ntbackup.exe doesn't restore from multivolume ZIP backup

[Evan Robatino]

Hello,

I have a problem with trying to restore just two files (prefs.js and
bookmarks.html) from a 3-disk ZIP backup (each disk is 250MB and
contains System State information plus a number of what I consider
important files). Operating system is WinXP Pro SP2 (I upgraded from
Win98SE a few months ago); this backup was done using ntbackup.exe.
Archive name is D:\Evan's Backup.bkf (I have no backups left over from
Win98; decided to do them over with ntbackup.exe just to be safe).

(These files needed to be restored because my system apparently "burped"
a few days ago and clobbered a few files, including those two. They're
on a 6-year-old HD using a FAT32 file system - didn't bother to change
the file system to NTFS after the upgrade to WinXP.)

I ran the Restore Wizard and had no trouble selecting the files I wanted
to restore (after a while, I realized I had to insert Disk 3 first
because that apparently contains the file catalog information). It then
says:

Backup file requested:
Backup name: Evan's Backup.bkf created 7/30/2006 at 5:07 PM
Disk Number: 1
The backup file could not be found or is not the file was requested.
Please verify this is the correct location for the backup.

I then inserted Disk 1 and clicked Enter and got:

The backup file contains unrecognized data and cannot be used.

I am unable to proceed beyond this point. The data on this disk looks
OK in File Explorer (My Documents); the archive file is apparently the
only data on the first ZIP disk. I tried copying Disk 1 to my C: drive
and restoring from there; no luck. Tried setting the "Archive" flags on
the ZIP disks; again no luck. I'm the only user on this machine and
always sign on in Administrator mode, so I don't think it's an ID problem.

What am I doing wrong? I can probably recreate the prefs.js and the
bookmarks.html files by other means, but now my main concern is that I
can't trust my backup mechanism.

Thanks,

Evan

 

[Guest]

i have always found that the ntbackup is unpredictable and unreliable at
times. Unfortunately, this isn't discovered until you needs its help. I
have abandoned "backup" formats and now use disk images instead. The images
can be stored on a seperate partition and or copied over onto writable media.
In my case 1 dvd since it would otherwise take 6 cd's.

What has been suuccessful for recovery is to essentially have 3 programs
installed on removable media. 1) Barts PE, which is freeware; 2)
DriveImageXML, which is freeware and 3) Windows.

With BartPE you can restore your files or system if the main partition
becomes unaccessiable after a crash. It will install on your HD and it will
build a bootable dvd.

Then install the XML image software to create a copy(image) of your hd. And
download the plugin for the PE, so that it can be incorparted by the PE onto
the bootable DVD.

The PE will also ask you for your windows cd and the PE will transfer "all"
the files onto the DVD as well. It is excellent if you use 1 dvd as it can
store the 3 programs mentioned.

If you keep the images on a seperate partition, then you can update them or
can transfer them onto a removable media. But in my opinion its better to
make a seperate partition for them. You dont want them on the main partition
because if it crashes then your images will too. And because the image files
are large, it would be inconviently slow to store or update them on removable
media, however, this option is available if you choose it.

If you don't have a dvd rw, you should get one because one dvd can store 4
gigabytes. Some can be doubled as well.....