How do I reactivate a program and files that are saved in Backup files?

[Tom84]

I had to take my computer (emachines) back to original condition after 2 years of junk buildup.  The computer saved the files in a backup program  but I don't know how to get the ones back that I want to use...itunes, picassa, mail addresses, old mail,music files, etc.. I am running explorer 7 on pc..any ideas??

[soybean]

The computer saved the files in a backup program  but I don't know how to get the ones back that I want to use

Well, you need to know what that "backup program" was.  Unless you can provide some details, I suspect you did not actually get stuff backed up that you thought you did. 

Programs, such as itunes and picassa will almost certainly have to be reinstalled from the original CD or download file.  Stuff like mail addresses, old mail,music files will have been permanently lost if you did not actually get them backed up to an external media, or you do not know what software you used to backup certain files and where those files were saved. 

Did you burn files to a CD or copy them to a flash drive or external hard drive before restoring your system?  If not, what makes you think you'll be able to restore them now?

[Tom84]

I used the xp program supplied with the computer called system restore.  I did the full system restore with backup.  This brought my computer back to original issue and placed all the old files in the "my backup" on c drive.  I know the files are there because I can go to:my computer>c drive>my backup>program files>and all my old files (icons)are there.  Example..windows media player...I recorded about 25 cd's and I can go throgh the above procedure and see all the cd's but I don't know how to get them out of the backup file to be active on the computer.  Thanks for your help...I'm obviously a rookie!

[soybean]

System Restore is found in Windows by going to Start, All Programs, Accessories, and System Tools.  It does not, as you said, "brought my computer back to original issue and placed all the old files in the "my backup" on c drive."  System Restore can be used to restore Windows to it's status on a previous date but Windows does not normally store more than a few weeks of "restore points". 

I did the full system restore with backup.

As I previously said, "you need to know what that 'backup program' was."  Windows has a backup utility called Backup, also found under Start, All Programs, Accessories, and System Tools, but I doubt that what's you're referring to. 

This brought my computer back to original issue and placed all the old files in the "my backup" on c drive.

Windows XP has standard folders named My Documents, My Pictures, and My Music.  It does not have one called "my backup".  So, that would be a folder you, or the software you used, created.   

I know the files are there because I can go to:my computer>c drive>my backup>program files>and all my old files (icons)are there.  Example..windows media player...I recorded about 25 cd's and I can go throgh the above procedure and see all the cd's but I don't know how to get them out of the backup file to be active on the computer.

What type of files are these "backup" files?  In other words, what's the file extension name, the part of the file name after the "."?  For example, if I create a backup using Windows Backup, the backup files will have .bkf as the file extension.  So, if I backed up the My Documents folder and gave the backup job the same name, I would see a backup file called My Documents.bkf.

On the other hand, if some other backup software were used, the file extension might be something other than .bkf.  So, the file extension gives a clue to what program was used to create the file.  So, again, what's the file extension on your backup files?