Common restore scenarios

There are many reasons why you might want to restore copies of your backed-up files. This topic identifies several typical scenarios for restoring files and provides tips and information about each one. Use this information as a guide when creating your own restore requests in the Connected web application to ensure that you restore the files that you need.

Restore one or more deleted files

I accidentally deleted TripReport.docx from my computer and I want to restore it.

  • How-to tip. When creating the restore request, be sure to select Active and Delete Items so the web application displays deleted items in your backup set. Otherwise, deleted files are not available for selection. You can select the most recent version of a deleted file or one of its previous versions.
  • Result. When restoring files, the Agent restores the selected version of the deleted file.

Restore a specific deleted folder

I deleted my Trip folder in error and want to restore it and all of its contents.

  • How-to tip. When creating the restore request, be sure to select Active and Delete Items so the web application displays the deleted items in your backup set. Otherwise, deleted folders are not available for selection.

Replace a file with a previous version

The changes that I made to SalesReport.txt were incorrect so I want to restore the previous version of it.

  • How-to tip. When creating the restore request, be sure to view the file's history and select the version you want to restore. By default, the Agent restores the most recent version to the original location without overwriting the existing file. For a device running Agent version 4.7.0 or later, to replace the existing version with the one restored, set the request's restore option to Overwrite existing files.

  • Result. When restoring files, the Agent restores the selected version of the file to its original location and keeps the existing version unless you selected the Overwrite existing files option.

Restore several previous versions of a file

I want to analyze changes that I made to a file over time so I want to restore several previous versions of it.

  • How-to tip. When creating a restore request, be sure to view the file's history and select the versions that you want to restore. The Agent always keeps your existing file even if you choose the Overwrite existing files option for a device running an Agent version 4.7.0 or later.
  • Result. When restoring multiple file versions, the Agent does not overwrite the file currently on your computer. It restores each selected version, including its original metadata, as a new file with the name originalFileName_(backupDate).extension, where backupDate indicates when the Agent backed up that particular version. You can use the date in the file names or from each file's metadata to identify the relative order of the restored versions.

Restore files in a folder to their state as of a previous time

I want to restore files in MyProjectFolder to their state as of Friday at 8:00 a.m.

Suppose that you are creating a project using an application that saves your files to MyProjectFolder, which is a folder that the Agent backs up. As you save project changes throughout the day, the Agent backs up the modified files for protection. While reviewing your project at the end of the day, you decide that you want to take a different approach and need to restore the entire project back to its original state as of that morning.

One way that you could roll back the project to its earlier state is by restoring previous versions of its files from your current backup set. This method requires you to review the version history of each file in MyProjectFolder, one at a time, and then select an appropriate version from the morning to restore. If your project contains a large number of files, each with many versions, this can be a very time-consuming and error-prone process.

A much more efficient method to roll back your project to an earlier state is to view your backup set from a point in time earlier that morning, and then select the MyProjectFolder to restore. In this point-in-time view of your backup set, the most recent version of files in MyProjectFolder, and therefore the ones that the Agent will restore, are those that existed at the start of the day.

The following sets of files illustrate how restoring a folder to a previous state works.

Backup set view of MyProjectFolder as of Friday at 8:00 a.m.

  • ReportA.txt (version 1)
  • ReportB.txt

  • TripFolder

    • Trip1.txt
    • Trip2.txt

Current MyProjectFolder on your computer

  • ReportA.txt (version 2)
  • ReportC.docx

MyProjectFolder on your computer after you restore the MyProjectFolder from Friday at 8:00 a.m.

  • ReportA.txt (version 1)    Reverted to file version that existed at specified time.
  • ReportB.txt    Restored file that existed at the specified time but that you since deleted.
  • ReportC.docx    Existing file not affected because it was not part of the backup set at the specified time.

  • TripFolder    Restored folder and its contents that existed at the specified time but that you since deleted.

    • Trip1.txt
    • Trip2.txt
  • How-to tip. To ensure that you have selected the correct time when creating a restore request, you can view the current version of a few files from that time to verify their contents. By default, the Agent restores files to the original location without overwriting existing files. For a device running Agent version 4.7.0 or later, to replace the existing version with the one restored, set the request's restore option to Overwrite existing files.
  • Result. When restoring files, the Agent restores the files and folders present in the MyProject folder at the specified time to their state at that time. This process only reverts files on your computer to a previous state or adds files that existed at that time but you have since deleted. It does not restore deleted files or affect files on your computer that you have added since the specified time.

Restore Connected and Windows user state data onto a replacement or re-imaged computer

I replaced my computer and want to restore the Connected and Windows user state data from my old computer onto my new one.

When installing the Agent for the first time after replacing or re-imaging your computer, you have the option to migrate your existing Connected data to your new device. Selecting this option reassigns your existing backup set to the new computer so that you retain access to your files and that Connected can restore them to your new computer. If you have a Windows-based computer running Agent version 4.9.0 or later, and your backup policy allows, Connected can also automatically import a Windows user state (.mig) after restoring it. A .mig file lets you transfer certain types of personalized settings between computers, such as those for the operating system, your web browsers, and some applications.

NOTE: Connected supports backup, restore, and, if your backup policy allows, import of Windows user state files that either you or your administrator create. Connected does not generate these files for you.

  • Prerequisites. If you want Connected to restore Windows user state data by importing it for you, review the requirements. Typically, you restore this data as part of the process of restoring your Connected data after replacing or re-imaging your computer.

  • How-to tips. Create a restore request that contains the files you want to restore, including a Windows user state .mig file to import, if applicable. When you start the restore request, select the Import Windows user state option and the .mig file to import.

  • Result. The more files the request contains, the longer it takes to restore them. Connected restores files regardless of whether your new computer has the same drives as your old one. If the original drive or volume does not exist, the Agent restores files to C:\From missingDriveName drive on Windows-based computers or (User's Documents Folder)/From missingDriveName volume on macOS-based ones. If you selected a .mig file to import, after the Agent finishes restoring your Connected data, it imports your Windows user state data by importing the selected .mig file using USMT.

    NOTE: For some of your user state settings to take affect after import, you must log out and then back in to your computer. This typically applies to display-related items, such as fonts, desktop backgrounds, and screen-saver settings.

    For more information about the restore process, including how to monitor its progress and why Connected might not restore a particular file, see Restore FAQ.

Restore files that Connected failed to restore in a previous request

An issue that prevented Connected from restoring files is now resolved so I want to try restoring those files again.

  • How-to tip. Although you can run a restore request only once, you can quickly create a new request from files in an existing one. To do so, while viewing the details of a specific request, select the files you want to restore and click ADD RESTORE. You can then start the restore or leave it pending. For more details, see Create a restore request by selecting files from an existing request.