Vista - Backup Complete Computer

Hello C3ajeff, and welcome to Vista Forums.

The Complete Computer Backup feature in Vista only backups the entire Vista hard drive to use to restore the entire hard drive. It does not allow you to restore individual files.

To backup and restore file types, then see these tutorials may work better instead for you:

Backup Files

and

Restore Backup Files

Hope this helps,
Shawn

First off, do NOT accept my opinions on backups. I have been struggling with the simple concept of creating safe backups for years, and have YET to find one that I like, or works as it should.

Re your question: opinion only, but I think there is a file on the old computer with the ability to recognize that backup file. The new computer does not see it because that triggering file is not there.

Also, if you manage to open that backup, I believe its a complete backup, not specific files/folders.

my opinion only

HOw can it say this is a complete backup? Here is the help file from that backup menu:

The Back Up Files wizard backs up the most common file types. The following files are not included:

• System files (the files that Windows needs to run)

After doing more research, I found out that if you do a complete backup you cannot do a selective restore using the backup/restore tool. I did find an obscure technet article that said it can be done with Virtual Server... I am currently trying to find out if this will work but I will report back on it.

As for a file being on the target computer that identifies it, that can't be right since the restore tool reformats the target hard drive previous to restoration. It could be sensitive to the computer name, but I don't think that should matter.

Here's the quote from Technet regarding selective/alternate restoring of a full backup:

"Restore a File from Complete PC Backup

I should mention, for thoroughness, that a Complete PC Backup can be used to restore individual files. While intended for restoration at the volume level, Complete PC Backup stores data in a .vhd format, and this means you can use the offline VHD mounting tool to access and restore individual files. (At the time of writing this article, the VHD mounting tool is only available as part of Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 R2 SP1, which you can download from microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/eval/virtualserver.) To mount the backup, open a command prompt with elevated privileges and navigate to Microsoft Virtual Server\Vhdmount. The command is:

Copy Code

vhdmount /m [path of the .vhd file] [drive letter to assign to the virtual hard drive]


When doing this for the first time, the system may not pick up the required driver since it is unsigned. This will cause an error message that says the device driver could not be loaded. To solve this problem, after plugging in the .vhd file using the command above, go to the Device Manager, right-click on the new device that shows up, and select Properties. From there, go to the Driver tab, select Update Driver, click Browse my computer for driver software, and select Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer. The correct driver file will be located at Microsoft Virtual Server\Vhdmount\vhdstor.inf. After installation, the new drive will appear and you'll be able to browse the latest Complete PC Backup and copy the files you want to an alternate location."

So I'll let you know how it goes.

Hi Robertpri,

A complete PC backup is a clone of your hard drive. Everything is backed up. I can personally confirm this since I have done a restore from the complete PC backup.

The Back Up Files feature on the other hand, does not back up system files. That is what System Restore is for instead.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

I am certainly not disagreeing with you, only copy/paste what it said.

Second interesting question? I just did the "complete" backup and it was sent to my external USB drive. Great, but I cannot find it! Have searched that drive, so began to do it again, just to make certain of the target. Sure enough, the ext drive.

Any ideas? Is it hidden or something?

what is the extension--I can search for it.

thanks

No problem Robertpri,

Strange, it should be at the same location as in the NOTE at the top of the tutorial for your external USB.

very odd. do you know what it would be called? or the extension?

It would be the folder location and not a file that you would be looking for instead.

curiouser and curiouser. I just ran another one, and it said "backup complete" and I can't find it.

going to bed--overwhelmed.