external backup location can not be found

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
C

cherylzxy

Honorable
Jan 8, 2014
3
0
10,510
I used the control panel backup on my Vista Home Basic laptop to backup my data to an external drive. I now need to restore my data. Using the control panel Restore Files program I get an error message saying "The disk containing the backup is not accessible. Please make sure it is turned on and connected to the computer." When I select the radio button for 'files from an older backup' I see a table listing the date and time of the backup with next to it the message, "Backup location is not available."

The external drive is plugged into the electricity and plugged into a USB drive on my laptop. I can access the backup on the external drive. From the list of backups on the drive I can select the latest one and open it to see the numbered zip files.

How can I get my Vista Home Basic Restore Files program to restore my data? Thank you for your help. I really appreciate it.
 
Solution
hang-the-9
Backup issues using the built-in Windows utilities are pretty common, it may be due to the version differences if you have a fully updated Vista setup then restore to a new setup without any service packs and patches, or at least not all of them.

Take a look at the last two posts here http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/forefront/en-US/9bc3538e-41bc-4ab1-bc9e-1806ac2d6e62/vista-backup-and-restore-unlisted-backups this may help you run the restore.

If the files are just .zip files, you may be able to also just open them up manually and copy the containing files back to the system.
Sort by date Sort by votes
C

cherylzxy

Honorable
Jan 8, 2014
3
0
10,510
Thank you for responding. The drive and the path are the same.

I need to restore my data from backup because I reinstalled Windows. I did that because I was having a problem with my internet connection. It was disconnecting several times each day and would only reconnect after a restart. I searched and searched for answers to that problem and tried a hundred things that didn't work so it was a last resort; a reset to factory settings.

Now I'm not able to restore the data. I've read a LOT of info on this problem and have seen people saying that backups done with the Control Panel, built in backup program are not done right and don't have all the data. I'm really nervous about this because my husband has an EXTENSIVE music collection and information for our taxes was backed up.

I wish I could do a screen shot to show you. Where it lists the date and time of the backup I want to restore, there is no path or drive letter. It only says backup location is not available.

Thank you so much for trying to help me. Do you have any suggestions for me?
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
hang-the-9

hang-the-9

Titan
Mar 25, 2010
60,387
1,081
152,940
Backup issues using the built-in Windows utilities are pretty common, it may be due to the version differences if you have a fully updated Vista setup then restore to a new setup without any service packs and patches, or at least not all of them.

Take a look at the last two posts here http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/forefront/en-US/9bc3538e-41bc-4ab1-bc9e-1806ac2d6e62/vista-backup-and-restore-unlisted-backups this may help you run the restore.

If the files are just .zip files, you may be able to also just open them up manually and copy the containing files back to the system.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Solution
C

cherylzxy

Honorable
Jan 8, 2014
3
0
10,510
I finally was able to resolve this issue. I tried to go back and find the forum post that helped me but I can't find it again. I used Advanced Restore, clicked Next on the screen that showed the correct back up date and time. I was then presented with a window to choose files or folders to restore. From that only C:// was listed even though I had my external drive plugged in. I thought that meant it couldn't recognize it. I read a post saying that like I was thinking that they thought it was offering to open C: on the laptop as it is now. But it was really showing that C: had been backed up and was there to restore. I chose only the music and documents folders from inside that C: and my backup completed as it should. Whew!
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Moderators online

Share this page

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom