Can a File recovery be done without its folder structure

I find that the most frequent use for a backup is to recover a single file that I messed up and saved over the original. However, sometimes I don't want to recover the file to its original location. Using the ATI file recovery process to a different location its folder structure is always included. So, I have to drill down to get to the file then delete the folder structure. Is there any way to recover a file without its folder location as well.

 

I'd also like an answer to this question. Even when restoring a file to its original location, the folder structure is included. For example, restoring file C:\*.* to C:\ results in C:\C:\*.*

 

I use Explorerto find the required file in an archive. It is then easy to copy it to where you wish. I have never bothered to use the file recovery process for the reasons you gave.
If you store your images in a secure zone or if you are using earlier versions of TI it is necessary to mount the archive before using explorer.

Xpilot

 

Thanks XPilot. It never occurred to me to simply open (explore) the backup files. Works easily.

 

XPilot, are you saying that Windows Explorer can open a .tib archive? How do you get it to do that?

 

Good question Ralphie.

And does it work on both file backups and image backups? (From two of us who haven't upgraded to TI 10 yet.

 

If you have Version 10 on board open My Computer, find the drive which contains the .tib archive and explore it just like any other drive. Copy and paste to your heart's content.
As well as images made with Version 10 any images that I made with previous versions can be searched in the same way.

For archives stored in a secure zone it is necessary to mount/plug it to become a virtual drive. This can then be explored just like any real drive. This process also works for all previous versions of TI, at least back to version 8 from my own experience.

As you probably know I like to do things the easy way and am extremely risk averse. So I much prefer the explore/copy/paste method of retrieving data from archives. One remains in complete control and nothing gets overwritten unless it is intended that this should happen.

NB. All of the above applies to partition/drive or whole disk images. I cannot say if file and folders backups can be examined in the same way and I have no intention of even going there


Xpilot

 

While I do use version 9, the procedure isn't much more complicated. I find a .tib file (R-click/Plug) and then move about the archive in Explorer with ease. I also prefer copy/paste over restore.

I was disappointed to find out that I can't explore a files-only-archive in TI9. Only one choice to see the innards... Restore. (In this respect, Winrar might be more practical for my files only backups.)

 

Well you could knock me over with a feather ... at last, something in Ver 10 that I might just find useful. Tell me ... is this feature - and to me quite a useful one - advertised anywhere?

Doesn't work for me in version 9/3677 ... just tried it. Windows doesn't know what program to use to open it. I even tried telling it to use windows explorer.

 

Incidentally, in my version of 9, build 2337, Windows DOES KNOW what to do with the file - it opens it right up in TI. For a full archive, the default prompt would be to plug whereas for files-only it is to restore. Version 10 on the other hand makes exploring full archives seamless.

 

Ahhhh ... it opens the .tib file in TI .... we're talking about opening it up in Windows Explorer.

 

Using version 9, I just mount the .tib file and then use windows explorer to copy files from the mounted drive to wherevere I want to restore it - pretty starightforward procedure.

 

I know that's what we're talking about. I wanted to point out that Windows does know what to do with the file. Yes, there's one little extra step in version 9 before you can open the archive in Explorer. I suppose in version 10 - you simply open in Explorer directly. Nice feature. But not enough for me to leave version 9.0.0.2337.

 

Thanks Xpilot. That is a great feature.

Now, any ver. 10 user who does File backups, can you explore File backups in TI 10 Home?

 

In ATI Home 10 you can use windows explorer to see the file level contents of either a full partition/disc backup or selected file backups. If there is both a full bakcup and additional incremental or differential backups to it you are presented with the series of "slice"s to look at. This gives you the ability to grab files at any point in a sucession of incremental/differential backup times.

For example, your full backup on Thurs Feb 1, 2007 might be named:
2007_02_01_04_00_08_910D.TIB.
If you create say an incremental backup to this full backup on a daily basis then you can select say the file status on Thursday, Feb 8, 2007 named by Acronis as:
Slice Thu, Feb 08 07 04:00:08.
Acronis creats similar names for each successive incremental backup.

This is how it works using a managed location for the backups. I expect it would be similar for an un-managed location as well but I haven't tried it.

 

Additional bonus feature with TI10***

I just noticed (as did the other posters here) that you are able to easily explore a .tib file with TI10, having recently upgraded from TI9. Not only is this very convenient, but it also allows you to explore partitions that are created by other filesystems like ReiserFS and ext2/3!

Before with TI9 you could not mount a linux ext3 partition from a .tib file in Windows. So there was no way to see the contents or to copy one or more files out of the backup image. But with TI10 I can now explore through non-Windows partitions and see the contents, copy the files, etc. This is a really handy feature. Glad I upgraded!

 

Thanks Mike. That's great.

 

I keep multiple backups of critcal data files. I'm more concerned about something, such as a virus, that disables the computer. In such an event, I want to be able to boot from the True Image 10 rescue CD, select "Restore disks or partitions" and get my operating system working. Assuming I have a valid image, will this return my system to pre-crash status?

 

That's how things should work. If you backup your disc/partition and if something happens that prevents you from booting up your PC you can use an Acronis rescue disc to boot from and recover. Note that your PC's settings must be set to look for a system disc first in it's boot sequence. If you suspect the 0 track or Master Boot Record (MBR) may be corrupt you can recover these at the same time.

I suggest you test the Acronis rescue CD with a backup by recovering a single test file. Also you should select the verify option when making any backup. And another thing, beware - the disc letter assignments may differ from what you are used to under windows. Make sure you have the correct disc.

The recovery can take a lot of time. If you make a BartPE recovery disc with an Acronis plug in things can be a lot faster. See other threads on this forum for instructions on how to create one.

 

Hello everyone,

Thank you for choosing Acronis Disk Backup Software.

We are sorry for the delayed response.

Please notice that, as described in chapter 12 "Exploring archives and mounting images" of Acronis True Image 10.0 Home User's Guide, you can explore both file-based backups and disk/partition images, and mount only disk/partition images.

Thank you.
--
Marat Setdikov

 

Hello JeffTI10,

Thank you for choosing Acronis Disk Backup Software.

We are sorry for the delayed response.

Please notice that in order to perform a full system restore you need to create images of your whole drive (using "My Computer" backup option), not the file-based backups (using "My Data" backup option).
After restoring the whole drive it will be in the exactly same state it was at the moment of image creation.


Thank you.
--
Marat Setdikov