cannot retreive files from WD MyPassport portable HD

[newby]

I used HP recovery system on a failing (Vista) computer to backup all the data files before attempting to 'restore' the system. I backed them up onto a WD 'MyPassport' portable harddrive. I ended up installing Windows 7 on the machine to try and fix things up. Now I cannot retreive the backed up files back onto the machine. when I try to run the Backup.1 application stored in the folder where the files appear to be backed up, i get told that MSVCR71.dll is missing and the app cannot be run. I do not know how to get this dll into my machine. When I open the WD Smartware, it can see that the backed up files exist on the portable HD but it cannot open them or copy them to anywhere else.

[patio]

What exact app was this backup created with ? ?

[newby]

The machine I backed-up from had HP Assist and I beleive that the 'system recovery' options it offered me may also have been HP proprietry. Prior to loading Windows 7 over the top of the old OS on this machine, I did retreive files from the backup to the machine. But I cannot retreive files to this or any other machine  now.