# restore from FBW without .exe file



## fibur (Oct 22, 2008)

Hello,
does anyone know how restore fbw file (file of HP recovery) without file .exe? I burn backup on CD, but my CD was corrupted and I can´t open exe file, so I have only .fbw files. I have idea, that some software can open and extract .fbw files, but I don´t found anyone on the internet. PLEASE HELP ME SOMEBODY. thnx very much ray:


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## mrgautham (Dec 3, 2008)

Hello:
This is Gautham. May I know if you have found the solution for this? Please help me as I am having the same situation.ray:


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## jenae (Jun 17, 2008)

Hi, and welcome both of you to the forums, you may not have a corrupt .EXE file at all. Most likely the HP System Recovery utility creates backup files of the form backup.####.fbw where #### is a series of numbers starting at 001 and increasing. In some versions there appears to be a bug in the naming process and #### goes from 009 to 010. It should go to 0010. Each number should have two zeros in front of it. If you encounter this bug, rename backup.010.fbw to backup.0010.fbw and add a leading to zero to all subsequent numbered files. Run the EXE file in the directory with the backup and it should then restore properly. Let us know how you get on.


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## jcb_3293 (Jan 12, 2009)

i have the same peoblem but i think more complicated...
i had bacup the .fbw files in another usb harddisk but later copied it to another usb harddisk...i think i had lost the .exe files...what i have only backup.2.fbw file. in that folder which is 25 gig of pictures...is it possible to recover the pictures without .exe files??? Please help....i'm getting headache thinking this problem...


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## shaibunihar (Jan 16, 2009)

jenae said:


> Hi, and welcome both of you to the forums, you may not have a corrupt .EXE file at all. Most likely the HP System Recovery utility creates backup files of the form backup.####.fbw where #### is a series of numbers starting at 001 and increasing. In some versions there appears to be a bug in the naming process and #### goes from 009 to 010. It should go to 0010. Each number should have two zeros in front of it. If you encounter this bug, rename backup.010.fbw to backup.0010.fbw and add a leading to zero to all subsequent numbered files. Run the EXE file in the directory with the backup and it should then restore properly. Let us know how you get on.


. hi jenae nothing is been hapened even iwas doing the rename of folder...you exactly tell us how can we restore fbw file(which i have it in a external HDD) back up


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## Sam Vimes2 (Feb 10, 2009)

I have just had the same issue - a missing backup EXE file. After some effort and close examination of the structure of the backup file and the exe file I have managed to recreate the missing exe file and succesfully recover a 70gb backup.

If you still have the issue I can explain how to do this - but it is not easy and you need to be familiar with hexadecimal numbers and be able to use a hex-editor to modify the bytes in a file.

Not easy but very possible to do if you are desperate.

regards

S


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## fibur (Oct 22, 2008)

Tell me how, pls. Because I'm very desperate. This data is very important for my bussiness. Thnx very much.


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## Sam Vimes2 (Feb 10, 2009)

Yes, of course - as I explained, its an involved process so please give me a 2 or 3 days to document it fully for you. Once Ive documented the procedure I will make it available on the web. However, I have just reread your original post and that you have multiple FBW files - my solution was is only tested on a backup consisting of one FBW file, whether it will work on multiple files I dont know.


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## Sam Vimes2 (Feb 10, 2009)

Ive attached to this posting a word document that describes how I recovered from my lost exe file.

I dont know how or if this will work with multiple backup volumes ( I only had one file ) but I would be *very interested* to learn if it helps anyone else that has the same problem.


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## bdwatkins2001 (Apr 18, 2009)

To sam

I arad your procedure

I ran the "emergency tool.exe" and the analasys claimed 0 files found

I looked in the log TXT file and it said

[2009-04-18 14:39:14] *** ERROR *** : ReadBlock() : the uncompressed block is too big (-1198497692 bytes). GetLastError() Returned : The operation completed successfully.

there were thousands of errors like that I tried attaching the TXT file to this post but it is too large


please help

thanks in advance


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## jcgriff2 (Sep 30, 2007)

I have an HP and tested this quite a while ago and simply could not get the restore to work.

HP avoids all inquiries on this matter, they know there are major problems with it, yet they continue to put this garbage backup app into their systems that an unsuspecting and trusting public uses.

HP should be taken out and shot at dawn for this screw-up, not to mention others problems that they continuously ignore -- like the installation of Norton Internet Security on most new systems.

jcgriff2

.


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## bdwatkins2001 (Apr 18, 2009)

jcgriff2 is right

HP should be taken out and shot at dawn for this screw-up, not to mention others problems that they continuously ignore -- like the installation of Norton Internet Security on most new systems.

use a large caliber weapon for the execution though


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## Sam Vimes2 (Feb 10, 2009)

To bdwatkins2001

Hi,

Unfortunately I am not an expert on the recovery software and I only know what I managed to work out and placed in the document I supplied.

I am sorry but I have no further answers to offer regarding your symptoms.

Sam.


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## jcgriff2 (Sep 30, 2007)

Hi - 

I thank you for your input on this. Just because I lost patience during the many tests that I performed and failed, doesn't mean that it cannot be done. Believe me, I am not the final authority on this. If you have found something that works or has a remote chance of working, please let us know. After all, I am not the one who lost 20 years of pictures or important business documents.

For additional information, take a look through this thread that started 1.5 years ago on this same subject and involves another MS Support Staff member *OldGrayGary*, who without a doubt is one of the best trouble-shooters in the business. I cannot of course speak for Gary, but I have a feeling we share sentiments on HPs lack of care in this matter.

http://www.techsupportforum.com/mic...port/190926-how-read-back-up-files-vista.html

Regards. . .

jcgriff2

.


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## Sam Vimes2 (Feb 10, 2009)

jcgriff2 said:


> If you have found something that works or has a remote chance of working, please let us know.
> .


Not sure who the above request is aimed at as I attached a document to an earlier posting I made in this thread that documented what I discovered regarding the structure of the backup files ( in my case just two files as I had backed up to hard disk ) - specifically it was how to recover from a lost exe file, it maybe that the information I documented can be used by others to help recover their files.

Whats in the document represents a couple of days work and experimentation until I got my backup to restore. I really dont have any more information or knowledge to add on top of that in the document ( which in itself is something I havent seen anywhere else ).

Clearly there are several different issues - in my case it was a lost exe file.

Sorry,

Sam


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## jcgriff2 (Sep 30, 2007)

Hi Sam - 

My comments regarding posting of potential solutions was not directed to you or anyone else in particular. My apologies if taken as a directive to do so.

I did read the Word document that you attached and am glad that it worked for you (I am listing it again at end of this post), but unfortunately it does not work for everyone.

That is the reason that I requested anyone with information on solutions to feel free to post. Hopefully your solution and solutions posted by others will work for someone else that comes upon this thread.

Thank you for your contribution.

Solution as posted by TSF member *Sam Vimes2* - http://www.techsupportforum.com/att...321-restore-fbw-without-exe-file-recovery.doc

The other TSF Vista thread worked by TSF MS Support Staff Member *OldGrayGary* - http://www.techsupportforum.com....s-vista.html

Regards. . .

jcgriff2

p.s. - I liked the HEX conversion !

.


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## bdwatkins2001 (Apr 18, 2009)

thanks Sam


If you can think of anything else I will be glad to try it

I have put all files onto DVD and will NOT give up on getting my data back 

I can tell the procedure took a lot of time and I would advise anyone with expertise in this subject to use your procedure as a starting point
ray:ray::wave::wave:


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## Sam Vimes2 (Feb 10, 2009)

No problem, all I can say is that it worked for me.

Just one thought that came to mind - from what I saw the recover program will try to use the EXE file if it is present. If the EXE file is incorrect then the recovery program will just spit out more incorrect answers. For the recovery program to scan the actual backup file the EXE file must not be present. Make sure this is the case. I gather from your reference to "all files onto DVD" that you have multiple files - I only had the EXE and one Backupfile as it was a USB drive backup. I dont know how it will deal with multiple backup files - unless backupfile 1 has some pointer to backupfile 2 and so on.

From what Ive seen in my case ( which was simply the loss of the EXE file - it had become infected by a virus and the antivirus s/w deleted it! ) and from reading other people problems I suspect the backup files themselves are intact and its only the exe header that is screwed up. Might be wrong but thats how it appears to me.

Good luck - and feel free to ask if there is anything you think I may be able to help with based on my work, although I reverted to XP and no longer have the HP software installed so Im limited in what I can test.


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## AlexJacobson (Dec 4, 2009)

Here is a new solution: http://www.initechsolutions.org/articles/hp_backup_and_restore_fixer


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## yojoe23 (Jul 2, 2010)

AJ, Thanks for posting the link to the FBW extractor. It was far easier to use than the ERT tools. --JF


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## AlexJacobson (Dec 4, 2009)

Glad I could help.


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