it was backed up.

       Warning
    You must be sure to extract the listings of the file in the exact order that they are listed from the ZIP files.

    Top to bottom in the ZIP file, and say from the 4, 5, 6, to 7 ZIP files in that order.


    Backup - Manually Extract Files from in Vista & Windows 7-step7_over-200.jpg
    C) If prompted, check the Do this for all conflicts box, and click on Copy, but keep both files. (see screenshots below)
    NOTE: This will automatically rename the files to include a (#) in the file name.
    Backup - Manually Extract Files from in Vista & Windows 7-step9a.jpgBackup - Manually Extract Files from in Vista & Windows 7-step9b.jpg
    D) Repeat step 8B to 8C until you have copied all listings of the file (ex: AOE-3_setup.exe) to the desktop from all ZIP files it was listed in.
    NOTE: For example, I had 2 listings of AOE-3_setup.exe in the Backup files 4.zip file, and only 1 listing of it in the other ZIP files (5, 6, 7).
    Backup - Manually Extract Files from in Vista & Windows 7-step10.jpg
    E) When finished, you will now need to rename the extracted files from the backup to only remove () from the file name to leave just the number inbetween them.
    NOTE: For example, rename from AOE-3_setup(2).exe to AOE-3_setup2.exe. (see screenshot below)

       Warning
    If () are left in the name, then the extracted files would not be combined back together in the correct order.

    Backup - Manually Extract Files from in Vista & Windows 7-step11.jpg
    F) Open a command prompt.

    G) In the command prompt, type the command below, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)
    NOTE: This will combine all of the extracted pieces of the file (ex: AOE-3_setup.exe) back to it's original full size.
    Code:
    copy /b "%userprofile%\Desktop\file-name*.file-extension" "%userprofile%\Desktop\Combined.file-extension"
    For example: The file I extacted was named AOE-3_setup.exe, so I would type the commmand below to combine all of the extracted pieces.
    Code:
    copy /b "%userprofile%\Desktop\AOE-3_setup*.exe" "%userprofile%\Desktop\Combined.exe"
    Backup - Manually Extract Files from in Vista & Windows 7-step12.jpg
    H) When it's finished combining the extracted files, close the command prompt.

    I) You will now see this as an example on your desktop. Delete all of the extracted files to leave only the Combined.exe file on your desktop. (see screenshot below)
    Backup - Manually Extract Files from in Vista & Windows 7-step13.jpg
    9. The backup file has now been extracted from the backup. You can now rename it and/or move it to where you like.

    10. Repeat step 6 above if you would like to manually restore another file from the same backup.
    That's it,
    Shawn









  1. mjf
    Posts : 5,969
    Windows 7x64 Home Premium SP1
       #1

    Brink
    I pull everything out to a temp area using this approach
    Not able to select a backup
    I don't know if you think it is worthwhile adding something to the tutorial along these lines?
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 71,975
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #2

    Thank you Michael. I'll have a play with it tonight. :)
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 71,975
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #3

    Thank you again Michael. Using 7-Zip makes it much easier to do. Added this as OPTION ONE. :)
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 1
    Windows 8.1 x64
       #4

    I have problems using option ONE with 7-zip for files over 200 MBs. The option to overwrite files does not combine/merge files, leaving the smaller file
    I'm using 7-zip version 9.30 in windows 8.1
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 71,975
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #5

    Hello Choclo, and welcome to Seven Forums. :)

    See if using the 7-Zip 9.34 alpha version below may work better for you.

    7-Zip / Discussion / Open Discussion:7-Zip 9.34 alpha

    If not, then you may need to use Option Two for those that you cannot use Option One for.
      My Computer


  6. mjf
    Posts : 5,969
    Windows 7x64 Home Premium SP1
       #6

    Good point Choclo.
    Files > 200M will get split and the components need to be joined using Option Two as Brink points out.

    I would still go with the more automatic process using Option One BUT in step (10) select the "Auto Rename option". Now split file segments will have names augmented by _1, _2, ...etc to their names.
    When the extraction is complete you then need to search for files >200M that could have components needing to be joined. Fortunately most of my files backed up in a files/folder backup don't exceed 200M.
    I added a couple deliberately for demonstration - a Hirens ISO and an flv file to the desktop.
    After the extraction I did a search for files >200M using my favorite free filelocator Lite search program.
    Backup - Manually Extract Files from in Vista & Windows 7-capture.jpg
    This shows the files that need to be glued together as binary segments. Note in the example there is a file - Using_Speedlights_Indoors_(480p)_1.flv that lives next to the Using_Speedlights_Indoors_(480p).flv in the extracted directory.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 30
    windows 7 64bit
       #7

    how to combine in order


    Brink said:
    Thank you again Michael. Using 7-Zip makes it much easier to do. Added this as OPTION ONE. :)
    I know this is an old post, but hopefully you can help me.

    using the copy command, how can you do this when there is more than 10 files? I have 120 .pst files and when I use your command, CMD will copy them out of order, for instance 1,100, 2 etc rather than 1,2,3... This results in the file not being complete. can you assist with this please?

    cheers!
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 71,975
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #8

    addiosamigo said:
    I know this is an old post, but hopefully you can help me.

    using the copy command, how can you do this when there is more than 10 files? I have 120 .pst files and when I use your command, CMD will copy them out of order, for instance 1,100, 2 etc rather than 1,2,3... This results in the file not being complete. can you assist with this please?

    cheers!
    Hello.

    You could test and see of enabling numerical sorting below may help.

    Numerical Sorting in Windows Explorer - Enable or Disable
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 30
    windows 7 64bit
       #9

    Brink said:
    Hello.

    You could test and see of enabling numerical sorting below may help.

    Numerical Sorting in Windows Explorer - Enable or Disable
    Hi Brink, thanks for the quick response. Numerical sorting is already enabled sadly...

    i've tried your command with file1+file2 etc but it stops after 47. I have tried a 'for loop' which calls on a text file with the file names in order:

    Code:
    for /F "tokens=*" %A in (filenamesinorder.txt) do copy %A c:\pstcombined.pst
    but that only copies the one file...

    i'm really stuck!
      My Computer


 
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