How do I enable Backup Wizard

Hi,
I have backed up my computer to my external hard drive several times before
by going to control panel, performance & maintenence, backup data - at which
point the Wizard pops up.
Today when I click 'backup data" I get the little hour glass for a few
seconds but the Wizard screen never comes up. I have tried going through
Start - accesories- system tools - backup - but still nothing. If the Wizard
was somehow disabled, how can I reenable it. My system is Windows xp media
center version 2005. What could have happened to the backup wizard? I
can't find it under add and remove programs. I tried a system restore but it
would only allow me to go back as far as Dec. 27, 2009. I last did a back up
to the external hard drive 11-21-09. Maybe I accidentally disabled the
wizard at that time.
Somewhere in help it said the Wizard would display unless it has been
disabled but nowhere can I find how to enable it again.
Please help. Thank you

I downloaded it but still no wizard. I think if I could System Restore to
before the last time I used the wizard (in case I disabled it then) I could
solve the problem. but System Restore won't go back that far. Do you know
if there is anywayto get System Restore back to a date it is not displaying
as an option? The last date I can restore to is 12/27/09 (which I did)- it
won't let me go back any further for a restore. I need to go back to
11/20/09.

Unfortunately there is no such option.

But there must be a way to enable the wizard if it has been disabled? Does
anyone know how to do that?

There is a checkbox in the backup wizard that says always use the
wizard, I would think that if that box is not checked, you would not see
the backup wizard. There is also an 'Advanced Mode' which should have
options to turn the backup wizard back on.

What happens if you run the file: (In the run box on the start menu)
%SystemRoot%\system32\ntbackup.exe

I do not use NTbackup.exe, I have other methods for backup.
I backup the OS with Acronis True Image, and the data files with a
program named Instant Backup.

I tried %SystemRoot%\system32\ntbackup.exe in the start - run box . The
computer made a couple of little noises but nothing else happened.

Yes, but how can I get to this "Advanced Mode" in order to turn the wizard
back on?
I wish I could just restore back to November but I can't.
Thank you.

Go to Start/Run and type in...

sfc /scannow

or, if you have the installation disks then go for a repair installation.

Is there a space between the "c" and the backslash? --Or can I just copy and paste what you typed?

Yes there is a space between the command "sfc" and slash (not a backslash)
and yes, you could just copy and paste.

I want to clarify that although I am not getting the Backup Wizard I am
getting a small rectangular window that says “Backup Utility” on the top blue
band and some times (randomly) under that it says “looking for devices to
back up to…“ (or something like that) but the Wizard never displays. I
believe this small window displays prior to the larger Wizard window when
everything is working right. The Backup or Restore Wizard normally is a much
bigger window with options to click etc.
My computer is showing my external hard drive as drive j in "my computer"
so if it is looking for a device to back up to and needs to find it, it is
there.

Ok. I copied and pasted "sfc /scannow" in the run box. I got a small
rectangular window with the blue band at top with the heading "Windows File
Protection" It said "Please wait while Windows verifies that all protected
Windows files are intact and in their original versions"

Then I got a window that said "Files that are reqired for Windows to run
properly must be copied to the DLL Cache. Insert your Windows XP
Professional CD-Rom now".
The only two disks I got with the computer was The Operating System Disc and
a Driver & Application Recovery Disk that tthe Geek Squad made. I put in
the Operating System Disc. Then it ran a long time as the blue line slowly
went across the Windows File Protection window.
Then I got a window saying "Insert your Windows XP Professional CD2 now"

Well I don't have a "CD2" so I put in the Driver and Application Recovery
Disk but it said "The CD you provided is the wrong CD. Please insert the
windows XP Professional CD2 into your CD- ROM drive." So I tried the
Operating System Disc again but it said it was wrong again. So I am stuck
and I can't get all the little windows to x out so I guess I will have to
restart.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/897128/

I tried running "sfc /scannow" after first unchecking the "Hide protected
operating system files" but still it ended up asking for the xp cd again.
So to work around that I am supposed to copy the "I386" folder "onto your
hard drive into the system root." I'm not clear on how to accomplish that.
When I insert the cd, the I386 folder is the first one in the display of
folders. I know how to copy a folder but I don't understand how to get it
into the "system root" whatever that is. I can locate Hard disk C in "my
computer" but don't know how to get that I386 folder where it is supposed to
go. (and that is only Step 1. Step 2 involves going into the registry which
is making me break out in a cold sweat. Do you really think its safe for me
to continue, being that I don't really know what I am doing?)

"System Root" is usually C:\Windows\. That is true if your system is on
Drive C:.

If you open a "CMD" window and type CD %SYSTEMROOT% <ENTER> you will get
taken to C:\Windows.

So you would copy the i386 folder to C:\Windows\

What is a "CMD" window and how do I open it? As I said I don't know all
that much about computers.
Thanks for your patience and help.

When you ask a question like that, I have to suggest that you get a
decent book about your version of Windows. Make sure it has a section
on the cmd (also called command) window.

There's just way too much to easily convey in a newsgroup exchange, and
a book like that can be helpful. BTW, Microsoft publishes some books
that might be OK. One example: Plain & Simple Windows 7. It has lots of
illustrations in color (that really helps), and walks you through some
things.

You'd still have questions, of course - none of the books is perfect.
I've been using Windows since Windows 2, and I still have a million
questions.

CMD is the command window in Windows XP.
You open it by Start > Run. Type CMD then OK or Enter.
You can also find the Command Prompt in the Start Menu at Accessories

It opens a window that you can type DOS like commands and execute them.

Windows XP has many commands that run in the CMD window.
If you type help <enter> you will get a long list of them.

I do not know about Vista and Windows 7, but am pretty sure they have a
CMD window also.

When you click My Computer you are at the root directory C:, under that are
your folders and sub folders. So if you copy the folder I386 to C: it will
be at the root C:\I386 like the Windows folder which is at root Windows or
C:\Windows

You mean I just have to copy it from the CD then open "My Computer", then
open the C drive and paste it in there with all the other folders that are in
C drive?

Yes click My computer then C: now you are at the root directory you can do a
simple cut and paste of I386 and it will be at root.

Except if you look at the system variable systemroot it is *not* C:\,
it is C:\Windows.

Open a command window and type the command
echo %systemroot%
and you will see what I mean.

Also look at CSM1's post
Message-ID: <Xns9D25E6468DCF5nomoremail@74.209.136.100>
in this thread.

%SystemRoot%

The %SystemRoot% variable is a special system-wide environment variable
found on Microsoft Windows NT and its derivatives. Its value is the location
of the system folder, including the drive and path.

The drive is the same as %SystemDrive% and the default path on a clean
installation depends upon the version of the operating system. By default,
on a clean installation:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environment_variable

Maybe you meant to post this in reply to one of the OP's posts...

I copied and pasted the I386 folder into the c drive. I changed the
sourcepaths to C:\
I still get the pop up stating: "Files that are required for Windows to run
properly must be copied to the DLL Cache. Insert your Windows XP
Professional CD2-Rom now".
I changed the source paths at Windows AND Windows nt - as the article said.
should I change them back to "I:\" now since it didn't work?

A comment at the end of that article says:

" re: your item on sfc /scannow
I found that I had to modify both the ServicePackSourcePath and the SourcePath
to C:\Windows where the I386 folder was. "

I found the Service Pack Source Paths but need more precise info on how to
change them because they weren't a simple letter and slash. They were a long
string of words/letters and I'm not sure what to change - If someone thinks
I should actually try that.
Is anyone willing to keep helping me? I'm very determined and would like to
solve this glitch.

You would be playing with fire, and I can't recommend it...

Some path variables are important to the proper operation of Windows and
some others to the proper operation of other programs. Messing with them
could be trouble. The same for other environment variables.

I thought the i386 folder was meant to be under C:\Windows, not at the
root.

Basically, your statements and questions leave me confused, so I don't want
to give a well-meant but potentially wrong answer (not to mention I
probably don't know the answers anyway).

Your uncertainty in all of this leads me to recommend strongly that you
take a hands-off approach until you can find a very knowledgeable person
who can join you at your computer.

Having said all that: a path variable is a series or a list of paths (to
executables, usually, but could be data) separated from each other by
semicolons ";". You could perhaps safely add a path (preceded by a
semicolon) at the end of the list (unless it points to malware), but you
should definitely avoid removing or replacing anything already in the
variable.

I still like hands off...You should see the gyrations I go through to avoid
making an error in a path variable, but then, I'm kind of paranoid.

Well then I guess I have to throw in the towel and just download some free
backup software. Can anyone recommend one that is extremely user friendly?
Thanks.