Recover win 7 backup from stolen laptop onto win 8 laptop

JohnSV

New Member
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4
Is there a way to do this? Don't think my OS was backed up since I was using the Home Premium version, but any recovery of files data and/or GNU licensed programs will be extremely helpful.

My camper van was broken into and the OEM support disks are gone as well. Used the standard MS back up procedure on an external usb disk drive. The latter is back home, which I could FedEx to where I'm staying for the winter.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 8
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Toshiba/C55-A
    Memory
    6 Gig
    Browser
    Firefox
I tried, I had a Windows 7 Easy Transfer set that I tied to re-install into 8 (Not 8.1) and that failed. But you have to HAVE the easy Transfer backup file.

You would have to wipe your Windows 8 computer and re-install Windows 7 and use the Easy Transfer in that. I don't think it is version-specific, so if you have Pro or Ultimate it may work with a backup set from Home Premium. Not sure though, you can always try it.

Sorry you got hit, man, if you got your laptop S/N run it by all pawn shops in the area, thats where it will likely show up.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro with Media Center/Windows 7
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus M2N-MX SE Plus § DualCore AMD Athlon 64 X2, 2300 MHz (11.5 x 200) 4400+ § Corsair Value Select
    CPU
    AMD 4400+/4200+
    Motherboard
    Asus M2N-MX SE Plus/Asus A8M2N-LA (NodusM)
    Memory
    2 GB/3GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce 8400 GS/GeForce 210
    Sound Card
    nVIDIA GT218 - High Definition Audio Controller
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Hitachi 40" LCD HDTV
    Screen Resolution
    "1842 x 1036"
    Hard Drives
    WDC WD50 00AAKS-007AA SCSI Disk Device
    ST1000DL 002-9TT153 SCSI Disk Device
    WDC WD3200AAJB-00J3A0 ATA Device
    WDC WD32 WD-WCAPZ2942630 USB Device
    WD My Book 1140 USB Device
    PSU
    Works 550w
    Case
    MSI "M-Box"
    Cooling
    Water Cooled
    Keyboard
    Dell Keyboard
    Mouse
    Microsoft Intellimouse
    Internet Speed
    Cable Medium Speed
    Browser
    Chrome/IE 10
    Antivirus
    Eset NOD32 6.x/Win Defend
    Other Info
    Recently lost my Windows 8 on my main PC, had to go back to Windows 7.
If your Win7 backup is an image and you only want to recover the user files, you can mount the image VHD and copy the files from there.

If it is a complete OS image, you could also restore that image. But then you lose Win8.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Vista and Win7
    System Manufacturer/Model
    2xHP, 2xGateway, 1xDell, 1xSony
    Hard Drives
    5 SSDs and 12 HDs
It would depend on the format of the backup file - An 'Easy Transfer" file runs it's own executable though, and that exe is incompatible with Win 8.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro with Media Center/Windows 7
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus M2N-MX SE Plus § DualCore AMD Athlon 64 X2, 2300 MHz (11.5 x 200) 4400+ § Corsair Value Select
    CPU
    AMD 4400+/4200+
    Motherboard
    Asus M2N-MX SE Plus/Asus A8M2N-LA (NodusM)
    Memory
    2 GB/3GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce 8400 GS/GeForce 210
    Sound Card
    nVIDIA GT218 - High Definition Audio Controller
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Hitachi 40" LCD HDTV
    Screen Resolution
    "1842 x 1036"
    Hard Drives
    WDC WD50 00AAKS-007AA SCSI Disk Device
    ST1000DL 002-9TT153 SCSI Disk Device
    WDC WD3200AAJB-00J3A0 ATA Device
    WDC WD32 WD-WCAPZ2942630 USB Device
    WD My Book 1140 USB Device
    PSU
    Works 550w
    Case
    MSI "M-Box"
    Cooling
    Water Cooled
    Keyboard
    Dell Keyboard
    Mouse
    Microsoft Intellimouse
    Internet Speed
    Cable Medium Speed
    Browser
    Chrome/IE 10
    Antivirus
    Eset NOD32 6.x/Win Defend
    Other Info
    Recently lost my Windows 8 on my main PC, had to go back to Windows 7.
Thanks both for replying so quickly. I have neither an "easy transfer" file nor an image, just what I assume is an encrypted original backup file with 3-4 incremental updates made over the past year or so. So the info is all there, but only MS may know how to decrypt it all. If I go the vhd route, I assume I'll have to purchase a win 7 licence? What about pre-partitioning the vhd? Will the back up do this for me?

My Win 8 version number is 6.2.9200
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 8
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Toshiba/C55-A
    Memory
    6 Gig
    Browser
    Firefox
Thanks theog,

So the encryption method is known by 7-zip? I'll try this once I get the drive shipped to me, and will let the forum know the result.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 8
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Toshiba/C55-A
    Memory
    6 Gig
    Browser
    Firefox
If 7-Zip opens the file, you may be able to figure out how to restore it. I'm not clear on exactly what kind of backup it is- Windows 7 had a few different backup options, Windows 7 File Recovery, Windows Easy Transfer (which is also in 8, but can't be used for 7 archives) and also a backup system, I'll have to boot to Windows 7 to look at it, see what format the backup is in.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro with Media Center/Windows 7
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus M2N-MX SE Plus § DualCore AMD Athlon 64 X2, 2300 MHz (11.5 x 200) 4400+ § Corsair Value Select
    CPU
    AMD 4400+/4200+
    Motherboard
    Asus M2N-MX SE Plus/Asus A8M2N-LA (NodusM)
    Memory
    2 GB/3GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce 8400 GS/GeForce 210
    Sound Card
    nVIDIA GT218 - High Definition Audio Controller
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Hitachi 40" LCD HDTV
    Screen Resolution
    "1842 x 1036"
    Hard Drives
    WDC WD50 00AAKS-007AA SCSI Disk Device
    ST1000DL 002-9TT153 SCSI Disk Device
    WDC WD3200AAJB-00J3A0 ATA Device
    WDC WD32 WD-WCAPZ2942630 USB Device
    WD My Book 1140 USB Device
    PSU
    Works 550w
    Case
    MSI "M-Box"
    Cooling
    Water Cooled
    Keyboard
    Dell Keyboard
    Mouse
    Microsoft Intellimouse
    Internet Speed
    Cable Medium Speed
    Browser
    Chrome/IE 10
    Antivirus
    Eset NOD32 6.x/Win Defend
    Other Info
    Recently lost my Windows 8 on my main PC, had to go back to Windows 7.
Still haven't got the drive with the backups sent to me, but I'd like to recover everything that's on it. So opening the backup files with 7-zip just to grab the odd data file is going to be pretty well useless. Instead if any (potentially) large enough Win 7 image will restore my drives regardless of mismatched hardware specs, and get me my old system back, I'll bite the bullet and buy one. Then I'll set up a VHD with it and take it from there. Unless of course recovery within Win 8 is a possibility also. Haven't heard anything to that effect though.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 8
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Toshiba/C55-A
    Memory
    6 Gig
    Browser
    Firefox
If your Win7 backup is an image and you only want to recover the user files, you can mount the image VHD and copy the files from there.

If it is a complete OS image, you could also restore that image. But then you lose Win8.

Could he create a second partition on his hard drive and put it there? I know the older OS needs to be installed first for booting, but if he could get it onto his hard drive, it may be possible to copy the data?

Just a WAG, but only the Shadow knows . . . Oops, dated myself. :)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP Pavilion 500-056
    CPU
    AMD Elite Quad-Core A8-6500
    Memory
    8 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    AMD Radeon HD 8570D
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Acer 23"
    Screen Resolution
    1920 X 1080
    Hard Drives
    1 TB
    Keyboard
    Logitech Wave K350
    Mouse
    Logitech M510
    Internet Speed
    Fast
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
If your Win7 backup is an image and you only want to recover the user files, you can mount the image VHD and copy the files from there.

If it is a complete OS image, you could also restore that image. But then you lose Win8.

Could he create a second partition on his hard drive and put it there? I know the older OS needs to be installed first for booting, but if he could get it onto his hard drive, it may be possible to copy the data?

Just a WAG, but only the Shadow knows . . . Oops, dated myself. :)
Yeah, he could do that. Then he gets a double boot situation. But that's an overkill for only recovering files. Mounting the VHD is a lot easier.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Vista and Win7
    System Manufacturer/Model
    2xHP, 2xGateway, 1xDell, 1xSony
    Hard Drives
    5 SSDs and 12 HDs
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