Got a new computer. Set it all up and transferred files from one older computer via Windoes Transfer and ran a backup on the new computer. Now I want to restore files from another non-working computer. Its backup file is also N360.
I cannot select the older file from the dead computer - N360 only sees the backup files from my new computer.
So how do I get at the files in the old backup ?
TIA,
Walt, Sausalito, CA
(New forum member)
Unfortunately, the arestore.exe from the old computer must have got over-written when I did a backup for the new computer. I just never realized that I needed to protect that file.
Gues I am out of luck ?
Walt
Got a new computer. Set it all up and transferred files from one older computer via Windoes Transfer and ran a backup on the new computer. Now I want to restore files from another non-working computer. Its backup file is also N360.
I cannot select the older file from the dead computer - N360 only sees the backup files from my new computer.
So how do I get at the files in the old backup ?
TIA,
Walt, Sausalito, CA
(New forum member)
More specifically, it looks like the backup creates a file in a N360 subdirectory, but creates the restore.exe in the root. That seem to me to be a problem. Why not create the restore file in the same N360 directory as the backup file. That way, a single external drive can be used to backup more than one computer. I did rename the N360 directory for the old computer so it did not get over-written by the backup for the new computer, but missed saving the old restore.exe file, as I previously wrote.
Walt
Walt,
You should still be able to get where you need to go, by searching for arestore.exe (arestore.loc will be found in the same location) on your new system, and copying them from there to the root directory of your backup drive to run. Sorry if I wasn't sufficiently clear about this in my original posting.
Let me know if you have any other questions or concerns. I'm just getting ready to leave the office now, and should be able to monitor this forum for the rest of the evening.
OK - I got it to work. I renamed the N360 directory to new_n360 and renamed the old backup folder from old_N360 to N360 and got most of my files back. As I said, I had both backups on a single external drive - N360 folder for ther new computer and a second folder old_N360 for the old computer. arestore files in the root of the external drive.
But I had an old graphics software on the old computer whose file extensions are .drw. Never got those back. I don't even know if N360 would have backed those up ? Any idea on how I might get those .drw files back - perhaps if I installed the old software on this new computer ?
Walt
Excellent--glad you were able to recover most of your files. I'm a little unclear exactly what that means--did you get an error on certain files that suggests their backup was corrupted? Or are you just unclear on whether you had actually backed them up in the first place?
Norton 360 is not a whole-hard-disk backup program like Norton Ghost: it just provides an easy, integrated way for ordinary people to back up the kinds of data files they typically care about, that would otherwise be lost in the event of a computer disaster. To make it easy on users with little computer expertise, it identifies these file types by the "extensions" commonly associated with "Pictures, Music, Financial Files, Video, Office Documents, E-mail, Contacts, Internet Favorites," and, if you specify them by selecting them manually, "Other File Types." Even a couple of the common file types listed, like e-mail, may be turned off by default because they are usually stored (and backed up) remotely by your provider. So more than likely, if the .drw files are associated with an outdated program, they were never backed up in the first place unless you manually included them. Of course, you could look for them in your backup to make sure--but unless they were graphics that came with the old software (in which case you could get them back by reinstalling it), they are probably lost.
Tx for the extensive response. I must say, I am very disappointed. Norton is expensive with a near $70/year ongoing licence fee. When I set Backup to backup my "My Documents" folder, I expected the default to save every file. So, I have learned the hard way by losing my e-mails (servers do not store every e-mail for ever - don't know how long) - did not realize that was ommited in the default - and now my drw files.
I have been a faithful Norton user for years - get the 3-computer subscription each year, but honestly, it has failed me in my twice hour of need !
Tx for the time. We can close this thread.
Please don't blame Norton for this--when you set up your backup, you would have seen quite clearly that e-mails were unchecked in that list, and could have selected them right there had you chosen to. And you yourself noted in your previous response that the .drw files were for a program so old you weren't sure if they would have been backed up.
I'm sorry you lost some of your files, but we have to accept due responsibility for our own choices as well. Still, I do understand your frustration. 
Yeah, Yeah - all my fault :-) Live and learn. Apologies for my venting - N360 is a good solid product - just wish I had throught through things more carefully before ! I'll survive - and continue subscribing !
Tx again for all your time and patience - support attention has been very impressive.
Best, Walt
No fault--just life. LOL
We're here to help. We don't work for Symantec (unless our badges say "Symantec Employee"); we're just loyal Norton users like you (more than twenty years, for me!) who feel like we oughtta give something back, from the help we received when we were in your shoes!
Happy (and safe!) computing!
...and I do understand the venting!