I have a similar (though worse!) problem: a friend backed up under 3.11, had his laptop stolen and then the backups turned out to be corrupt (no last disk, plus 3 of 28 disks give 'can't read from the device specified').  While hoping your backup is sound,there's always the possibility that you'll strike trouble too - in which case you'll join me in wanting a utility to decipher the Norton backup (presumably compressed).
But I'm a bit puzzled.  My friend simply used the Windows 3.11 backup which turns out (from what I can read of the first backup disk) to be actually a Norton 1E backup.  Maybe the 'Restore' in 3.11 will do the job for you - i.e., maybe the Norton name is just a red herring and you should be treating it as a Windows 3.11 operation?

Microsoft did indeed buy Symantec's backup software to incoporate into the Windows product - I believe it's still there!

Norton's Backup came free on the cover of PCPlus magazine in, I think it was, 1992. I still have the disks, if a copy is needed - but, as you say, the product is included with Windows 3.11 and later.

SAcheson's problem is solved if the disks include a '*.ful' and aren't corrupt.  But my friend's trouble is worse. No '*.ful' and 3 (out of 28) non-readable disks.  Possible solutions:
1. Source code for Norton 1E backup (unlikely, but not impossible since it was freeware), OR
2.  A utility (presumably Norton) which will poke inside a single 'backup' disk and 'restore' the text, OR
3. ???
Any suggestions welcome.

Help - I have same problem - do not have Win3.11 available but have a complete set I need to get to backed up with Norton Backup in 1993.  Do you think MS Backup in Win 98 will restore.

Old Norton backup is contained in the software bundle Norton Desktop for Windows(3.1).  Also if you view the file header in Hex it will tell you the vertion of norton backup used.  Windows backup for 3.1 will restore vertion 1.0 and 1.E.  It was bundled with the operating system.  Ebay has norton desktop for sale on it's site as of today.

sorry to join the forum so late - i too have a similar problem.  i am trying to restore some very important backups for which i no longer have the backup program -- Norton ver 1E. has anyone been able to locate this sotware. please help!

Jarhead,

How do I look at the HEX header of the file?

Norton Desktop for Windows is available for sale:
http://www.alltronics.com/software.htm

Perhaps I can help if that is an impossible prospect.
terisan@hotmail.com

I also have a similar problem - lots of files backed up under 3.11 rthat I need to import into my current system (Win 2000)  I have a full set of 3.11 installation disks - can I extract the Norton 1E tool without doing a full installation?  As a last resort I could always re-install 3.11 on a spare machine (and indulge in some nostalgia, too...)but can I spare the time?

If you copied the Win3.11 disks to a CD, you could install from that - should take less than a quarter of the time it takes to install Windows 4.x or NT.

I don't think the old Backup tool will work under W2k, although you could extract the files, if you knew which *.exes and *.dlls to extract.

The install would probably be quicker, and more likely to work, IMO.

Not sure if you all have found the solution to the "Norton Backup v1.0" issue when trying to restore files backed up using Windows 3.x.  I had about 20 Megs of four year old files.  It took me some time and a LOT of research to find a relatively simple solution to this problem.  From what I can tell, Microsoft began incorporating Norton Backup into MS-DOS 6.22 (as well as Windows 3.11).  To restore these files, you simply need to install MS-DOS 6.22.  I have an old HD that had Windows 3.1 but running DOS 6.2 (hence I received the NB error). You can download the setup disks directly from Microsoft.

http://download.microsoft.com/download/dos622/Utility/1/DOS/EN-US/stepup.exe

Once you do this, there are two options.  You can either (1) run the MWBACKUP.EXE command in Windows 3.1 (this is what I did.  I am not sure it works in later Windows version but probably worth a shot) or (2) run the MSBACKUP.EXE command directly from the DOS prompt.  When you install 6.22, both of these files extract onto your HD.

Happy restoring!

how can I install and use the norton backup under win 98 and or win xppro