Recovering files and folders

Last published : Apr 02, 2026
You can restore files or folders using recovery points if you have defined and run a drive-based backup.
See About recovering lost data.
To recover files and folders by using a recovery point
  1. On the Tasks menu, click Recover My Files
  2. In the left pane of the Recover My Files dialog box, selectRecovery Point as the search method.
  3. If you want to use a different recovery point than the one selected for you in the Recovery Point dialog box, click Change. Locate the recovery point you want to use, and then clickOK.
Select Recovery Point options when you view recovery points by Date
View by - Date Displays all of the discovered recovery points in the order in which they were created.
Date Lets you select an alternate date by using the drop-down calendar. Use the calendar if no recovery points are discovered and displayed in the table.
View all recovery points Lets you view all recovery points that are available.
Select Recovery Point options when you view recovery points by File name
View by - File name Lets you view recovery points by their file name.
File name Specifies a path and a file name of a recovery point.
Browse Lets you browse to a path that contains a recovery point.
For example, you can browse for a recovery point (.v2i) or incremental recovery point (.iv2i) file on an external (USB) drive. Or, you can browse to a network location, or removable media.
Browse for OpenStorage Destination Lets you browse an OpenStorage storage destination that you want to use for restoring the recovery points.
See OpenStorage destination options for recovery .
User name Specifies the user name if you specify a recovery point file name that is located in a network path.
See Rules for network credentials .
Password Specifies the password to a network path.
Select Recovery Point options when you view recovery points by System
View by - System Uses the current system index file that is located in the recovery point storage location. The system index file displays a list of all of the drives on your computer and any associated recovery points from which you can select.
The use of a system index file reduces the time it takes to convert multiple recovery points. When a recovery point is created, a system index file is saved with it. The system index file contains a list of the most recent recovery points, which includes the original drive location of each recovery point.
Date Lets you select an alternate date of a system index file date by using the drop-down calendar. Use the calendar if no recovery points are discovered and displayed in the table.
Use latest recovery points for this computer Restores the most recent recovery points that exist in the recovery point storage location on your computer.
The list of drives, source files (.v2i and .iv2i files), and dates comes from the most current system index file (.sv2i).
Use alternate system index (.sv2i) file Restores the recovery points that exist on another computer.
Browse to and select the .sv2i file for the desired system Specifies a path to a system index file (.sv2i) file that resides elsewhere, such as a network location.
If you selected a system index file that is stored on a network, you are prompted for your network credentials.
See Rules for network credentials .
Browse Lets you browse to a path that contains a system index file.
For example, you can browse to an external (USB) drive, a network location, or to removable media to select a system index file.
Browse for OpenStorage Destination Lets you browse an OpenStorage storage destination that you want to use for restoring the recovery points.
See OpenStorage destination options for recovery .
Drives Lets you select the drives with the recovery points that you want to restore based on the selected system index file.
Note: If Veritas System Recovery cannot locate any recovery points, theSelect Recovery Pointdialog box opens automatically.
  1. In the Find files to recover field, type the whole name or partial name of a file or folder that you want to restore, and then click Search.
For example, type recipe. Any file or folder that includes the word recipe in its name such as Chocolate Cheesecake Recipes.doc, Cathy Read Recipes.xls, Recipes for Success.mp3 are found.
  1. In the Name table, select the files that you want to restore.
  2. Click Recover Files.
  3. In the Recover My Files dialog box, select the option you want.
    Original folders Recovers the files to the original folder where they existed when they were backed up.
    New folder ("Recovered Files") on the desktop Recovers the files to a new folder that is created on your Windows desktop called Recovered Files.
    Alternate folder Specifies the path to an alternate location where you want your files to be restored.
  4. Click Recover.
  5. If you are prompted to replace the existing file, click Yes. Be certain that the file that you want to recover is the file that you want.
  6. Click OK.
See Recovering files and folders by using file and folder backup data.