Can't retrieve backed up files from external hard drive

Hi

So my HD crashed and I had to install a new one.  No problem (I thought): I've got Norton 360 and a separate, undamaged HD which I've been using for backup.  Problem is, now that I've reinstalled Norton 360 on my new HD it doesn't see the old backed-up files on the external HD so I have no idea how to retrieve them.

 

Meanwhile, the help from Norton doesn't seem to allow for the possibility that their reinstalled software will fail to recognize older backed up files.  This can't be right -- any idea what I'm doing wrong here?

 

thanks,

J

Hi JConUK, 

 

I have the same problem as you.  Did you manage to resolve it?  I'm still trying to access my backed up data.

 

Cheers,

 

Adrian.

Hi

So my HD crashed and I had to install a new one.  No problem (I thought): I've got Norton 360 and a separate, undamaged HD which I've been using for backup.  Problem is, now that I've reinstalled Norton 360 on my new HD it doesn't see the old backed-up files on the external HD so I have no idea how to retrieve them.

 

Meanwhile, the help from Norton doesn't seem to allow for the possibility that their reinstalled software will fail to recognize older backed up files.  This can't be right -- any idea what I'm doing wrong here?

 

thanks,

J

Hi Adrian,

 

Can you try the 3rd set of steps in the following Knowledge Base article:

 

http://us.norton.com/support/kb/web_view.jsp?wv_type=public_web&docurl=v59650017_EndUserProfile_en_us

 

Restore the files from an internal drive or an external drive is the one that you need to try.

Thanks for the quick reply Vineeth.  Unfortunately I've already tried your suggestion.  I have a 500 GB external HDD that is almost completely full of Norton backup data.  However, when you go to restore the data through Norton 360 there is only one backup set to select and it is only 12.5 GB in size, way to small!  Naturally, my family are panicking because all our family photo's are on there together with a huge number of iTunes tracks for everyone.

 

Is there any way of extracting the data from the Norton backup without going down the normal route?  I don't mind even if the data is not backed up to the correct location so long as we can at least see it.

 

Cheers,

 

Adrian.

Hi, Adrian,

 

Here are the specific instructions I mentioned yesterday, courtesy of Norton employee Joel_Michel:

 

http://community.norton.com/t5/Norton-360/Portable-Restore-ARestore-exe/m-p/83138/message-uid/83138/highlight/true#U83138

 

I do note that these are very similar to the third option in the post Vineeth mentioned, so they may not be of any help either. But it sounds like maybe the corrupt catalog file issue (for which Joel_Michel provides an additional workaround) could be what's troubling you. Good luck and keep us posted!

 

JConUK, sorry for taking so long to get back to you. Have you had any success with the arestore route? I note there was a second file (arestore.loc) that I had forgotten about--and also the possibility of corruption to the catalog file that Alpinenut and others have encountered. The fix from Joel_Michel should get you where you need to go. And again, we're here to help until you're ready to click that "Accept as Solution" button--which then becomes a beacon for locating something that works, when other users encounter the same issue!

Thanks DistEd2,

 

I'll give that a try and let you know how it goes.

 

Cheers,

 

Adrian.

Adrian,

 

That's what we're here for!

 

Standing by to hear your results.

Hi DistEd2,

 

It worked!  Took ages as you indicated but it found the backup that I was looking for and we have our data back.

 

Many thanks,

 

Adrian.

Adrian,

 

SO glad to hear it. Those memories, as the MasterCard commercials used to say, are priceless!

 

Glad we could help!