Restore Unzipped Database Saved by Iomega Backup Program

[sostreicher]

Help

My old laptop just gave up the ghost and I am trying to transfer database to my semi-old laptop both running XP (I am running Act 2006). I have a two and a half week old database saved in Zip file form by ACT and I know how to restore that. I have a two day old database which was saved by an Iomega backup program in an unzipped format. I really really need to restore the 2 day old database. I tried clicking on it through the open database command and through Windows explorer; neither one works. The "Restore As" command only gives you zip file option to open file. Is there a workaround to this? I really don't want to lose two weeks worth of data.

Rather than lose the data I may open up Outlook and try to import to Outlook from the backup file and then reimport to ACT. However I am hoping I don;t have to try this.

Thanks in advance.

Steve Ostreicher

[Roy_Laudenslager · Accepted solution]

The PAD file is only a pointer file, not data, it's trying to point to your old computer. In ACT! File | Open Database and change the file type at the bottom of the dialog  to ADB and open the database, it will create a new PAD file.

[Roy_Laudenslager]

Unless the Iomega backup program can backup open files, you likely don't have a two day old backup. The database files you need are the ADB and ADF files. These files would be held open by the SQL server when the computer is running unless the SQL server was stopped. Most backup program won't backup open files. For what it's worth, the backup program I use, Genie Backup Manager Pro, does backup open files.

[sostreicher]

Hi Roy

thanks for your quick response. I set the Iomega backup program to save everytime I saved and when I look at the files on Windows Explorer I see 3 files:

ADB says 6/1/09     ALF also says 6/1/09, both at 22:10 while the PAD gives me a date in 2007. I did not see an ADF file but I did not check all the many files in the 4 subfolders. 

Does any of this change your opinion?

[Roy_Laudenslager]

Delete the PAD file and open the database with the ADB file.

[sostreicher]

Roy

Sorry to get so basic but when you say open the database with the ADB file, do you mean by double clicking on it in The Window Explorer window?

Also for safety sake will moving the PAD file to another folder, give me the same effect as deleting it?

Thanks again!

[Roy_Laudenslager · Accepted solution]

The PAD file is only a pointer file, not data, it's trying to point to your old computer. In ACT! File | Open Database and change the file type at the bottom of the dialog  to ADB and open the database, it will create a new PAD file.

[sostreicher]

Roy

Success!! You definitely know your stuff!!!

Thanks a bunch

Steve Ostreicher