• How to restore files to XP from a Vista backup?

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    WSComputerMam
    AskWoody Lounger
    February 16, 2012 at 6:01 pm #481619

    The video adapter on my laptop running Vista 64 died. As it died I was able to use Vista to backup my files. I have rescued my old Dell desktop which is running XP sp2. Now I want to restore some of the files from the Vista backup to my desktop. I can access the backup files but there are 300 of them. How do I find the files I want to restore? If this cannot be done using XP, can it be done when I get my new desktop running Windows 7?

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    • WSMedico
      AskWoody Lounger
      February 16, 2012 at 6:05 pm #1320036

      You say your computer backup, do you mean an Image of your PC or what? What is it backed up to? What was it backed up with? Was it backed up with an app or were the files just dragged and dropped to the back up media? I guess more info is needed.

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      • WSComputerMam
        AskWoody Lounger
        February 16, 2012 at 6:35 pm #1320040

        I backed it up to a USB external hard drive using Vista backup which created zipped files. Vista created 298 folders each of which contains nested folders and after I have opened each folder I can finally see the individual files. It is a long search for the files that I want. Is there anyway to speed up the process? I know Vista has a neat restore Wizard but I haven’t found anything in XP. I have been using using brute force, that is, manually opening each folder until I find the files.

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    • WSMedico
      AskWoody Lounger
      February 16, 2012 at 6:51 pm #1320043

      I guess I do not know then. I am not familiar with Vista backup. I use an imaging app to back up my entire HD, where as this sounds like a data back up app similar to the Win 7 Back up app, which I also do not use. Unfortunately I do not believe there is a fast way to find certain files unless you know about where they were located in the file tree originally. If so you should be able to locate they section of the file tree in the back up as well. Sorry, but this is my only thought at this point.

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    • WSCLiNT
      AskWoody Lounger
      February 16, 2012 at 7:59 pm #1320055

      If the non imaged files in the Vista backup are in zip files you may have to search every one of them for the files you want.
      Get 7zip, or better yet, WinRar/WinZip to open them.

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      • WSComputerMam
        AskWoody Lounger
        February 16, 2012 at 9:56 pm #1320067

        Yeah Clint! WinRar is exactly what I needed. Thanks for your help. I have installed it and used and it is great. Thanks for your help.

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