Restore data after re-install

I had to re-install eMClient on a w11 PC. I created a backup .zip file, which I still have. The new install of eMClient won’t let me restore all my data and settings from the .zip file. When I click restore I get ‘Backup directory not found’ message. I have checked that the restore directory is correct (it’s the standard one) and the .zip file is there. How can I restore all my old messages and contacts.
THanks
Geoff
Here’s the error message:
System.IO.IOException: Access to the path ‘C:\Users\gdgre\AppData\Roaming\eM Client’ is denied.
at System.IO.FileSystem.MoveDirectory(String sourceFullPath, String destFullPath)
at System.IO.Directory.Move(String sourceDirName, String destDirName)
at MailClient.DbBackup.FormBackup.Restore(String backupFile, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
at MailClient.DbBackup.FormBackup.Restore(CancellationToken cancellationToken)
at MailClient.DbBackup.FormBackup.<>c__DisplayClass27_0.<MainForm_Load>b__0(Object a, DoWorkEventArgs b)
at System.ComponentModel.BackgroundWorker.OnDoWork(DoWorkEventArgs e)
at System.ComponentModel.BackgroundWorker.WorkerThreadStart(Object argument)

UPDATE: – I notice now that when I open eMClient the .zip file has unzipped and the folder is now full of files and sub folders BUT eMClient has not restored my old messages and contacts.
Can I transfer the .dat files to eMClient manually? or is there another trick?
Thanks

Make sure you are not putting the eM Client backup.zip file “in the hidden Roaming\eM Client” folder as per your error message above, or you wont be able to restore it as that is where the backup.zip file restores / extracts to.

So for a Windows PC, you normally put the eM Client backup.zip file in the “c:\users\yourname\documents\eM Client” directory which will then restore ok from within eM Client when you click “Menu / File / Restore”.

Thanks v much for your help. Regret, still not solved! I put the .zip file in the directory suggested. Opened eMClient. Did File > Restore. Then got message “Selected folder does not contain any backup files”. In settings set storage as Users\XXX\Documents\eMClient and Backup as Users\XXX\AppData\eMClient\Roaming\eMClient\Backup.
In Users\XXX\Documents\eMClient directory I now have a lot of unpacked files!
I would be grateful for any suggestions.
Geoff

This is the wrong way around. The database should be in appdata, and the backups in Documents.
Also, you can’t have the backups in a subfolder of the database.

Please close eM Client. In Windows Explorer go to …\Documents\eM Client. Delete everything except for the backup zip files. If they are not there, move them there.

Open Windows registry editor and go to Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\eM Client
Remove the DBLoaction entry if it is there.

Start eM Client. Cancel any setup windows and go to Menu > File > Restore.

I am so grateful for your help – I need to restore my old e-mails!!
Sorry for my confusion on the directories.
Swopped directories and that did the trick and the .zip file unpacked.
Unfortunately my old e-mails and contacts seem to have disappeared.
Don’t know if others have had the same problem as this arose after I up-graded to W11.
Anyway, thank you so v much for your help.
Geoff

Were these messages and contacts saved only in eM Client, so not synced with a server?

If so, if they were in the backup, maybe they are in Local Folders and you are not displaying Local Folders. You can enable them using Menu > Settings > General > General > Show Local Folders.

Once again thank you so much for your help. I needed to retrieve all my old messages and contacts and finally managed to do so, with your help. It might help others to say that the step that I had to perform was to extract the .zip file, empty the AddData database and copy all the files across. Why the 'zip file would not unzip from the Restore command I shall never know!!
Thanks v much for your help and expertise.