Restoring my Files that Were Backed Up Using HP Recovery Manager (Windows 10)

[Cjat]

I am having difficulty with restoring any of my Windows Files that Were Backed Up by me to my external drive (before) using HP Recovery Manager to totally repair my laptop windows after being locked out.

I was notified that the personal file backups I did were successful. 

So, after my laptop was working again, I wanted to restore all of my files back into C drive windows.

So, I followed the instructions of the FILE RESTORE of the Recovery Manager. It had a list of all my files for that restoration.

So, I chose the files that I wanted to be restored to my original C drive.

However, I cannot find the restored files in my C drive that was in the HP Recovery Manager.

These are files that I had in my backup F drive.

Note: I chose the C drive to dump all of my restored backup files to be restored again for my documents and pictures. 

[Hawks_Eye]

Hi @Cjat 

Welcome to the HP Support Community! We're here to help you get back up and running.

Thanks for explaining what happened — I can see how discouraging it must be to restore files and then not find them where you expected. 

Don’t worry, the files are not usually lost; with HP Recovery Manager, the restore process can be a bit confusing because it often places the files in a different folder path instead of directly into your original Documents or Pictures folders.

Here’s how you can track them down:

1. Check the “Restored Files” Folder

When HP Recovery Manager restores files, it usually creates a folder such as:

C:\System Recovery Files

C:\System Recovery

Or C:\User\YourUserName\Restored Files

Inside, you’ll often see subfolders for Documents, Pictures, Music, Desktop, etc.

2. Use File Explorer Search

Open File Explorer.

In the top-right search box, type the name of a file you know was in your backup (e.g., part of a filename, or *.docx if you had Word files).

This will scan the C: drive and help you locate where HP Recovery Manager placed the restored copies.

3. Look for “.wim” or “.fbw” Files (if not yet restored)

If the restore didn’t complete correctly, sometimes the backup files are still stored in compressed archives (like .wim or .fbw files) on the external drive.

If you see these files on your external F: drive, it means the Recovery Manager didn’t fully unpack them.

In that case, you can rerun HP Recovery Manager and choose Restore from backup again.

4. Manually Move Files to Your Usual Folders

Once you find the restored files, you’ll need to move them back into your standard folders:

Copy your Documents into C:\Users\YourUserName\Documents.

Copy your Pictures into C:\Users\YourUserName\Pictures.

Repeat for Desktop, Music, etc.

5. If Files Still Don’t Show

If nothing turns up, you may want to double-check on your external F: drive whether the files are still there. Sometimes the restore process copies them but leaves the originals untouched on the backup drive.

HP also has a step-by-step guide here:
HP PCs – Backing Up Your Files (Windows 10, 😎
(This includes info about both backup and restore using HP tools.)

Would you like me to guide you through checking your external drive to confirm whether the backup files are still intact there? That way, we can make sure nothing has been lost before going further.

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Take care, and have an amazing day!

Regards, 

Hawks_Eye