Restoring Backup

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

I have recently formatted my HD as I was having start up issues and during the restore process I did the backup first to a portable HD. After Windows reinstalled (Windows 7 OEM) I tried restoring the backup but it won't find any backup files.

I believe the issue is the user account. I set it up with a different username as the owner of the PC. My question is, can I restore the backup under a different username? There are lots of photos that I want and some files that I need.

It's a HP desktop, I don't have the exact specs but something like 4MB RAM, 500GB HD, Intel Pentium I think. Not that is should make any difference.

 

[Rajesh Koothrappali]

Backup? As in manually copied files off the HDD to an external HDD? You should just browse the HDD and copy the files back.

 

[Jaymz]

I have recently formatted my HD as I was having start up issues and during the restore process I did the backup first to a portable HD. After Windows reinstalled (Windows 7 OEM) I tried restoring the backup but it won't find any backup files.

I believe the issue is the user account. I set it up with a different username as the owner of the PC. My question is, can I restore the backup under a different username? There are lots of photos that I want and some files that I need.

It's a HP desktop, I don't have the exact specs but something like 4MB RAM, 500GB HD, Intel Pentium I think. Not that is should make any difference.

Are you able to confirm how you backed up the files? There are a number of ways to backup files in Windows 7.

There is an article that Microsoft created which steps you through a couple of restore options:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-nz/windows/restore-files-backup#1TC=windows-7

 

[kiwicon]

+1 need to know how you did the backup.. was it software related or did you manually put the stuff on the external..

 

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

The OS wouldn't boot, it kept coming up with a *something*.dll (can't remember the exact name) file missing. So I went into the recovery options. The only way I could recover my system was to do a full system recovery from the partition that had the Windows 7 install files (as it was an OEM install and I didn't get a disc). Before it did a system recovery, it asked me if I wanted to do a back up, so I checked yes, and it proceeded to back up everything before it did a full recovery. I backed up to an external HD and it did a successful reinstall. Everything works. But now it doesn't "see" the back up files.

 

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

I'm wondering if I have to do another fresh install and put the original user details in (my ex) so it will then see the files. Or is there a way to access them?

 

[CoffeeMonster]

I'm wondering if I have to do another fresh install and put the original user details in (my ex) so it will then see the files. Or is there a way to access them?

what was the utility called? it sounds a bit like it's a 3rd party one from the manufacturer of your what i assume is a laptop? what brand is your pc/laptop?
it's too late now but there is usually a option to repair windows as well.
if it is a "windows backup" backup it creates a clone of your hard drive so you don't install windows then restore, you're meant to restore the entire install from the hdd.
you could also try starting the backup and restore app form windows and browse to the hdd, see if it recognises anything there.
try enabling show hidden files and folders and maybe uncheck hide protected system files then have a look at what actually shows up on the hard drive with the backup. in windows 7 open a explorer windows, press alt then tools -> folder options -> view to the see options.

 

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

It's a desktop HP. I went through the repair windows off the advanced start up options. (F8). Windows wouldn't start at all, it would only pop a box up saying a .dll was missing and to reinstall it. I couldn't get the PC to boot of a disc as it was an OEM install. Even tried the Microsoft support site and tried to download a copy, but the serial key is OEM and would not let me DL a copy.

So after choosing "Repair Windows", it then asked me if I wanted to do a back up. Not sure if this is only an OEM option of if it is within Windows. I backed up, did the restore, went through Control Panel to restore the back up and it finds the folder, but says "no back up files found", or words to that effect.

 

[kiwicon]

was it hal.dll file that was missing??

 

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

No. Some other file, I can't remember.

After a bit more research, it seems to be a HP tool that backs up and restores, the files are .swm. I will have another go tonight, there is a "restore.exe" that I have to run.