There are so many users who back up their data using the NTBackup Tool in Windows XP, then clean install/upgrade to Windows 7 or Windows Vista and later realize that Windows 7/Vista do not include the NTBackup Tool to restore data from the .BKF archive. If you have critical data contained in a NTBackup file (.BKF) and want to restore it in Windows 7, then this article is for you.
Method 1 (Recommended): Microsoft has now released the Windows NT Backup Restore Utility for Windows 7 to restore data from .BKF archive. See article How to Restore .BKF Files Using Windows NT Backup Restore Utility for Windows 7 for a walkthrough.
Method 2: Using Windows XP’s NTBackup Tool to restore data
Windows XP’s NTBackup executable runs just fine in Windows Vista and Windows 7, provided that the supporting DLLs (given below) are available in the same folder where NTBackup.exe is present. The two DLL files are:
- ntmsapi.dll
- vssapi.dll
If you run NTBackup.exe without these two modules, these errors would pop-up.
After searching the web, I came across the NTBackup files which were packaged within a .cab file meant for use as Bart PE Plugin.
Restoring a .BKF File Using NTBackup
1. Download nt5backup.cab from Plugins by STSanford.
2. Extract the files inside the cabinet file to a folder of your choice.
3. Run the file NTBackup.exe from the folder.
4. NTBackup will indicate that Removable Storage service (removed in Windows Vista & Windows 7). Never mind! This is only required for tape backups. Click OK.
5. In the Welcome to Backup or Restore Wizard page, click Next
6. Select Restore files and settings, and click Next
7. Click Browse. Locate the .BKF file that you want to restore, and click OK.
8. Expand the catalog, select the files/folders you want to restore, and click Next.
9. Click the Advanced button
10. Select Alternate location from the dropdown, and mention the destination path.
Configure the restore options accordingly.
Click Next, and then click Finish.
Whew! You’ve now restored the contents of NTBackup .BKF file in Windows 7.
This procedure should work in Windows Vista, as well.
Related Posts
- How to Restore .BKF Files Using Windows NT Backup Restore Utility for Windows 7
- Windows NT Backup Restore Utility for Windows 7 Is Now Available
- How to Schedule a System State Backup in Windows XP Using NTBackup
- How to Update the Repair Folder in Windows XP Using NTBackup
- Restore Previous Versions of Registry Hives From System Restore Snapshots in Windows 7/Vista
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Just what I needed! Thanks for excellent instructions =) Finally some useful help, after wasting time on Microsoft’s sites (including KB974674), among others.
Excellent – saved me hours
You’re great!, and your instructions are worth clean gold
THANKS!!! your explanation is excellent!
I spent hours to look for a way to restore my XP data on the new Win7 PC, and to download the original KB974674, and to look for answers why that did not work, and to try and create a “EasyTransfer File” (forget it, that needs days for larger data!). Finally I found this thread and now, after some minutes, my data are rolling from the old to the new PC :-)
Why does not Microsoft give a link to this thread?
thanks this worked great. Had to resotre a xp backup on win7. Spent a good few hours until I found this. Apreciate all the detail
Else you can run ntbackup.exe in the “XP mode” in windows 7, and restore files from there.
I did this:
Press the right key on your mouse on the file ntbackup.exe
and choose properties,
and then compability,
and there you check the “Run this program in compability mode” or something like that, and choose Windows XP service pack 3
now you don’t need to copy the dll-files into windows 7, it should run in windows 7 now.
I use this program to backup, couse windows 7 built in backup just sucks, it takes forever to do a backup
Nice one mate! You’re a life saver!
Gary – UK
This helped me a lot, thank you.
Thank you so much, I thought my backup was lost. I tried to install all those fixes MS provided and it wouln’t do.I set up a virtual machine, but that said, the backup was corrupt. Now I followed your advice and it worked. I am so happy. Thanks a lot.
Camilla