Windows 7 Restore Skips Files Under AppData Folder

Topic

New Reply

Hi,

My first posting here, but I’ve been a Windows Secrets/LangaList subscriber for many years.

I’ve recently bought a new PC and installed Win 7 Home 64 Bit and when happy with the basic install of my regular apps I followed Fred’s instructions from Windows Secrets Newsletter ‘Build a complete Windows 7 safety net’.

Today I needed to restore the AppData folder from this backup, but virtually every file is skipped, so I’m wondering what’s the point of being able to backup this data if Windows then prevents me from restoring it.

I did find some information relating to having to take ownership of the AppData folder, but surely a user shouldn’t have to perform these kinds of things to restore their data, it should just work.

At the moment I don’t feel very confident of this Windows 7 Safety Net, if the data restore is flaky, can I trust the System Image?

Thanks,
Bill

Reply | Quote

Replies

Hi BeJay,

Welcome to the Lounge,

I don’t really rely on System Restore for backup of any of my files. I use System Restore as just another layer in my safety net, but only for system files. There is really no replacement for a periodic system image, although I prefer to use 3rd party apps. There are other users who use Windows 7 native imaging without issues.

Reply | Quote

Hi ruirib,

Thanks.

I must add that I’m not totally relying on this, for all my usual data needs I use Oops!Backup – Time Machine For Windows, that works extremely well & Terabyte Image for Windows/DOS for my imaging needs.

This built-in functionality to Windows 7 sounded very good according to Fred Langa so I thought I’d give it a try as I’ve always found his articles to be most trustworthy.

Reply | Quote

Hmmm… maybe there is a terminology mixup here. I went to check Fred Langa’s article to make sure I wasn’t missing anything. I may have confused a backup as described in the article, with the files previous versions, created by System Restore. Can you please let me know if you were talking about System Restore or a backup you performed using the Windows Backup tool?

Reply | Quote

You need to be aware that System Restore will save only files that have changed. If a file hasn’t changed, it won’t be backed up. I suppose this will also depend on the space available on disk.

Reply | Quote

I’m refering to the Windows 7 Backup tool that backsup both user data & performs a System Image as referenced in Windows Secrets 12th May 2011, ‘Build a complete Windows 7 safety net’.

Reply | Quote

Fred latest article (Feb 9th paid section) discusses System Restore I believe and he specifically mentions that data is excluded from System Restore and that data should be backed up seperately because of this. Here is a small excerpt from the article:

“Here’s a quick reference on System Restore:

System Restore is a largely automated process that protects your essential programs — but not your data. Its primarily task is to protect the software that does the actual work of running a PC, such as the operating system files and drivers. If something goes wrong on your PC, System Restore can put those essential files back the way they were before the problem happened.

System Restore can also monitor and protect third-party software — but only if that software follows Microsoft’s recommended setup procedures, such as installing itself through Windows’ Installer software and properly adding its data to the Registry.

System Restore generally does nothing with personal data: documents, photos, MP3s, and so on. You use standard backups or system images for those files (a point I’ll come back to in a moment).

Here’s an example: Let’s say you downloaded a bunch of photos from your camera and then installed a new photo-editing application. If the app set itself up properly (using the rules I mentioned above), System Restore should have backed up the new software — but it didn’t back up the new photos.”

As you can see from this small excerpt, System restore does not restore data if I am interpreting this correctly.

Reply | Quote

I’m refering to the Windows 7 Backup tool that backsup both user data & performs a System Image as referenced in Windows Secrets 12th May 2011, ‘Build a complete Windows 7 safety net’.

I see. I need to apologize then, because I thought you were talking about System Restore. I have never used the Windows Backup tool, since I have relied on Acronis True Image, since XP times.

I am sorry for the mixup :(.

Reply | Quote

No need to apologise, ruirib, perhaps my subject heading is confusing :huh:

Hi Ted, thanks, but I think I’ve confused you too!

This is the article I’m refering to – http://windowssecrets.com/top-story/build-a-complete-windows-7-safety-net/#story1

Reply | Quote

No, I was the one who created the confusion. Re-reading your article, both the title and the text are clear. I think the confusion lies with the fact that I remembered another of Fred’s articles where the subject were the previous versions of files created by System Restore. So it was all my fault :(.

If you do have a imaging strategy that works for you, now, I don’t think you will gain much by using Windows 7 imaging, instead.

Reply | Quote

I see, I was confused as well seeing as Fred just came out with the article about System Restore. I assumed incorrectly that is what you were referring to. I am also sorry about that but do concur with Rui. If you have an Imaging system that works for you why bother with the less than full featured Win 7 Imaging system. I tried the Win 7 Imaging system and quickly dropped it in favor of Acronis True Image Home. I enjoy the features afforded by Acronis over Win 7. Many of the 3rd party Imaging apps are excellent and should be considered along with Win 7 Backup and Restore. Try a few and see what you like best.

Reply | Quote

Thanks Ted, as I mentioned previously I’m happy with Terabyte Image For Windows, just haven’t installed it yet on this new PC, and thought I’d try out the Win 7 tools.

I would still like to know why the user data backup side of the tool refuses to restore the AppData files – kinda defeats the object of it.

Reply | Quote

Microsoft had no real answer 15 months ago:

Win7 Restore Skipped all Files under my AppData Folder

:rolleyes:

Bruce

Reply | Quote