Back up issue

[sethm1]

Home Prem - 64 Bit.

Not sure if this will make sense -

I have my PC do weekly (via Microsofts own program) backups. 2 backups are created into their own folder on separate internal hard drive. One of those is actually an image.
The actual back up folder is acting odd.
When I dbl click I get a
"This file does not have a program associated with it for performing this action. Please install a program or, of one is already installed, create an association in the Default Programs control panel."
If I rt click and open the back ups are there.

How do I access the Default Programs control panel and then what ?

Thx

 

[TrainableMan]

All that means is that there is not an association with the file extension of the back-up file (example .txt files open with notepad, .ppt files open with powerpoint, etc). You shouldn't be "running" a back-up directly so why are you double-clicking them? If you need to restore a back-up you go into control panel\Back-up and restore.

 

[sethm1]

I am not double clicking the file itself - which they appear fine - its the folder they are in that seems to be corrupted.

In other words:
F drive/Seth-Diana/Backup Set 2011-03-06 140001

Its the Seth-Diana that gives me the error - not the Backup Set 2011-03-06 140001.

So going back - How do I access the Default Programs control panel and then what ?

Thanks

 

[TrainableMan]

Folders do not have file associations. Default Programs can be referenced in Control Panel but a folder should not have a file extension and there is no program to associate with it.

I suggest you go into Windows Explorer and pick Organize ... Folder and Search Options ... Select the View Tab ... turn off "Hide extensions for known file types" ... and maybe just to see what else is in there select "Show hidden files, folders, and drives" and then go to the folder you indicated and take a screenshot and post it back here so we can see it.

Also right-click on "Backup Set 2011-03-06 140001" and select "Properties" and post a screenshot of the General Tab.

 

[sethm1]

"Hide extensions for known file types" was already unchecked. &
"Show hidden files, folders, and drives" was already checked.

I am attaching 4 screen shots.

The frst one shows the folder with the error next to it.

back up 3 shot is of "Properties" under the Gen Tab.

Thanks !

 

[TrainableMan]

OK that Seth-Diana you are trying to select is the backup image. That's why it has the disc image icon. There is nothing you do to it, there is no association needed, you can't open it, it simply sits there unless you ever have an emergency and go into Backup & Restore and recover from the image.

 

[sethm1]

So not to be alarmed?
I am pretty certain I have accessed the contents of the folder by dbl clicking in the past - I tend to only keep 2 or 3 back ups in there at a time.
I did create 2 images when I first got the PC. One with just the bare minimum and then a week later. Now I just keep a month back and a week back.

 

[TrainableMan]

Well there is the system image & the back-up. I never dove that deeply into it and in fact I have given up on windows back-up completely because it was hogging more & more space and at times running for 12 hours.

Basically the image is for a complete system restore in case of catastrophic loss such as a harddrive crash - it is a total restore including system data. The back-up (not what you are selecting) can be used to restore data, I've never done it but, supposedly on a piece by piece basis such as a word document you need restored to an old version.

 

[sethm1]

If the back up that is of data within the folder giving me problems, then wonder if I really need it as the hard drive its backing up to is my Back Up Drive.

Wonder if a way to only create a Image weekly and not both data & image.

 

[TrainableMan]

You have yet to show that the back-up IS giving you problems; as far as I can tell the back-up is doing what it is supposed to. You seem to feel that you should then be able to go into this compressed block structured data and be able to see all your files - it doesn't work like that.

If the back-up is not giving you errors when it is created then it's working. You seeing an error because you try to access the resultant image directly does not mean it isn't working, it simply means you are meant to stay out. If you need to recover then use the recovery procedures; stop trying to access the files it creates directly and you won't get the errors.

The image is for a complete restore in case of catastrophic loss. The data portion it creates should allow you to recover a single file - through the restore program, NOT by directly accessing the back-up files.

 

[sethm1]

I get what you are saying.
Correct, that I do not know if a back up is going to give me a problem.
Its just that in the past, when I opened the folder to get rid of old back ups I did not see this error (it seems the error came up after SP1 installed).

So, since that drive is my back up, is there a way to only create an image? or buy Acronis System Restore?

 

[TrainableMan]

But as I said the one you clicked on is not really a folder, it's an image.

Yes you can go to back-up and restore and manually tell it to create a system image (and I assume that's all it does if you pick that). Most here hate Windows back-up and there are alternatives like you mentioned. Depending on the type HD you have there may be a free version of Acronis available to you or several here recommend Macrium Reflect Free. See our Freeware Database.

 

[sethm1]

Went back to settings (System Restore) and unchecked all but the Image box - see screen shot. Will see if this works tomorrow, when I have my weekly back up scheduled.

Initially, I also under the impression that when/if I do a back up, that I needed both the data and the imaged file. Not sure why I thought that.

On a side note, maybe this is for another post- while doing some research on reinstalling Windows 7, I came across Paul Thurrot's article on installing 7 with a USB key. Would that be a more favorable method versus a DVD (since I have the original DVD from M/S)?

And if say I need to reinstall 7 - would I need to reinstall 7 then restore with a current Imaged file?

In all the years I have had a Windows PC, have never been infected by a virus. So have never needed to re-install a O/S. I have read that some do reinstall the OS on a yearly basis, just as a regular maintenance. Wonder now with 7 is that notion obsolete.

Thanks for the input.

 

[TrainableMan]

I selected "create a system image" and it turns out the truth must be reversed from what I thought because it did create a folder called "WindowsImageBackup" which has several folders and files in it (which I can select w/o error) and it did NOT create that single file-folder with the icon of the green arrow & a CD. So that one that gives you the error must be the block-allocated complete back-up file which provides for selective file restoration.

 

[sethm1]

Image successful.
No data backed up.
I deleted the folder that would have contained the back up -as the folder no longer necessary.

When I rt click the Imaged file, it shows something around 70GB's - when I rt click the C drive, it shows 57GB's - why is the imaged file bigger? I would think a few extra MB's for additional file info so that an re-image is possible,but 13 more Gigs seems odd to me.

 

[TrainableMan]

Are you sure you aren't getting anything from your other drives?

It's a mystery to me; might be another reason why the others here recommend macrum reflect, etc rather than W7 back-up.

 

[clifford_cooley]

So, since that drive is my back up, is there a way to only create an image? or buy Acronis System Restore?

Backup your Hard Drive with Acronis

Acronis True Image Home 2009

There are manufacturer specific free versions for download

• Western Digital Edition
• Maxtor MaxBlast 5
• Seagate DiscWizard
• Intel® Data Migration Software

 

[sethm1]

Far as I can tell - its just C drive thats being backed up/imaged.

 

[sethm1]

purchased Acronis True Image home 2011.

Thx