hard drive data recovery windows xp

 

To recover all files with the recover wizard Open Backup The Backup Utility wizard starts by default, unless it is disabled. Follow the wizard instructions to select what to recover, where to recover to, and which optional advanced recover features you want. If the wizard is disabled, click the Welcome tab, click Recover Wizard to start the recover wizard.  Follow the wizard instructions to select what to recover, where to recover to, and which optional advanced recover features you want. 

Four steps for easy hard drive data recovery

1) Select files and folders you want to recover

  • Backup provides you with a tree view of the files and folders that you have backed up, which you can use to select the files and folders that you want to recover. You can use this tree view the same way you use Windows Explorer to open drives and folders and select files.

2) Select where to recover your backed-up data files and folders

  • Backup allows you to select one of three destinations for your recovered files:
    You can recover your backed-up data to the original folder or folders the data was in when you backed it up. This option is useful if you are restoring files and folders that have been damaged or lost.

  • You can recover your backed-up data to an alternate folder. If you select this option, the structure of the backed-up folders and files is retained in the alternate folder. This option is useful if you know you will need some old files, but you don't want to overwrite or change any of the current files or folders on your disk.

  • You can recover your backed-up files to a single folder. This option does not retain the structure of the backed-up folders and files. Only the backed-up files are placed in the single folder. This option is useful if you are searching for a file and you don't know its location.

3) Set recover options. Backup provides a Recover tab in the Options dialog box that lets you select how you want your files and folders recovery. You must select one of three options:

  1. Do not replace file on my computer. This will prevent files from being overwritten on your hard disk. This is the safest method of restoring files. 

  2. Replace the file on disk only if the file on disk is older. If you have changed any files since you last backed up your data, this will ensure that you don't lose the changes you have made to the files.

  3. Always replace the file on my disk. This will replace all of the files on your hard disk with the files in your backup set If you have made any changes to files since you last backed up your data, this option will erase those changes.

4) Start the recover operation

  • When you start a recover operation, Backup will ask you to confirm that you are ready to recover data. You will also have the opportunity to set advanced recover options, including whether you want to recover security settings, the Removable Storage database, and junction point data.

Important

  • You can use Backup to back up and recover data on either FAT16, FAT32, or NTFS volumes. However, if you have backed up data from an NTFS volume used in Windows XP, it is recommended that you recover the data to an NTFS volume used in Windows XP, or you could lose data as well as some file and folder features. Some file systems may not support all features of other file systems. For example, permissions, encrypting file system (EFS) settings, disk quota information, mounted drive information, and Remote Storage information will be lost if you back up data from an NTFS volume used in Windows XP and then recover it to a FAT volume or an NTFS volume used in Windows NT 4.0. 

Note

  • You must be an administrator or a backup operator to back up files and folders. For more information about permissions or user rights, click Related Topics. 

  • The registry, the Active Directory directory service, and other key system components are contained in the System State data. You must back up the System State data if you want to back up and recover these components. 

  • If you recover the System State data, and you do not designate an alternate location for the recoverd data, Backup will erase the System State data that is currently on your computer and replace it with the System State data you are restoring. Also, if you recover the System State data to an alternate location, only the registry files, SYSVOL directory files, Cluster database information files, and system boot files are recovered to the alternate location. The Active Directory directory services database, Certificate Services database, and COM+ Class Registration database are not recovered if you designate an alternate location. 

  • In order to recover the System State data on a domain controller, you must first start your computer in Directory Services Recover Mode. This will allow you to recover the SYSVOL directory and the Active Directory. 

  • You can only recover the System State data on a local computer You cannot recover the System State data on a remote computer 

  • Administrators and Backup Operators can recover encrypted files and folders without decrypting the files or folders.

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