Wiped Windows 7 off one of my laptops (the one I keep all our photos on) a week or so ago. Installed Ubuntu. Didn't think about backing up as it gets done automatic every night onto an external hd. Didn't like Ubuntu so did a clean install of Mint Cinnamon 17.01. (already put it on my everyday laptop) Just my cup of tea, so tried to restore my files using the "Restore a previous backup" button in the Backup Tool on the Cinnamon main menu. Various combinations of Archive, Directory, Source, Destination etc have achieved no result.
The files appear like this:
duplicity
20141128T101205Z
vol1. difftar.gz
No idea what else to try so heres hoping I have a White Knight out there somewhere (otherwise I'm dead she's said)

So, this "automatic" backup every night: what software was doing that backup?

If the application used tar you maybe about to use:
tar --listed-incremental=/dev/null -xvf backup.tar

Let the last comment, we'll have to know what you used to create the backup.

I've explained this badly. The auto b\u was while on Windows 7 which I wiped.Then installed Ubuntu. Didn't like it much and tried Linux Mate, then Cinnamon which I liked immediately. Doing this on both lap tops. I think I got carried away and now I can't remember backup or details of the order of doing things, except that I did make a backup, but, as you say, what backup. It's composed of 1300 odd of the Dup files already mentioned. Oh! Oh! I think thats way to many files just backing up my Pics. Think it must be my Grandaughters films as well. Lord what a mess I'm in. Anyone got a gun? Just hoping now that someone can manage to sort this. Cheers.

Since "duplicity" is a software suite for performing backups, the first step would be to install it (in Linux) and see if it can make sense of your backup files. You mentioned "Linux Mate" and "Cinnamon", which are just different desktop environments, so I can't really tell what Linux distribution you are now running (Linux Mint Cinnamon, perhaps?). You will probably find that your Linux distribution has a "duplicity" package available. If not, you can get it from the source here.

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So I still don't understand how the backups were performed, because I agree it certainly looks like a candidate.

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lets get this strait
1) you used Win7 to back up win7
2) reformated and installed ubuntu
3) reformated and installed mint

now you are wondering what he MICROSOFT windows7 back up will not restore files to mint


well

you can not


it is very likely you ERASED that win7 backup
and after two Operating system installs

not even the NSA or CIA can recover them

that is
unless you but the back up on a different drive
and it is NOT !!!! encrypted from windows7 with a key you erased

if encrypted
there is nothing anyone can do
-- they are gone for good

if

the back up is on a UNENCRYPTED drive that is SEPARATE from the laptop drive

you might be able to get them back ?

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The OP stated in the initial post it was on an external drive.

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The backup tool that comes with Ubuntu is "Deja Dup", which is a front end interface to duplicity. If you just clicked on "Backup" while running Ubuntu, that is what you used.

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If I read this right, you created the backup using windows 7. I believe it's proprietary...

You can install Win7 in a virtual box or you can create a partition and install win7, restore the back ups then copy then back them up again clean (without using the Widows proprietary backup tool)...

Then you can get rid of Win7 or keep it just in case...

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Thanks to all who have replied to my post. The response has amaed me. Just absorbing the replies and when I've got my head round them will post reply. Cheers

I response from Soapm, would yield that best result for the info provided.

Went through all the responses I had to my problem. Decided in the end to make a clean install of Ubuntu as suggested (good practice I thought for a newbie). Used Restore a previous Backup and it worked a treat. Beats Windows any day. Re-installed Mint Cinnamon and so far had no further problems. Next problem is persuading "her in doors" to chuck Vista and join me. Cheers all.