Problems Restoring My Backup Files

[Ob1]

i created some backups of my files on my a windows XP machine using the windows backup utility and then transferred them to another pc to store them. i reformated the original pc running winxp on it and put windows SBS 2003 on it. now when i try to restore these files on the SBS 2003 i get the following error: "the backup file contains unrecognized data and cannot be used". i have transferred the data back to a windows xp machine and i still get the same error.

does anyone have any tips or tricks that i could do to restore my backups?

[macko72]

With windows backup uty. you can only restore it on a machine from it come from, I tried to do similar thing couple of times and always got same error as you and was trying to find answer all over the internet and found none.(but never asked here maybe someone of this good experts will have good answer I would like to know it my self) !!!

[Digitalic]

The back up file should have the .bkf extension. On the media you have the file on, just double click on it which should open NT Backup. Click the restore tab, click tools\catalog a back up file and then navigate to the file you want to restore from.

I have a feeling though that since you`re getting a "the backup file contains unrecognized data and cannot be used" error the file itself may be corrupt.

BTW, I have been able to back up files from one system to another with the native NT backup but it can be a pain sometimes.

[macko72]

Digitalic it's not problem backingup files it's using backed-up files on diferent system(different from system from witch is backup) !!!

[Ob1]

i got my backups restored. i used a windows XP pro machine, started the windows backup utility in regular mode (not the wizard mode), clicked tools>options>clicked the general tab>unchecked "use the catalogs on the media to speed up building restore catalags on disk"

it takes longer for it to read the data in the backup, but i got it to work.

[Digitalic]

Originally Posted by macko72 Digitalic it's not problem backingup files it's using backed-up files on diferent system(different from system from witch is backup) !!!

I`m sure there can be problems but I`ve often used NT backup to move an entire OS from one build to another with no problems. In fact I`ve moved the system I`m using now, W2k, applications, saved data, e-mail, blah blah blah and everything, from an Intel PIII machine to an AMD based machine and then later used it to change Hardrives from an IDE to a RAID 0 SATA configuration.

It can be done.