If you use the Windows XP Backup program on an old computer or on the computer you plan to upgrade and save the data files to a network drive or another disk, be aware that the backup program in Windows 7 uses a different, incompatible format. Thus, Windows 7 cannot open or restore files backed up in the format used by Windows XP Backup.

Shortly after the launch of Windows Vista, Microsoft released a free program that can restore (but cannot create) backups in the format used by Windows XP. This utility, however, does not work in Windows 7. To restore files from a backup saved in the .bkf format, you’ll need to run Windows NT Backup on a computer running Windows XP.

As a workaround, you can use the free utility in Windows XP mode, which allows you to run a virtualized Windows XP environment. This is available for the Professional, Ultimate, and Enterprise editions of Windows 7. (For more on this, see the Configure Your Windows 7 System to Run Legacy Apps in a Virtualized Windows XP Environment.)