help! restoring vista ultimate backup... without ultimate

Hi

My laptop was stolen recently.

I would like to restore a vista ultimate backup, or at least browse the files in the backup to see if anything useful is on there.

However, due to cost (and because those "extras" didn't do it for me), I'm likely to get a machine running home premium.

Is there any way of browsing the backup using the windows 7 beta? or any third party software?

Any help would be gratefully received!

 

How did you create your backups? Tried to read (explorer) the medium? The files should not be coded or anything, unless you have passworded them.

cheers ...

 

hi. thanks for replying.

I created the backup using windows restore & backup center in ultimate, my worry is that home premium doesn't have this facility!

are you saying I should just be able to use explorer regardless of the version of windows to see what's in the backup?

the only lappy I have at the mo is a G4 ibook, so I can't open the files...

 

It's most likely that the back-up doesn't belong to you (cue the - "It's mine, but from another system" post), so I don't think I'll be helping you, and I hope others consider it too before replying.

Sorry, nothing personal, I hope you understand.

 

Bearing the considerations of the poster above me in mind, I will only tell you that the complete PC backup you must be referring to is an image of the drive, not a typical backup image. Only Ultimate has that feature, and that's the long and short of it. You can not browse the image for files.

 

I don't understand.

I don't want to restore the image of the OS, I just want my files back! Photos etc.

Bad enough my system got nicked - was thankful my external drive was left - are you telling me I don't have the right to look at my own files on my own disk?

 

thanks for responding.

but windows 7 beta is an "ultimate" version - could I use THAT to browse for files?

 

That might be worse in some cases.

You do have a right to look at your own files, yes, you do. It's just that you cannot prove here that the back-up belongs to you.

The "My system got stolen/I wrote my password in a book and it got stolen" thing is so old now, even if there are some legit cases (like maybe yours), they get buried just to be on the safe side.

 

well, could you suggest a constructive way forward rather than assuming I'm dishonest?!!

it may be "old" to you, but this is a genuine problem. I have the crime number and the CAD number from the police.

how about phoning microsoft, could they help? or dell (unlikely, given the FOUR calls I had to make to report the system stolen)?

 

If you can install a trial copy of Vista Ultimate off an installation DVD, then you may be able to recover your data. I would assume that the data is locked per user account, so you will need your old login information, hence making it harder for undesirables to get into your info. You can just setup a small partition to do this, so you do not have to mess up your current system.

 

thanks - that's definitely doable, if trial versions are kicking around somewhere... I have my login info, that shouldn't be a problem.

god, the hoops that ms make us jump through!!

 

You will need an installation or upgrade DVD I believe. The first can be pricey. The second is about $10. The nice thing that it is legal to sell the media as long as it has no key information. One thing MS did for us I believe when you are installing Vista, you can opt to not input a serial and it will just limit you to a minimal time period. best of luck.

 

thanks gengerald - have a feeling much luck will be required! ms will lose me to apple if they don't stop treating users like criminals. (as if ms care)

if you're going to profit from selling OEM versions of your OS, there will always be a risk of counterfeit copies. if the cost of counterfeits gets unmanageable, stop allowing bulk oem validation!

apple have the right idea in this regard, you can treat the software you purchase as your own to a much greater degree than microsoft allows.