I need to recover a set of document files that were backed up in
February, 1993 using the native BACKUP utility of old version of DOS
(probably 3.x).  I do not know the brand (e.g., MSDOS, IBM, Compaq,
DRDOS, etc.) or the percise version of DOS was used to make the
backup.  As I understand it, the DOS RESTORE utility will only restore
files that were backed up using the BACKUP utility that is from the
exact (or nearly exact) same version of DOS. Obviously this presents a
challenge because there were so many different brands and
version/sub-version back then.  The 3.5" floppy that I have includes
two files: BACKUP.001 (1,218 kb) & CONTROL.001 (108 kb); I have these
files backed up on hard drive.

An acceptable answer would be any of the following:
1) A link to a 3rd-party backup/restore utility that will restore
backup files from any older version of DOS -- i.e., one that will
restore the files I have.
3) Detailed information on how to programmatically disect and extract
the files using Visual Basic and/or the Win32 API. This would entail a
highly specific understanding of how the CONTROL.001 file works.
3) An offer to extract the files for me and send them back to me via email.

---

Request for Question Clarification by clouseau-ga on 22 Dec 2005 22:51 PST

Hello bcrimmins,

Have you read this article from th Microsoft Knowledgebase?

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/138135/en-us


"...SUMMARY

The Backup program included with Windows 95 cannot restore files that
were backed up with an earlier version of Backup (such as the versions
of Backup included with MS-DOS versions 5.0 and 6.x). To restore
backups created with earlier versions of Backup, you must use the
Restore.exe or Msbackup.exe program located on the Windows 95
CD-ROM...

...Backups Made Using MS-DOS 5.0

To restore a backup created with the Backup program included with
MS-DOS 5.0, use the Restore.exe program located in the Other\Oldmsdos
folder on the Windows 95 CD-ROM. To run this program, copy it to a
folder on your hard disk, and then run it from a command prompt,
making sure to use the appropriate syntax. For information about the
syntax for the Restore.exe program, type the following line:

restore /? 

If you receive the error message "Incorrect DOS version" when you try
to run Restore.exe, type the following line to modify the version
table:

setver restore.exe 6.22 

After you type this line, restart your computer, and then try to run
Restore.exe again.



Backups Made Using MS-DOS 6.x

To restore a backup created with the backup programs included with
MS-DOS 6.x, use the Msbackup.exe program located in the
Other\Oldmsdos\Msbackup folder on the Windows 95 CD-ROM. To run this
program, copy all the files from the folder on the Windows 95 CD-ROM
to a folder on your hard disk. Double-click the Msbackup.exe file in
Windows Explorer to start it. For information about using the
Msbackup.exe program, start the program, and then click Restore on the
Help menu..."

I think it is extremely likely your backups were made with a version
of MSDOS. From what I read, these two approaches should be backward
compatible with even earlier versions. And since you have copies of
the files, it surely does not hurt to try.

Here is link to the msbackup.exe executable if you do not have it:

http://www.oldfiles.org.uk/powerload/download/msd50bk.exe

As a matter of fact, this link is a treasure trove of DOS files:

http://www.oldfiles.org.uk/

Bootdisks can be found here:

http://oldfiles.org.uk/powerload/

Even DrDOS is there.

This page has a lot of links for Backup and Restore in DOS:

http://oldfiles.org.uk/powerload/msdos.htm

For example:


 PD0315.EXE  MS-DOS Backup/Restore Supplemental Utilities for MS-DOS
Versions 3.x,4.x & 5.0  54KB

 MSD33BK.EXE   Contains v3.3 BACKUP.COM & RESTORE.COM to asisst in
restoring Backup Sets  68KB

 MSD401BK.EXE  Contains v4.01 BACKUP.COM & RESTORE.COM to asisst in
restoring Backup Sets  74KB

 MSD50BK.EXE  Contains v5.0 BACKUP.EXE & RESTORE.EXE to asisst in
restoring Backup Sets  76KB


I feel very confident this will assist you in restoring these backups,
but since I can not be sure until you achieve success, I will not post
as an answer until you confirm your results and request I do.

Please let me know. Post a clarification request and I will be
notified. Or let me know if I can find more for you.


Regards,

-=clouseau=-

---

Request for Question Clarification by clouseau-ga on 26 Dec 2005 08:37 PST

Hello again,

Thought I would check in to see if the information I posted above was
helpful and solved your problem.

Do let me know.

Regards,

-=clouseau=-

---

Clarification of Question by bcrimmins-ga on 26 Dec 2005 10:37 PST

clouseau, 

Thank you very much for your helpful contribution.  Please forgive my
tardy response but with the holidays I have been distracted.  I had
not seen the article you posted nor the oldfiles.org.uk site.  Both
were very illuminating and was able to recover the files just fine. 
As such, I will award you the full $25 bounty for answering the
question.

This is my first use of GoogleAnswers so I'm not sure what needs to be
done next.  Should you post your clarification in the form of an
answer and then I would except it?

Thanks, 

Bob

Hello Bob,

Thanks for replying. I am glad my research solved your problem and I
had figured the holidays had your attention. Thanks for allowing me to
post the answer and yes, simply accepting this will take care of
things.

As I posted above:


Have you read this article from th Microsoft Knowledgebase?

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/138135/en-us


"...SUMMARY

The Backup program included with Windows 95 cannot restore files that
were backed up with an earlier version of Backup (such as the versions
of Backup included with MS-DOS versions 5.0 and 6.x). To restore
backups created with earlier versions of Backup, you must use the
Restore.exe or Msbackup.exe program located on the Windows 95
CD-ROM...

...Backups Made Using MS-DOS 5.0

To restore a backup created with the Backup program included with
MS-DOS 5.0, use the Restore.exe program located in the Other\Oldmsdos
folder on the Windows 95 CD-ROM. To run this program, copy it to a
folder on your hard disk, and then run it from a command prompt,
making sure to use the appropriate syntax. For information about the
syntax for the Restore.exe program, type the following line:

restore /? 

If you receive the error message "Incorrect DOS version" when you try
to run Restore.exe, type the following line to modify the version
table:

setver restore.exe 6.22 

After you type this line, restart your computer, and then try to run
Restore.exe again.



Backups Made Using MS-DOS 6.x

To restore a backup created with the backup programs included with
MS-DOS 6.x, use the Msbackup.exe program located in the
Other\Oldmsdos\Msbackup folder on the Windows 95 CD-ROM. To run this
program, copy all the files from the folder on the Windows 95 CD-ROM
to a folder on your hard disk. Double-click the Msbackup.exe file in
Windows Explorer to start it. For information about using the
Msbackup.exe program, start the program, and then click Restore on the
Help menu..."

I think it is extremely likely your backups were made with a version
of MSDOS. From what I read, these two approaches should be backward
compatible with even earlier versions. And since you have copies of
the files, it surely does not hurt to try.

Here is link to the msbackup.exe executable if you do not have it:

http://www.oldfiles.org.uk/powerload/download/msd50bk.exe

As a matter of fact, this link is a treasure trove of DOS files:

http://www.oldfiles.org.uk/

Bootdisks can be found here:

http://oldfiles.org.uk/powerload/

Even DrDOS is there.

This page has a lot of links for Backup and Restore in DOS:

http://oldfiles.org.uk/powerload/msdos.htm

For example:


 PD0315.EXE  MS-DOS Backup/Restore Supplemental Utilities for MS-DOS
Versions 3.x,4.x & 5.0  54KB

 MSD33BK.EXE   Contains v3.3 BACKUP.COM & RESTORE.COM to asisst in
restoring Backup Sets  68KB

 MSD401BK.EXE  Contains v4.01 BACKUP.COM & RESTORE.COM to asisst in
restoring Backup Sets  74KB

 MSD50BK.EXE  Contains v5.0 BACKUP.EXE & RESTORE.EXE to asisst in
restoring Backup Sets  76KB


I feel very confident this will assist you in restoring these backups,
but since I can not be sure until you achieve success, I will not post
as an answer until you confirm your results and request I do.



Regards,

-=clouseau=-

clouseau's answer was very prompt and sufficiently detailed.