Help with editing and restoring backups

I've got a few corrupted files from a files and folders restore (TI9 Build 3677). I did a backup and mounted it as read/write and tried deleting the files in question. On each one I still got "cannot delete...file or folder corrupted or unreadable".

I was going to go back to a previous backup and restore it, but when I got into boot mode and looked at the backup files, I noticed the most recent backup had 2 files: MyBackup.tib and MyBackup2.tib (volumes 1 and 2). I clicked on the first one and a subsequent screen had two entries: the first one said "Mode: Full" and the second one said "Mode: Edited".

So can I restore without the edited files and what is the process or am I looking at a reformat and re-install of XP?

(I would make another backup, copy the install file and the key to my secondary drive so after the XP rebuild I can install TI9, mount the backup and copy the good files using Windows Explorer.)

 

Bump...

 

To verify whether the files are really unreadable mount the volume from the TI archive and try reading using http://www.standards.com/index.html?ReadFile.

To remove the files:

1. Create a partition on a drive.
2. Restore th evolume IMAGE to the new partition, do NOT restore files directories, only the volume image.
3. Use the ReadFile program to see whether the files can be read in the new partition. If so, you might be able to delete them in Windows Explorer, or with a program. If ReadFile cannt open the files, it is unlikely that yo will be able to delete the files very easily.

If you cannot delete the files in the new partition, cut and paste each other directory to yet another new partition. and cut and paste any good files from remaing directories to the new partitin. THen you can create an image backup of the new partition, and delete the partition that contains the bad files.

 

sjeter,

As far as I know, changes made inside the mounted image are recorded in an incremental file TI creates for that purpose when you select the read/write mounting.

With a normal incremental image set the user may select anyone file (imaging date) to restore to. The full, as well as any incremental. So, if I understand your situation correctly, by restoring the "Full" file you will restore the state prior to the deletions.

 

Greetings sjeter,

This is not to suggest that the other methods proposed won't work, and may even be better for your needs. If your corrupt directories followed a TI Full Boot Mode Files and Folders restore, what follows may help.

Here's a method I used recently, after I ended up with several corrupt directories following a Boot Mode Files & Folders restore to a new location. Since the same operation done with TI 9.3677 in Windows XP did not produce corrupt NTFS directories, or corrupt files within those directories, I thought, why not try to OVERWRITE the same directories?

This worked, on my system. But, it does take precision. If you don't write the new folders to the exact same location, you will end up with duplicates, rather than intact replacements. Took me a couple of tries. But, if you specify Overwrite existing file or folder, in Restore Options, this resolved the corrupt directory structure. TI also rebooted to complete the Overwrite operation, which indicates that it had to create a new directory structure, since the existing one was corrupt.

Another method is to make a new Files & Folders Backup of only the intact directories on that partition. Start with all Files and Folders ticked, then be sure to untick each corrupt directory, or, overwrite everything you created during the Files and Folders restore that produced corrupt directories. For safety, you could restore this archive to a new location, first, and, another suggestion I learned from these forums, is to make an Image of your existing partition, with the corrupt directories, before proceeding. That way, if you get stuck, you can always return to your starting point. Then, format the partition, which wipes all the data. Next, Restore the newly created Files and Folders Archive, to that empty partition, from TI in Windows, and, you should have an intact directory structure again.

Or, and I just thought of this, if the corruption occurred in Boot Mode, and you still have the F&F archive, you could simply restore it, in Windows mode, and see if that resolves your directory issues.

But, this said, with these problems and others using Files and Folders restoration, you may be safer to use the Disk/Partition Image route suggested by others. All in all, I find TI works best with Images. Some file handling is not yet handled correctly, at least to new locations. I also learned yesterday that TI uses the FAT32 file system on its own Secure Zone. Which may mean that TI running in Linux does a better job managing and creating FAT32 directories, than at present it does with NTFS.

Acronis Support is aware of this issue, and says it is being addressed.

Regards

 

In other threads, I've already pointed out th TI cannot restore certain files from an image backup.

The only way to restore such files, in TI, is to restore the image to another partition and try to work with the files there.

For example, I;ve got 5 files on my system that have problems. TI can restore one of them, but not the other 4.

I pointed out in the following that it is possible to deal with such files:

http://www.standards.com/index.html?CreateFileFailure

For example, one file generates a file system error 2, which means "The system cannot find the file specified", yet, using the following, it is possible to open and read the file:

http://www.standards.com/ThisAndThat/ReadFile.html

The program uses 4 methods to open a file. Some of the methods may work, and otthers fail, for particular files.

At least one other backup program can restore such files, so te TO folkes should be able to figger out how to do this.

 

Thanks for all your replies.

Howard, when I get more time, I'm going to try the method in your first post: using separate partitions.

 

Aargh...I started with copying "Documents and Settings", since the "My Downloads" folder contained the 4 corrupt files. I ran into problems copying ntuser.dat and ntuser.data.log from various folders, and I hadn't even started on the Windows folders.

I have had other errors besides the corrupt folders, so I think at this point I'm better off going the format/rebuild route.

 

You might find it less problematic to mount an image and copy the files you want rather than do a restore of files. Some files won't restore properly from an image file and although apprently on the destination drive after restoration, the Win file system can't recongnize them, making them hard to delete. The help offered by others in this thread should help you to get rid of the troublesome files on the destination drive. Then try using the mount-image and copy method and avoid file restore in ATI.

good luck,
sh

 

If the files cannot be restored, then they cannot be copied from a mounted image without using a special program.

Use http://www.standards.com/index.html?ReadFile to verify whethr it is possiv=ble to open the file with an appropriate program.

 

Howard - I forgot to mention that I tried using your program and it wouldn't even open the files, so it's back to square one.

 

Did you check both boxes to use Unicode and to Attempt to bypass errors?
You should have seen a Msgbox that stated what was the error?

 

I thought I had both boxes checked, but I don't remember setting the buffer size. This time I made sure both boxes were checked and set the buffer size to the max. Then I tried each file with "Open as Read Only' both checked and unchecked and each one reported "File size: 0 bytes".

 

Since you did not receive an error after using the Select File button and choosing a file, that means that the file can be accessed using the methodology I described at http://www.standards.com/index.html?CreateFileFailure.

The implication is that TI does not use the method I described.

If the program reports 0 bytes when you hit the Read File button, then that's what's there. The program just reads the byte stream.

I would expect that if you look at the file size for the file in the mounted TI volume, you will also see the size as 0 bytes.