Viewing Backup File - Question

[HOSKO02]

Ok so, my problem is this: I want to retrieve some screenshots from years ago that are locked in an old back-up file.

Except that this file isn't resident on my current (new, windows 7) pc, they're on an external drive recovered from the initial (old, xp) laptop the back-up originally came from. (So the drive was removed and converted to an external storage device, it's a nightmare in terms of fixing administrative controls on it, but that's another issue..)

My question is this, is there a way/program that allows me to open or view the files within the backup file/folder, and recover/retrieve/save them? When I plug the drive into my current PC, I see the user documents etc I've put on it since for storage, and the extremely large backup file from the old laptop, it's this I want to crack open and rummage about in (obviously not wanting to backup my current system at all)

If anyone can figure out my poorly worded problem and knows a program/method to do this, +Rep to you and a tip of my hat good sir.

(Running: Windows 7 HP SP1 x6, the external drive is a 55GB NTFS file system(?))

Thread moved by j0rd (Forum Moderator): From 'Discuss Anything' as it is more suited here.

[scottish]

What type of backup (file format)?
What program did you use to store the backup?

Different programs work different ways in terms of storing backups and even the type

If it's an image then you can mount the image (acts as a virtual drive) which you can access the contents etc

[Recursion]

What this guy said ^

Also your permissions issue can be fixed using this http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/ff404240.aspx

[HOSKO02]

Thanks for these replies, it wasn't an image, more like a folder, figured out I could zip the contents within but pot luck with it, will use a program to view it all in one go