How do I view backed up folders/files?  

Thanks for your replies. I have a better understanding of the process. I now understand that I can't view my backed up folder/files on the NAS. I need to use Windows Explorer to view my Network>NAS>appropriate folder. Then 'Explore' the backed up folder/files and assign a drive letter. That worked but when I opened a large, important document, it opened as 'Read Only' in LibreOffice. Something about a lock file? The message said: "The lock file could not be created for exclusive access by LibreOffice, due to missing permission to create a lock file on that file location or lack of free disk space."

However, when I repeated the process ('Explored' the backup folder/file and assigned a different drive letter) I opened the same LibreOffice document and it opened without being 'Read Only'? It's these apparent inconsistancies that baffle and frustrate me. Anyhow, this could be irrelevant because of what ignatzacsonic said:

"If the "image backup" included ALL partitions on the drive in question, then the "file backup" would be redundant and therefore unnecessary. The personal files and folders would be contained in the "image backup" and would be available by a simple double click to mount the image in Windows File Explorer."

I went through the same process with the MR image backup ('Explored Image', assigned drive letter etc) and could indeed see all the users' folders and files and I viewed the same document as before (which opened not as read only, thankfully). So, although I read in 2 or 3 backup guides that I wouldn't be able to extract (if that's the correct word?) individual files from a backed up image, I actually could. So much for online backup guides!

Thanks again for your assistance - it's much appreciated.

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zebal said:

There is a "multi quote" right next to "Quote" button which is used just for that.

I may misunderstand how multi-quote works. I found it works for quoting the same person multiple times but when I added such a quote to my reply, all my previous text, and previous quotes, were removed. I may have done something stupid but I'm unaware of that. If I ever have enough time, I too will investigate.

EdTittel said:

Looks like if you have viboot enabled, you get an "Explore image" right-click option in Explorer instead. If you elect this option, it mounts the selected volumes/partitions in the backup image as a virtual disk. Also good for exploring. Just tried it out and it worked as expected.
HTH,
--Ed--

Don't completely understand but I did indeed get the 'Explore Image' option in Explorer when I viewed the MR Image but I only got the 'Explore' option when I viewed the MR Folder&File backup. TBH, if I don't need to understand viboot, virtual discs etc then I'm comfortable with that (I know a little about volumes and partitions though).

My poor old brain is overloaded with this stuff so I'm working on a 'need to know' basis. I shall stock up on a supply of Vallium in anticipation of doing a dual-boot (Ubuntu and W10) clean install this coming week. From past experience, I know I'll find the process unintuitive and frustrating because anything connected with Windows tends to throw me.

dogfonos said:

...I may misunderstand how multi-quote works.....

Zebal's instructions in post #12 are correct.

You can also manually create a quote. Type [QUOTE] (or [quote=username] ) then paste some text and end with [/QUOTE] like this:

Code:

[quote=zebal]You need to click on "multiquote" button for each person you want to quote,
 finally click on "quote" button and all multiquoted members will  be inserted into your message,
 from that point you edit quotes as you wish.[/quote]

To get...

zebal said:

You need to click on "multiquote" button for each person you want to quote,
finally click on "quote" button and all multiquoted members will be inserted into your message,
from that point you edit quotes as you wish.

Note that the Quote and Multiquote methods will notify those members that you have quoted them. A manual quote will not.

dogfonos said:

... Then 'Explore' the backed up folder/files and assign a drive letter. That worked but when I opened a large, important document, it opened as 'Read Only' in LibreOffice.

Well, firstly there is an option box to allow editing the mounted file contents:

and I have confirmed that it works (when not selected, edited files cannot be saved, when selected they can) - but note the caution that any edits will be lost on dismounting. If you want to work on a backed-up file, restore it first. It would be too complicated for Reflect to track changes inside an mrbak file - and would defeat the object of its being a repository of things 'at a certain point in time'. I have no idea why opening a second time allowed edits to be saved.

The same goes for partition images - anything you read that said you can't extract individual files was wrong - but that is what you should do: extract (and save somewhere on a normal folder not inside an image), then edit to your heart's content.

We had no way of knowing if your data files were included in your partition images, but if they are then you have a single copy of everything at one point in time. If that is enough, then you don't need file & folder backup. If, like me, you keep your 'personal' data on separate partitions, then f&f backup can be useful. In particular, I can restore the OS and installed programs (perhaps from some weeks ago) without affecting my personal data. If everything is all in one partition image file, then on restoring your personal data will revert back to what it was at the time the image was saved, and you would lose those weeks of work.

Its your choice which route you follow. I think Reflect is a marvellous program, so much so that I eventually paid up for it, having used the very capable free version for years.