Restoring Files

If disaster strikes and you lose valuable files, you can restore your files from your backups.

RememberBefore restoring files, make sure they're really gone. Backup files tend to be older than the originals, and you usually don't want to replace a new file with an older version. Windows will warn you if you're about to replace a file with a file of the same name and ask you to confirm.

To restore folders or files from your backups, here's what you do:

1. Click Start, All Programs, Maintenance, Backup and Restore.
2. Click Restore my files. The Restore Files dialog box appears.
3. Click one of the following options:
   • Search, to search your backups for specific files and folders.
   • Browse for files, to selectively restore specific files within one or more folders.
   • Browse for folders, to selectively restore one or more folders and their entire contents.
4. Follow the onscreen cues to find and select the file(s) and/or folder(s) you want to restore and add them to the list of items you want restored.
5. (Optional) Repeat Steps 3 and 4 to select additional files and folders.
6. Click Next. Windows prompts you to choose the location where you want to restore the items.
7. Click In the original location or choose In the following location, and then click the Browse button and choose the disk drive and folder in which to restore the items.
8. Click Restore.