Restore files from back up DVD need help?

Have Toshiba notebook using Vista Basic OS. Was having problems, got pop up that told me to back up my hard drive as there was a problem. I did back it up to DVD. It was under warranty, contacted service, sent notebook and hard drive was replaced. I can not restore my files from the DVD, last message I got was referring to I needed to have Administrator permisson, who is the admistrator? I tried a few times, that message has not come up again, but still can not restore. I tried Run D:\ , that did not work. I see my back up when I check the DVD. Please help, all my work is on it. I need my research files and contacts etc.
To top it off, had phone problems, sometimes no connection, so decided to switch to Cable, had modem etc, just had not made the change, I hookded it up and all went fine, so now have access to internet and my yahoo account, will call Cable to set up an email address for Windows Mail. Am sick over the thought of losing my data.
Can anyone tell me what or how to do it. Also in searching for help on this, I saw something related to having to purchase Vista Ultimate in order to do restore, tell me this is not true?
Thanks to anyone for any help, advice, suggestions, all will be appreciated.
cebe

 

Hi, im not completly sure how you did it, since i didnt get the post quiet well ... did you use the backup thing used by windows windows ?? The windows Backup and restore ? If so, ive heard that theres a program that can decrypt the files that were backuped using windows vista backup and restore program and might help you out, hope i can help you out after answering my question !

 

Hi Mark,
Not sure what I did, old age causes me to have a memory problem. When it said back up hard drive, I got a RW-DVD and backed up the drive to that. When I got the box to return the computer for service, it said to be sure hard drive was backed up as they were not responsible for any data loss. So now I can nor remember if the warning to back up that appeared had something that I checked to back up once I had the DVD in the computer or what. i appreciate your help.
cebe

 

Hey there, well the first thing i can think of is that it must have been the windows vista backup and configuration tool. If so , press on the start menu and write down " backup and restore center " and click it, next thing you should do is select "restore files " and the steps become easy after that, if it wasnt windows vista backup and restore tool that did it, it must have been something else, when u enter the DVD on which the files were written, do you see alot of files with unknown formats ?

 

And btw , the windows ultimate thing is completly not true.

 

Hi Mark,

That is what I tried and so I tried it again without any luck. I went to Toshiba Help, which is telling me to download NT also to check my system, which states it is Windows Vista Home Premium and it is 32 bit.
I thought I had Home Basic, but I can't be sure about that. Am sorry I did not respond sooner, have horrible migraine, could not concentrate and was hesitant about d/l'ding any thing without checking it out with you, could hardly see the screen, as well. Please give me your advice about the download.
Thanks for sticking with me, I appreciate it.
cebe

 

Mark, am sorry I didn't answer your question completely. All I see is one folder, says back up and date that it was done.
What do you think of the NT download?
Thanks,
cebe

 

Anyone out there with an answer as to downloading NT as the Toshiba help window tells me? I am hesitant to do so without checking with you people that know more about this than I ever will.

Thanks,
cebe

 

Sorry was offline for that long, been busy, all i can think of right now is that the DVD was made by the Toshiba recovery program that comes with your laptop, mate, just try and take it to your local IT store, they know about this more than i do, im not that experienced with the way Toshiba handles backups, and im sorry but i did not understand what the NT download is

 

Thanks Mark,
My son seems to think I need an external hard drive, which I can understnd the value of, but wonder if I can use the external drive and copy the dvd to it, then install to my newly installed hard drive. I may just call the store tech support and see what if any thing they can tell me. I too have been busy, company and so much going on around here. Have a hard time getting myself going in the morning, then seems like my day is over before it begins. By evening it is the phone ringing, baby sitting, or company. Now that the cooler weather is upon us, the pool will be closed and less traffic around. I hate winter, but think I am really looking forward to a good snowstorm, so I can just stay put and get my things done. Thanks again for your replies and your help and suggestions.
cebe

 

Do you remember anything at all about the process or steps you took to "back up" your files? Did you use some type of program? Did you just copy files to a DVD?

What are the names of some of the files and folders on the DVD?
Are you able to simply browse the contents of the DVD?
What is the type of file you're trying to open, as an example, and what, if any, error messages do you get? Be specific by stating the exact text of an error.

Buying an external hard drive isn't going to help at this point. If the files can't be read, opened, or recovered from the DVD, copying them to another location won't change anything.

I don't understand what you're posting about Toshiba and "downloading NT". Again, use the specific language and text of what you're seeing. Windows NT 4.0 is a very old operating system, and I can't imagine Toshiba's website having any reference to such an operating system in your case.

 

DoubleHelix,
Thanks for your reply, I do not remember what I did. I know that I had spoken to tech support, whoever Circuit City connected me with, as the warranty was still in effect. He tried online to get the computer working, as I was getting a black screen and at times I could see my mail, but the screen was still dark and the it was kind of hard to read. The next morning I tried again, could see a little clearer then a box popped up and told me I had a hard drive problem and to back up the hard drive. Why I chose DVD, I do not know. When I got the box to mail the PC to the tech place, it warned me to back it up, they were not going to be resposible for any lost files. They returned it to me, saying they had installed a new hard drive. From there I tried restore and it tells me there are no files to restore. I can see my hard drive back up on the disk in Drive D, but do not know what to do. I tried run and typing in D and the file name, nothing happens. I however will go thru the whole thing again tomorrow and will write down what I do, what it says etc. I believe where I found the reference to NT was on the Toshiba help page, but again I can not remember exactly. It is awful to get old, believe me. I am not a novice computer operator, I have had a computer, long before we had hard drives or internet, at one time, I would upgrade and install drives and memory etc. Now with failing memory, it is all like a foreign language to me. Some of the files I need are on my desktop, which I have not set up since moving this past year, but I did put a lot of genealogy info into this computer, that I will be losing if I can not recover it from the DVD.
I thank you for your interest in trying to help me and I will get back to you with the information I glean from trying it all over again.
cebe

 

DoubleHelix,
I went back to try things over again, put the DVD in and a screen came up and I can see a folder that is the backup in Sept. when I did it. I click on it and it, opens, click again, I believe and all the files show as compressed zipped folders. I clicked extract on my genealgy files, as they were most important. When all had finished, I could not see any files, but said something about installing, so I tried that, of course it could not find the program. I then reinstalled the original software, but I can not seem to find the files, so therefore there is no info in the program. I then get discouraged and stop. I tried again last night, seemed to take forever for a folder to extract, then when finished, I found just the info that was on the new hard drive,after installing the file to the place I chose, nothing was added to it. I know this has to sound confusing and probably has you thinking this old lady is crazy. I don't think I am, but I do confess to upset with myself and angry because my personal memory is going. I now have company for the weekend and did not want to leave this just hanging. I may have time later tonight to try it again. I know years ago we had to have an unzip disk (going way back to floppy disk days), I would assume that is all built in these days?? This screen gives choice to extract, so if I am doing that and it takes so much time, I would think it was doing just that and that I should see the file, not so. I really appreciate your interest in helping me, but I really don't want to trouble you, so please do not feel as though you have to continue.
Thanks so much,
cebe