Vista Ultimate Cannot Find Backup Sets

[danix803]

I have a DELL XPS 420 with a Maxtor 250GB ext hard
drive... I did a 'Complete PC Backup' to B: drive (The ext Maxtor)
Next, I rebooted and used the system repair from the boot menu... this
formated my hard drive and set everything back to the DELL factory
defaults... re-installing Windows Vista Ultimate, Office 2K7, and all the
other DELL junk...
Now, I'd like to restore the computer to before the DELL repair... the files
are all still on the B: drive, I can see them there...
However, when I go to 'Restore files' -> 'Advanced restore' -> 'Warning -
Continue' -> only the 'Files from a backup made on a different computer.' is
enabled and already has a tick in the radio button -> 'Next' -> 'Looking for
backup devices...' -> I select B: drive -> and it tells me "Windows cannot
find any backup sets on the selected device"
I use windows explorer and navigate through B: drive... the
'WindowsImageBackup' folder is there... along with the backup folder from the
date of backup... the catalog is there...
But it says that it can't find the backup sets...
Could someone please tell me how to make this work???

 

[Ronnie Vernon MVP]

Danix803

It sounds like you are trying to use the 'File and Folder' backup component
to restore files from a 'Complete PC Backup'. These are 2 separate programs.

In the Backup and Restore Center window, you need to select the 'Restore
Computer' button at the bottom right side of that screen. When you click
that button, you will see a dialog box, click the 'What are the steps I need
to take to restore my comuter' link. This will show the help instructions
for restoring from the complete pc backup.

 

[danix803]

When I reboot my computer and start it with it's cd, I select system repair,
complete PC restore, at this point I can click load drivers and navigate to
my
ext HD to see the backup sets, when I click cancel to get out that and click
next it tells me that it cannot find any backup sets. It tells me to connect
the device or insert the media that contain the backup sets. The drive is
already
connected. Why can't it find the backup sets???
--
Love is very patient and kind, never jealous or envious, never boastful or
proud, never haughty or selfish or rude. 1 Corinthians 13:4 - 8, 13

Danix803

It sounds like you are trying to use the 'File and Folder' backup component
to restore files from a 'Complete PC Backup'. These are 2 separate programs.

In the Backup and Restore Center window, you need to select the 'Restore
Computer' button at the bottom right side of that screen. When you click
that button, you will see a dialog box, click the 'What are the steps I need
to take to restore my comuter' link. This will show the help instructions
for restoring from the complete pc backup.

 

[Ronnie Vernon MVP]

Danix803

Have you tried the F8 boot options?

Reboot, repeatedly press the F8 key as your computer restarts. You need to
press F8 before the Windows logo appears. If the Windows logo appears, you
will need to try again.

On the Advanced Boot Options menu, use the arrow keys to highlight Repair
your computer, and then press ENTER.

Select a keyboard layout, and then click Next. Select a user name and type
the password, and then click OK.

On the System Recovery Options menu, click Windows Complete PC Restore, and
then follow the instructions.

--

Ronnie Vernon
Microsoft MVP
Windows Desktop Experience

When I reboot my computer and start it with it's cd, I select system
repair,
complete PC restore, at this point I can click load drivers and navigate
to
my
ext HD to see the backup sets, when I click cancel to get out that and
click
next it tells me that it cannot find any backup sets. It tells me to
connect
the device or insert the media that contain the backup sets. The drive is
already
connected. Why can't it find the backup sets???

 

[danix803]

I called MS about the problem. I was so frustrated after calling DELL and
posting my Vista Ultimate backup nightmares all over the internet.
I decided to call the MS help line. I was willing to pay $59.00 of my hard
earned dollars to have someone figure this out for me.
That didn't work either. They connected me to someone named Ashish
(1057602498). He told me that MS does not support Vista Ultimate Complete PC
backup.
However, he said that he would try to help me anyway. In order for him to
help me I had to move backup set from my C: drive back to my ext backup HD
(B: drive).
This was going to take over 45 mins. I told him that I would have to call
him back, because I was not going to wait on the phone for 45 mins with
nothing to do.
He said okay and we disconnected.
The file finished moving over. I figured that before I called him back I
would try one more experiment. I did one more complete PC backup,
so that I could compare the two backup sets.
This is the part that you are NOT going to believe. When I compared the two
backup sets all the files were in different locations. My first backup set
had NO,
that rights ZERO, files in the computer's name folder.
I rearranged all the files from the first backup set in the identical
pattern of that established by the second backup set. I rebooted the comptuer
and BANG,
CRASH, BOOM... F8 -> repair system -> complete system restore... if found
the backup sets... but it told me that it couldn't complete the restore
because the backup sets were corrupted... well, that's because it wouldn't
restore the D: drive files, the ones responsible for the DELL restore... I
restarted again and told it to simply restore C: drive only and it worked
great...
Thank you JESUS...
I hope that this helps others, who I've read on newgroups all over the
internet, who are having the same problem finding backup sets...

My new moot question is... why would MS Vista Ultimate put my very first
backup set into the wrong folders??? I mean none of them were in the right
places...
and all I did was drag them (entirely in the thier folders) from one drive
to another... I never moved any of them individually...
Second moot question... MS told me that DELL signed an agreement with them
stating that they would provide all the technical support for the products
that
they bought from them, aka Vista... so, why doesn't DELL provide technical
support or any support for Vista Ultimate backup and restore??? Isn't that
breaking
thier agreement??? Why doesn't either of these companies offer support for
this product??? or at least why are they telling me that they don't???

 

[John Amendall]

Sorry, I should have been more specific.

You do have to go to the advanced restore settings and select "restore
a backup from a different computer". That will take you to a screen
where you choose a device that's directly connected, or a network share.

Again, the restore program will only look at the root directory of a
device that's directly connected.
So, even if an external device is directly connected, you still have to
share it and then access it through the network share.

Hope this helps !!!

It might have helped on February 1 - SIX MONTHS AGO - when the OP
posted what you are replying to.