# Solved: need help installing msbackup.exe



## skooze (Aug 11, 2004)

Can anyone guide me with step-by-step instructions how to install msbackup.exe (for MyBackup.qic files), specifically for OEM QuickRestor-ed ME? I found the msbexp.exe in the Microsoft archives & have downloaded it to a separate file, per their minimal instructions. I tried several DOS prompt procedures for installing that I found via other web searches, but either I am doing something wrong (likely) or maybe QuickRestored DOS isn't functioning properly.
A bit of background-- I had successfully accomplished this same feat when I had the original OEM ME, meaning I never had a disk to extract msbackup. I've had to use QuickRestore rather than the Recovery because I lost the D drive partition (long story.) I have floppies filled with projects which I cannot now open. And, oh yes, I talked with a StompSoft person to find out whether the previously recommended program "Backup My PC" would work. It won't, nor will their current version work with ME at all for newly created files...
I am at a loss, but fervently hoping that all is not lost. You good folk have bailed me out of several difficult situations already! 
Thanks, Skooze


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## Tumara (May 23, 2005)

skooze said:


> Can anyone guide me with step-by-step instructions how to install msbackup.exe (for MyBackup.qic files), specifically for OEM QuickRestor-ed ME? I found the msbexp.exe in the Microsoft archives & have downloaded it to a separate file, per their minimal instructions. I tried several DOS prompt procedures for installing that I found via other web searches, but either I am doing something wrong (likely) or maybe QuickRestored DOS isn't functioning properly.
> A bit of background-- I had successfully accomplished this same feat when I had the original OEM ME, meaning I never had a disk to extract msbackup. I've had to use QuickRestore rather than the Recovery because I lost the D drive partition (long story.) I have floppies filled with projects which I cannot now open. And, oh yes, I talked with a StompSoft person to find out whether the previously recommended program "Backup My PC" would work. It won't, nor will their current version work with ME at all for newly created files...
> I am at a loss, but fervently hoping that all is not lost. You good folk have bailed me out of several difficult situations already!
> Thanks, Skooze


Is it a zip file? Create a folder on your desktop, name it, download the file to it, open it and install it. Okay, that probably doesn't help, but maybe you could furnish some more information.


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## hl5 (Sep 24, 2004)

First of all, all is definitely not lost. You'll get your data back as soon as you install MS Backup again (or run it from another computer).

MS made installing their backup utility a lot harder on ME than on Win95/98, but it shouldn't be too hard.

Here are the instructions (I clipped out the irrelevant parts):

http://www.duxcw.com/digest/Howto/software/windows/winme/backup/



> Windows ME (Windows Millennium Edition or Win Me). For some unknown reason, it seems that Microsoft is trying even harder to hide this gem. It is not part of the Win ME installation and it cannot be installed from the Control Panel. But it is on the Win Me CD. Here are the steps for installing it:
> 
> ...
> 
> ...


In short, when you install it it won't add the necessary shortcuts to the Start menu. So even though it's installed you won't see it unless you browse your hard drive for it.

Hope this helps.

Note: It looks like not all QIC files are compatible with one another (which is stupid design). If you can't open your files, you may need to locate another version of MS Backup (do you still have the version you used before? -- where did you get it?).

And this could be another option as well:

http://www.fpns.net/willy/msbackup.htm

That will be a bit trickier for a beginner but it's still doable.


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## skooze (Aug 11, 2004)

First, thank you both so much for your suggestions! I'll begin with a fresh download of msbackup in case I already fouled up the previous one tinkering with DOS. I will follow your steps extactly.
Alas, I am afflicted with OldsTimers--I cannot remember for sure on what site I originally found the version I used to create my backups; I assume it was from the MS archive, but like now, I downloaded it. It just seems like it wasn't this difficult (meaning DOS prompts, etc) to get it installed where it belongs. This time, however, I will be sure to save it to Favorites AND make my own copy!
With my erratic schedule, getting your tips accomplished may take me a few days, but I promise to report back results. Again, thank you so much!
Skooze


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## skooze (Aug 11, 2004)

Reporting back as promised-- bad news/good news
Bad News is that info on that fpns.net/willy etc was way beyond my comprehension. More bad news is, I got the msbackup.exe short-cut into the accessories\system tools folder ok. When I clicked on it, it still needed to open a ms-dos window. I entered MSBACKUP and got the following message (slightly edited): "This program runs in MS-DOS real mode. This version of Windows does not support. You can attempt to run the program as follows: Right click the icon for the program, click properties, click OK, and then click YES in the dialog box that appears. Restart program." At this time, something called a "Virtual MS-DOS" covered my screen with a funky-looking window and had all kinds of things I was supposed to choose among. Definitely over my head! I got out of there, fast.
Good News: in deep despair, I tried one final internet search for msbexp.exe (that's the one that can be extracted from the ME disk I never had). I opened every site in turn, and many pages into the search, WALLAH! I found my original version download via: http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winme/1027793275. Many blessing on that determined individual who made it available.
And many thanks for the help here. If it were not for the suggestions and encouragement to try the cumbersome msbackup, I don't think I would have been stubborn enough to slug though all those search pages.


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