A disk failure on my machine running Windows 7 meant I lost all the data on it. Fortunately I used the Backup and Restore facility built into Windows 7 to make a backup of all my data. I have now re-installed Windows & onto a new machine and am tring to recover my data from the backup, which is located on a NAS device. I opened the backup and restore utility, which states in the Restore section 'Windows could not find a backup for this computer'. I therefore selected the option below this 'Select another backup to restore files from'. The list of available backups is empty, so I selected 'Browse network location', then 'Browse', found and selected the folder containing my backup. When I click Next, I get the following error: Windows was not able to load the selected backup for the following reason: A valid backup does not exist at the specified location. Choose a different location. (0x810000F2) Verify that this location is valid and try again, or consider choosing a different backup. I know the data is there, and valid, because I can browse to it, and see all the backup files. I can even extract data from the backup zip files. I thought it might be a permissions problem, but I checked, and SYSTEM and my user account have full control. Any ideas?

Did you create a system image or only a file backup? Did you move the backup file location on the NAS after it was created? Have you tried the restore utility by booting to the installation dvd and selecting repair option? This is the only thread I could find related to permissions causing the error: http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/w7performance/thread/b7a10f5e-a16b-4534-984e-6d4034661df9

Did you create a system image or only a file backup? I created both, and I can see both in their separate folders, one called 'WindowsImageBackup' and the other folder the same as my computer name. If I try restoring anything from the WindowsImageBackup folder I get this error: "Windows was not able to find any backup sets on \\MyNASName\share\backup\WindowsImageBack\CompName. Please select a different location." Did you move the backup file location on the NAS after it was created? No, it is still in the original location it was created in, there is also a copy on my C Drive. I get the same error no matter which I try to use. Have you tried the restore utility by booting to the installation dvd and selecting repair option? No. Does this allow me to restore individual files from a backup? If it does, I will give it a go. Nick

Since the OS is now different from when the backup was created, you need to open backup and restore, then at the bottom center, in the blue letters, select another backup to restore files from, supply the password if necessary, then select the date range in the backup period you wish to restore from, and follow the wizard.

This does not work, as I said in my original post "I opened the backup and restore utility, which states in the Restore section 'Windows could not find a backup for this computer'. I therefore selected the option below this 'Select another backup to restore files from'." and it fails with the error message when I try to continue. I contacted Microsoft, who said this error was caused by corrupt catalog files and I will have restore the data from the individual zip files within the backup. As there are 767 zip files, this is going to take some time! I only created the backup a week before I needed to use it. I will not be relying on Microsft's backup again!

I had the same restore problem and error message. My workaround that restored all of the files was to download WINRAR and tag all of the zip files in the backup for extraction. In a few minutes they were all unzipped into the original tree file structure (but not into the current directories on the C drive). I then simply dragged and dropped the restored files back into the proper directory. Worked like a champ, in minutes, and all of my important work files, Outlook PST, etc. were back where they belong. I deleted the files I didn't need, but saved the troublesome backup file anyway should I need it in the future. Hope this helps... worked for me. John