Windows 7 backup error 0x8100002F

I am using Windows 7 operating system and my browser is Opera 10. I had kept my system unused for a long time. So, now I thought of making a backup of my system onto my external HDD. The backup status was almost completed. But, in the end I got a Windows 7 backup error 0x8100002F with a notepad with something written as myname\downloads. I tried doing the backup again on the external device and also on some DVDs, but no use. It is still giving the same error. Someone with knowledge about this, kindly tell me why this error has occurred and what is a recommendable solution for it.

You need not be afraid of the Windows 7 backup error 0x8100002F. It is a simple problem. I suppose that you have moved the download files onto another drive partition maybe for instance E drive. During backup process, it is searching for the particular files on the C drive. So, the error code 0x8100002F means that Windows 7 cannot find the download files for backup. Simply move those files to the original position and then, try backing up again. Your problem should be solved.

In windows the backing up of files takes place through the user libraries which contai the following:

• Documents
• Pictures and
• Videos

The folder's location might have been altered, hence the corressponding library could not be reached using EXPLORER UI. Hence, you are getting an error as Windows 7 backup error 0x8100002F as these files in the library are not being backed up.

I had the same problem while backing up my system in Windows 7. I also got an error as Windows 7 backup error 0x8100002F. Inorder to get rid of this error, you have to confirm that that you are able to navigate to all the libraries atleast once. For instance, you must be able to navigate to the Pictures library. For this, go to the icon of Windows and then on the upper right, click on PICTURES. If you are able to do this for all the libraries, then your backup will be successful the next time.

Hello there, the Windows 7 backup error 0x8100002F is just informing you that it is not backing up the library files and the download files that you have moved from the C drive to some other location. Otherwise, the backup is actually successful with absolutely no other problems. If you want to remove the error, then you simply need to restore them to their original locations. It will work as it has been occurred in many of my friend's cases.

For eradicating the Windows 7 backup error 0x8100002F, simply follow the steps given below:

1. In the Troubleshoot dialog box, select the option CHANGE BACKUP SETTINGS.
2. The user nodes need to be expanded whose libraries are being skipped.
3. The "problem-creating libraries" needs to be deselected.
4. The folder's location need to selected where it will be redirected. This has to be done in the tree view, which is in the expanded computer node.
5. Now, click on SAVE, thus saving the settings.

Dr. V,

I have Windows 7 and the same problem above as all the others, however, I don't have an option to change backup settings the way you describe. I can click Change Settings in Backup and Restore but it only brings up a window to give me an option to backup files onto a dvd or external harddrive. When I do that I have the same problem with skipping the same files with the same error number. Otherwise I do not know where the user nodes are or the tree view to do these changes as you suggest and HP tech's do not know either as they also didn't understand how to do this?? Can you explain any other way to do this as this error message is also causing me to not be able to safely disconnect my external harddrive as it says it's in use when it is clearly not. Thank you.

Hi sh407
The problem you stated that you get a message when you try to safely remove your external hard drive. It only occurs at the time when there is a virus in your hard drive or in your computer in which you are insert the hard drive. The basic thing is to update your antivirus and scan all your hard drives of your computer, this might help you out to solve your problem.

No Humberto. I do not have any viruses. I have good antivirus software and other software that checks my pc and everything is coming up clean and nothing else is affected on my pc. It is because of the files that Windows Backup & Restore keeps skipping that it is not finishing the backup that is causing me to not be able to safely disconnect. When I try a message comes up saying "Problem Ejecting USB Mass Storage Device. This device is currently in use. Close any programs or windows that might be using the device, and then try again." It does this all the time even when I am clearly not backing up anything or using the external harddrive. I first have to clear or fix these skipped files or restore them to fix this problem. This is the error message I get -

Windows Backup: Troubleshooting Options
Check your backup results
The backup completed but some files were skipped (below)

Backup time: 2/14/2010 10:03 pm
Backup location: HP Personal Media Drive
Error code 0x8100002F

Backup encountered a problem while backing up file C:\Users\Guest\AppData\LocalLow. Error:(The system cannot find the file specified. (0x80070002))

Backup encountered a problem while backing up file C:\Users\Guest\Contacts. Error:(The system cannot find the file specified. (0x80070002))

Backup encountered a problem while backing up file C:\Users\Guest\Searches. Error:(The system cannot find the file specified. (0x80070002))

but I do not have a troubleshoot dialog box that shows up where I can change backup settings & do as Dr. V suggests. These error messages only show up on notepad. When I first got this pc a few months ago, I was using Windows Backup & Restore until I bought the external harddrive and starting backing up data on that is when I think this problem started to occur?? Microsoft wants to charge me $60 to fix this and HP wants me to buy a service contract $$ to talk to their techs. that handle this. Just wonderful!! I pay $1200 for a new pc that comes with Windows 7, I have this problem I didn't cause and can't get help unless I pay $$ more. So it's taking me many hours and days but I don't give up to find a solution that I don't have to pay for hopefully??

Actually this fixed my Windows backup & restore problem with skipping files -

The folders Appdata\LocalLow, Contacts and Searches seem to be missing from the Guest user profile on your machine. You can safely exclude them. Please do the following steps:

1. Open Backup and Restore in the control panel.
2. Click on “Change settings”
3. Now, select the same target that you had selected for your backup and click Next.
4. Select “Let me choose” & click next
5. Now, you will see a page with a treeview.
6. In the Data Files section, expand Guest
7. Expand “Additional locations”
8. Uncheck Contacts, Searches and Appdata
9. Click Next
10. Save settings and Exit.

This cleared the problem however I was wrong about it affecting me not being able to safely remove my external harddrive. I am still getting the message popping up saying it's in use. In doing an online search I've learned that this has been a problem in Windows for a while and now in Windows 7 so now I have to search some more to find the solution.

I'd like to add a variation of the problems others are having with the Windows 7 Error code: 0x8100002F. I get the same error after running backup with the yellow bar on the left and next to it it says 'Check your backup results' and underneath that it says 'The backup completed but some files were skipped'. If I click on the 'Options' button the 'Windows Backup: Troubleshooting Options' box pops up. When I click on 'View skipped files', Notepad opens a text file with the following line:

Windows Backup skipped F:\ because it cannot be found on drive F:\.

This is an external drive I no longer use. I have manually removed all references of the F: drive from the system registery, but still get the same error code and result.

Any ideas?

I got this error and when I checked the details, it didn't copy the files quarantined by my AV software. I think this is actually a good feature.