Windows 10: How to open manually created backup files?

So my Windows broke down 2 days ago. I don't know how nor why, but the computer wouldn't boot, and I had important files on it. I decided the best thing to do would be to use the backup function the OS provided when I booted from a memory stick, which I then proceeded to do. I've now got roughly 1TB in compressed files on my external hard drive that I now have no idea how to either open or even use, for that matter. The file format is completely new to me, and all of the decompression programs that I know of is not able to do the job. What do I do?


Picture of the top of the folder with the archived files




Thanks in advance

:)

 

Backup files

Hello,

Thank you for posting your concern in Microsoft community and welcome to the Windows 10 Family.

When you create a backup using Windows Backup, you should use the Restore Files wizard to restore the files. If you can't use the Restore Files wizard (for example, when you're using a computer that’s not running the current operating syatem) you can manually
extract files from a backup by following these steps:

• Open the location where your backup is saved.
  
  Note: The files in your backup are saved as zip files.
• Right-click the backup file (a file with the Windows Backup icon and the name of your computer), and then click
  Open.

To manually extract files that are larger than 200 MBs



If a file is larger than 200 MBs, it will be split into multiple zip files. You will need to extract and then combine these files following these steps:

• Open the location where your backup is saved.
• Find the zip files that contain the file you want to extract. For example, if you're trying to extract a video file named
  My video, you would find the zip files that contain files with that name.
  
• Create a folder on your desktop to extract the files to.

Since the files all have the same name, you'll need to rename them as you extract them.

• Extract the first file into the folder you created on your desktop and then rename the file.
  

Repeat the below steps until you have extracted all of the files, making sure that you name them similarly. For example, if you have four files for the
My video video, name them My video1, My video2,
My video3, and My video4.

• Open the Command Prompt window by clicking the Start button. In the search box, type
  Command Prompt, and then, in the list of results, click
  Command Prompt.
• Type the following command: copy /b filename*.file_extension new_filename.file_extension
  
  For example, copy /b My video*.avi
  My videoAll.avi

Hope the above information is helpful. If you need further information, feel free to write to us and we woudl be happy to help you.

Thank you.

 

Backup using file history

Thanks Robeline

I was going by other advice and articles that suggest that backing up under Update and security/backup is now the way to go. I will try your suggestion.

Doug

 

Backup using file history

Hi Doug,

There are limited options when using backup and restore. We suggest that you create a full backup using Windows 10 system image tool, you need to connect external storage with enough available space. See steps below:

• Open Control Panel.
• Click on System and Security.
• Click on Backup and Restore (Windows 7).
• On the left pane, click the Create a system image link.
• Under Where do you want to save the backup?, select the
  On a hard disk option.
• Using the "On a hard disk" drop-down menu, select the storage to save the backup.
• Click the Start backup button.

Note: Once you completed the steps, the wizard will proceed to create a full backup of your system, including everything that is stored on the main drive, as well as the system reserved partition.