Full backup shows found.xxx files that are not visible using Windows explorer
I recently replaced my hard drive on an old laptop. The full backup that I had prior to the hard drive replacement would not restore using Universal Restore, so I did a clean install of Windows 10 and started over.
After getting most all of my apps reinstalled, I decided it would be wise to do a full backup. Even though the backup appeared to complete successfully (i.e., green check mark), something appears hinkey.
When I search files in the backup, there are several folders named found.xxx, where xxx is a number sequence beginning with 010 and ending with 183. I have file explorer settings altered to display hidden files and folders. The Recycle Bin is empty. I've tried restoring a couple of the folders to a new location and, even though Acronis busies itself with that task and declares completion, the folder is not restored.
I'm thinking about adding one more software to pair the mSATAShould I feel confident that I have a full backup that I can use with Universal Restore if something goes wrong?


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Hi Steve,
You said:
Universal Restore should not be used when recovering a backup to the same computer
This confuses me. Isn't that what I'm using when I boot from the USB drive where I had already created Bootable Media?
I am aware that file.xxx is normally a product of a chkdsk procedure, but normally those folders are visible through Windows Explorer and these are not. It is a brand new disk, should I have doubts about its integrity? Scandisk is not reporting any errors.
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Marjorie, Universal Restore is a separate application that is used to prepare an OS backup that is restored to a new / different computer by replacing specific device drivers (used on the original computer) with generic, Microsoft device drivers to be used on the new computer.
See this Acronis webpage that explains AUR in more detail and KB 62970: Acronis True Image 2020: Restoring to dissimilar hardware with Acronis Universal Restore for the method of using it.
If you have done a clean new install of Windows on to a new disk drive, then there shouldn't be any Found.xxx folders being created, so if these are appearing, it would be best to use the disk manufacturers own diagnostic tools to check the whole drive operation.
Dedicated diagnostic utilities from the disk manufacturers take the longest time to complete the checks, but provide the most accurate methods of checking whether the disk is good or needs replacement:
- Western Digital drives: Western Digital Dashboard
- Seagate disks: SeaTools for Windows
- HGST disks: HGST Windows Drive Fitness Test (WinDFT)
- Intel SSDs: Intel Memory and Storage Tool (GUI)
- Samsung drives: Samsung Magician
- ADATA drives: ADATA SSD ToolBox
- Kingston SSDs: Kingston SSD Toolbox, Kingston SSD Manager
- Transcend SSDs: Transcend SSD Scope
- Silicon Power disks: SP ToolBox
- Toshiba disks: Toshiba PC Diagnostic Tool Utility
- Crucial disks: Crucial Storage Executive
- SanDisk disks: SanDisk SSD Dashboard tool / SanDisk SSD Dashboard user guide
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Thanks again, Steve.
The links didn't have any downloads for my new drive (HGST), but SeaTools had some tests. I ran them all and all tests came back without errors.
Perhaps I used the wrong terminology. I used the Acronis USB Recovery method that I've used in the past to recover the drive before I replaced it. I honestly thought that was called Acronis Universal Restore.
Retraining focus back to the original question, using the attrib command has revealed that the file.xxx folders are hidden system files. I endeavored to alter the attributes and the response is "Not resetting hidden file C:\file.xxx".
Even though my own Windows account is in the admin group, I enabled the default Administrator account and logged into it. I couldn't even list the attributes of those folders using that account, but when I logged back into my own account, the one that I was trying to find was no longer available to the attrib command.
It's. Just. Weird.
This laptop is running Windows 10 Home, and that could be complicating things. I guess I'll wander over to the Microsoft community and see if they can assist me with the removal of these folders.
If you have any brilliant ideas, let me know, please.
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Marjorie,
You should consider using MS Disk Cleanup tool to remove leftover System files. Any files that the tool can remove are safe to be removed. Link provided below:
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Thanks, Steve.
I've used that utility multiple times during the software re-installation process. It doesn't always seem to clean up files, even when I launch as an admin. This also happens on Windows 10 Pro.
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When I went to www.hgst.com and clicked on support, I was taken to www.wd.com (WesternDigital) company, so I would suspect that Western Digital Dashboard has replaced the application Steve Smith mentioned.
Ian
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@Ian
You are correct. There were no downloads for diagnostic utilities at that link. I used Seagate tools and the drive tested fine. I found a resource with details about using Powershell to manually remove the unwanted weird files.
In other words, the problem has been solved.
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Glad you managed to sort it out.
Ian
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