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HP Recommended

I have an old Hp simplesave external hard drive. I have backed up the same computer on it several times. How do I find the FIRST backup on the external hard drive. Does it save each back up or just update files that have been changed? Any help is appreciated. I fear I lost sentimental photos/videos due to not being knowledgeable. 

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Accepted Solutions
HP Recommended

@MTA11283, Welcome to HP Support Community. 

 

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you. 
Let's go through how HP SimpleSave works and the steps you can take to locate your first backup.

💾 How HP SimpleSave Works (Default Behavior)

  • Incremental Backups: HP SimpleSave performs incremental backups, meaning it backs up only new or changed files after the initial backup.
  • No Versioning: It does not keep multiple versions of the same file. If a file changes, the older version is replaced.
  • File Structure: It typically stores files in a folder named something like HPSF_Data or SimpleSave Backup.

🔍 How to Locate the First Backup

  1. Plug in the Drive: Connect the HP SimpleSave drive to your computer.
  2. Browse the Files: Open the drive and look for folders like:
    • HPSF_Data
    • SimpleSave Backup
    • A folder named after your PC's name or user account.
  3. Check Timestamps: Inside, you’ll find a folder structure organized by file type or original folder names. Use these tips:
    • Right-click any file > Properties > check the "Created" date. This will help you identify which files came from your first backup.
  4. Sort by Date: Use File Explorer’s "Details" view and sort files by:
    • Date created
    • Date modified
      The oldest files are most likely from your first backup.
  5. Look for a Log File: Sometimes the backup software leaves a log or manifest file (like .xml, .txt, or .ini). Look for files like:
    • backup.xml
    • manifest.xml
    • SimpleSave.log
      Open it with Notepad to see if it shows a backup history.

⚠️ Important Notes

  • There is no actual "first backup folder"; it simply copies files to the folder structure.
  • If a file was overwritten and you didn’t manually duplicate the backup or use file versioning software, older versions may not be recoverable.
  • If you did not delete or format the drive, your photos/videos might still be on there unless they were overwritten.

If you suspect files were lost:

  • Use recovery tools like Recuva, EaseUS Data Recovery, or PhotoRec on the HP drive. These tools may help retrieve older deleted files if they haven’t been overwritten.

I hope this helps. 

 

Take care and have a good day. 

 

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping! 

 

Max3Aj

HP Support 

View solution in original post

1 REPLY 1
HP Recommended

@MTA11283, Welcome to HP Support Community. 

 

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you. 
Let's go through how HP SimpleSave works and the steps you can take to locate your first backup.

💾 How HP SimpleSave Works (Default Behavior)

  • Incremental Backups: HP SimpleSave performs incremental backups, meaning it backs up only new or changed files after the initial backup.
  • No Versioning: It does not keep multiple versions of the same file. If a file changes, the older version is replaced.
  • File Structure: It typically stores files in a folder named something like HPSF_Data or SimpleSave Backup.

🔍 How to Locate the First Backup

  1. Plug in the Drive: Connect the HP SimpleSave drive to your computer.
  2. Browse the Files: Open the drive and look for folders like:
    • HPSF_Data
    • SimpleSave Backup
    • A folder named after your PC's name or user account.
  3. Check Timestamps: Inside, you’ll find a folder structure organized by file type or original folder names. Use these tips:
    • Right-click any file > Properties > check the "Created" date. This will help you identify which files came from your first backup.
  4. Sort by Date: Use File Explorer’s "Details" view and sort files by:
    • Date created
    • Date modified
      The oldest files are most likely from your first backup.
  5. Look for a Log File: Sometimes the backup software leaves a log or manifest file (like .xml, .txt, or .ini). Look for files like:
    • backup.xml
    • manifest.xml
    • SimpleSave.log
      Open it with Notepad to see if it shows a backup history.

⚠️ Important Notes

  • There is no actual "first backup folder"; it simply copies files to the folder structure.
  • If a file was overwritten and you didn’t manually duplicate the backup or use file versioning software, older versions may not be recoverable.
  • If you did not delete or format the drive, your photos/videos might still be on there unless they were overwritten.

If you suspect files were lost:

  • Use recovery tools like Recuva, EaseUS Data Recovery, or PhotoRec on the HP drive. These tools may help retrieve older deleted files if they haven’t been overwritten.

I hope this helps. 

 

Take care and have a good day. 

 

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping! 

 

Max3Aj

HP Support 

† The opinions expressed above are the personal opinions of the authors, not of HP. By using this site, you accept the <a href="https://www8.hp.com/us/en/terms-of-use.html" class="udrlinesmall">Terms of Use</a> and <a href="/t5/custom/page/page-id/hp.rulespage" class="udrlinesmall"> Rules of Participation</a>.