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Restoring Backup Snapshots

Restore files and folders from your backup snapshots to recover lost data, revert to previous versions, or migrate files to a new location. Pluton's restore wizard makes it easy to restore entire backups or select specific files.

Understanding Restore Options​

Before starting a restore, understand the available options:

Restore Destination​

Original Location:

  • Restores files to their original paths where they were backed up from
  • Most common option for recovering from data loss
  • Automatically uses the source paths defined in the backup plan

Custom Location:

  • Restore files to a different directory of your choice
  • Useful for:
    • Recovering files to a new location
    • Comparing backup files with current versions
    • Migrating data to a different system
    • Testing restore without overwriting existing files

Overwrite Behavior​

Controls what happens when restored files already exist at the destination:

OptionBehaviorUse Case
AlwaysOverwrites existing files without checkingComplete data recovery - replace everything
If ChangedOverwrites only if content differsSmart restore - only update modified files
If NewerOverwrites only if backup file is newerRestore only newer versions
NeverSkips files that already existSelective recovery - only restore missing files

Delete Unmatched Files​

  • Enable: Deletes files at destination that don't exist in the backup (makes destination exactly match backup)
  • Disable: Keeps existing files at destination even if not in backup (default)

Use Cases for Delete:

  • Complete system recovery - restore to exact backup state
  • Synchronizing directories - remove unwanted files
  • Clean restore - start with only backed-up files

Warning: Use this carefully as it permanently deletes files not in the backup!

Restore Wizard Steps​

The restore process uses a 4-step wizard to ensure accurate and safe restoration:

Step 1: Configure Settings​

Configure where and how to restore your backup:

  1. Choose Restore Type:

    • Original Location: Restore to source paths (most common)
    • Custom Location: Specify a different destination path

  2. Set Destination Path (if Custom):

    • Enter the full path where files should be restored
    • Path will be created if it doesn't exist
    • Examples:
      • Windows: C:\Restored\MyBackup
      • Linux/macOS: /home/user/restored

  3. Choose Overwrite Behavior:

    • Select from: Always, If Changed, If Newer, or Never
    • Default is "Always" for complete recovery

  4. Delete Unmatched Files (optional):

    • Enable to remove extra files at destination
    • Disabled by default for safety

  5. Click Next to proceed to file selection

Step 2: Select Files​

Choose which files to restore from the snapshot:

Restore All Files (Default):

  • The entire backup snapshot is selected by default
  • All files and folders will be restored
  • Most common option for complete data recovery

Select Specific Files/Folders:

  1. Browse the snapshot file tree
  2. Check/uncheck specific files or folders
  3. Selected items will be included in restore
  4. Unselected items will be excluded

File Browser Features:

  • Search: Find files by name quickly
  • Sort: Sort by name, size, or modification date
  • Expand/Collapse: Navigate directory tree
  • Select All/None: Quick selection controls

Inclusion/Exclusion:

  • Include paths: Add specific paths to restore
  • Exclude paths: Exclude specific paths from restore
  • Useful for fine-grained control over what gets restored

Step 3: Preview Restore​

Review what will be restored before executing:

Preview Statistics:

  • Total files to restore
  • Total size to restore
  • Number of files by action:
    • New: Files that will be created
    • Modified: Files that will be overwritten
    • Deleted: Files that will be removed (if delete option enabled)
    • Unchanged: Files that will be skipped

File List:

  • See exactly which files will be affected
  • Each file shows:
    • Path
    • Size
    • Action (new, modified, deleted, unchanged)
  • Review carefully before proceeding

Adjust Settings:

  • Click Back to modify settings or file selection
  • Change overwrite behavior if needed
  • Add/remove files from selection

Step 4: Confirm and Restore​

Final confirmation before starting the restore:

  1. Review summary of restore operation:

    • Destination path
    • Number of files to restore
    • Total size
    • Settings (overwrite, delete)

  2. Click Restore to begin

  3. Restore Progress:

    • Real-time progress indicator
    • Files processed count
    • Data restored count
    • Estimated time remaining
    • Current file being restored

  4. Completion:

    • Success notification when complete
    • Summary of restored files
    • Option to view restore details
    • Option to close wizard

How to Restore a Backup​

From Plan Details Page​

  1. Navigate to your backup plan
  2. Go to the Snapshots tab
  3. Find the snapshot you want to restore
  4. Click the Restore button (circular arrow icon)
  5. The Restore Wizard opens
  6. Follow the 4-step wizard process (described above)

Quick Restore (Original Location)​

For fast recovery to original location with default settings:

  1. Open the snapshot list
  2. Click Restore on the desired snapshot
  3. Verify "Original Location" is selected
  4. Click through wizard accepting defaults
  5. Confirm and restore

This is the fastest way to recover from data loss.

Selective File Restore (PRO)​

To restore only specific files:

  1. Open the snapshot in Browse mode (PRO feature)
  2. Navigate to the files you need
  3. Select individual files or folders
  4. Click Restore Selected
  5. Choose destination and settings
  6. Confirm restoration

Alternatively:

  1. Start restore wizard normally
  2. In Step 2 (Select Files), browse and select specific files
  3. Continue through wizard

Restore Progress and Monitoring​

During Restore​

Progress Indicators:

  • Percentage complete (0-100%)
  • Files processed: X of Y files
  • Data restored: Shows MB/GB transferred
  • Speed: Current restore speed (MB/s)
  • Time remaining: Estimated time to completion
  • Current operation: Shows current file being restored

Status Messages:

  • "Preparing restore..." - Initial setup
  • "Restoring files..." - Active restoration
  • "Verifying files..." - Post-restore checks
  • "Restore complete" - Finished successfully

After Restore​

Restore History:

  1. Navigate to Restores page in main menu
  2. View all completed and active restores
  3. Each restore shows:
    • Restore ID
    • Source backup ID
    • Destination path
    • Files restored
    • Size restored
    • Duration
    • Status (success/failed)
    • Start and end times

View Restore Details:

  • Click on any restore in history
  • See detailed file list
  • View any errors or warnings
  • Check restore statistics

Restore Statistics:

  • Total files: Count of files processed
  • New files: Files that were created
  • Modified files: Files that were overwritten
  • Deleted files: Files removed (if delete enabled)
  • Unchanged files: Files that were skipped
  • Failed files: Files that couldn't be restored
  • Total size: Amount of data restored
  • Duration: Time taken to complete

Canceling an Active Restore​

If you need to stop a restore in progress:

  1. While restore is running, click Cancel button
  2. Confirm cancellation
  3. Restore stops immediately
  4. Files already restored remain at destination
  5. Partial restore is not rolled back

Important Notes:

  • Canceling mid-restore leaves partially restored data
  • Already restored files are not removed
  • You can run another restore to complete the operation
  • No data is lost in the backup - you can retry anytime

Common Restore Scenarios​

Complete Data Loss Recovery​

Scenario: Your hard drive failed and you need to recover everything.

Solution:

  1. Restore snapshot to Original Location
  2. Set overwrite to Always
  3. Enable Delete Unmatched Files (to match backup exactly)
  4. Select all files (default)
  5. Restore

Result: Complete recovery to exact state of backup.

Recover Deleted Files​

Scenario: You accidentally deleted important files and need them back.

Solution:

  1. Restore latest snapshot to Original Location
  2. Set overwrite to Never (don't overwrite existing files)
  3. Select all files or just the deleted ones
  4. Restore

Result: Deleted files are restored, existing files remain untouched.

Compare Backup with Current Version​

Scenario: You want to see backup files without overwriting current ones.

Solution:

  1. Restore snapshot to Custom Location (e.g., C:\Backup_Review)
  2. Set overwrite to Always (no files exist yet at custom location)
  3. Select files to review
  4. Restore

Result: Backup files restored to separate location for comparison.

Restore Specific File or Folder​

Scenario: You need just one file or folder from the backup.

Solution:

  1. Start restore wizard
  2. In Step 2 (Select Files), uncheck "All Files"
  3. Browse and select only the needed file/folder
  4. Choose destination (original or custom)
  5. Restore

Result: Only selected items are restored.

Migrate to New System​

Scenario: Moving data from old server to new server.

Solution:

  1. On new system, install Pluton
  2. Configure access to same storage destination
  3. Restore snapshot to Custom Location (new system paths)
  4. Set overwrite to Always
  5. Adjust destination path to new system structure
  6. Restore

Result: Data migrated to new system from backup.

Rollback to Previous Version​

Scenario: Recent changes broke your application, rollback needed.

Solution:

  1. Find snapshot from before changes were made
  2. Restore to Original Location
  3. Set overwrite to Always
  4. Enable Delete Unmatched Files (remove newer files)
  5. Restore

Result: System reverted to state of that snapshot.

Restore Performance​

Factors Affecting Speed​

Storage Type:

  • Local storage: Fastest (100-500 MB/s)
  • Network storage: Fast (50-200 MB/s)
  • Cloud storage: Slower (5-50 MB/s depending on connection)

File Count:

  • Few large files: Faster
  • Many small files: Slower (more overhead)

Encryption:

  • Encrypted backups: Slightly slower (decryption overhead)
  • Unencrypted: Faster

Network:

  • Local restore: Fast (no network bottleneck)
  • Remote restore: Depends on network speed
  • Internet restore: Limited by internet speed

Improving Restore Speed​

Optimize Settings:

  • Use "Never" overwrite if possible (skips existing files)
  • Restore only needed files (less data to transfer)
  • Disable delete option if not needed (faster processing)

System Optimization:

  • Close other applications during restore
  • Use wired network connection (not WiFi)
  • Ensure sufficient disk space at destination
  • Restore during off-peak hours

Storage Optimization:

  • Use faster storage destination if available
  • Ensure good network connection to cloud storage
  • Consider local storage for faster restores

Troubleshooting Restore Issues​

Restore Fails to Start​

Possible Causes:

  • Insufficient disk space at destination
  • Permission issues on destination path
  • Storage not accessible
  • Snapshot corrupted or incomplete

Solutions:

  • Free up disk space on destination drive
  • Ensure you have write permissions to destination
  • Verify storage is accessible in Storages page
  • Try restoring a different snapshot
  • Check backup integrity

Restore Stalls or Hangs​

Possible Causes:

  • Network connectivity issues
  • Storage performance problems
  • Very large files taking time
  • System resource constraints

Solutions:

  • Check network connection to storage
  • Monitor system resources (CPU, RAM, disk)
  • Be patient with large files (may appear stalled)
  • Try canceling and restarting
  • Restore smaller batches of files

Some Files Fail to Restore​

Possible Causes:

  • File path too long (Windows limitation)
  • Special characters in filename
  • Permission issues
  • Destination path doesn't exist
  • Files in use at destination

Solutions:

  • Check restore logs for specific errors
  • Close applications using destination files
  • Ensure destination path is created
  • Try restoring to different location
  • Manually create directory structure if needed

Restored Files Appear Corrupted​

Possible Causes:

  • Backup corruption
  • Network transfer errors
  • Storage issues
  • Incorrect decryption

Solutions:

  • Verify backup integrity using check command
  • Try restoring from different snapshot
  • Restore to different location to test
  • Check storage connectivity and performance
  • Review backup logs for errors during original backup

Permission Denied Errors​

Possible Causes:

  • Insufficient permissions on destination
  • Destination is read-only
  • System files require elevated permissions
  • Antivirus blocking restore

Solutions:

  • Run Pluton with administrator/sudo privileges
  • Check destination folder permissions
  • Disable antivirus temporarily
  • Restore to location where you have full permissions
  • On Linux, use sudo if restoring system files

Restore Creates Unexpected File Structure​

Possible Causes:

  • Incorrect destination path
  • Misunderstanding of original location vs custom
  • Path mapping issues

Solutions:

  • Review destination path before confirming
  • Use custom location to control exact structure
  • Check preview in Step 3 before restoring
  • Restore to test location first
  • Cancel and restart with correct settings

Best Practices​

Before Restoring​

  • Verify backup exists: Confirm snapshot is complete and accessible
  • Check available space: Ensure destination has enough free space
  • Review settings carefully: Double-check destination and overwrite behavior
  • Use preview: Always review preview before confirming (Step 3)
  • Test first: For critical restores, test on non-production system first

During Restore​

  • Monitor progress: Keep an eye on progress and errors
  • Don't interrupt: Avoid interrupting unless necessary
  • Keep connection stable: Ensure network stays connected for remote restores
  • Be patient: Large restores can take hours

After Restore​

  • Verify files: Check that restored files are correct and complete
  • Test functionality: Verify restored applications work correctly
  • Review logs: Check restore logs for any warnings or errors
  • Clean up: Remove test restores or duplicate files if needed
  • Document: Keep records of what was restored and when

General Recommendations​

  • Regular test restores: Periodically test restore to ensure backups work
  • Know your data: Understand what's in your backups before restoring
  • Use selective restore: Restore only what you need to save time
  • Automate nothing: Restores should always be manual and verified
  • Keep backups: Never delete backups until restore is verified successful

Restore Security​

Encryption​

  • Encrypted backups are automatically decrypted during restore
  • No manual password entry required (handled by Pluton)
  • Restored files are unencrypted at destination
  • Ensure destination is secure if data is sensitive

Access Control​

  • Only users with access to backup plan can restore
  • Restore permissions match backup plan permissions
  • Audit logs track all restore operations
  • Sensitive restores should be monitored

Best Practices​

  • Restore sensitive data only to secure locations
  • Verify restored files don't contain unauthorized changes
  • Use encrypted destinations for sensitive restored data
  • Review restore audit logs regularly
  • Limit restore permissions to trusted users only

Next Steps​

Effective restore capabilities ensure your backups are truly useful when you need them most. Always test your restores before you need them in an emergency.