# Recovering Node Red
**URL:** https://discourse.nodered.org/t/recovering-node-red/89173
**Category:** General
**Created:** [2 July 2024 08:54 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/recovering-node-red/89173 "2024-07-02T08:54:50Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@mlgch1](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/mlgch1)
#### Post date: [2 July 2024 08:54 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/recovering-node-red/89173/1 "2024-07-02T08:54:50Z")
My win11 PC recently had a melt down so I have had to reinstall NR. This I have done but my problem now is to recover my flows. I have a backup of the old .node-red folder and I can see .json files in it which appear to be the flows. I have replaced the current .node-red folder with the old one but do not see my flows. Can anyone assist please?
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### Author:  [@Trying\_to\_learn](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Trying_to_learn)
#### Post date: [2 July 2024 09:19 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/recovering-node-red/89173/2 "2024-07-02T09:19:02Z")
I **THINK** with what you are describing it is possible.
In the backup folder, do you have a `flows_(your name).json` file?
In Node-Red, (top right menu) `import` then select `file`, point to it and import it.
SHOULD work.
Yes there would (most likely) be problems with missing nodes.
But you will be told their names.
Just install them - ignoring the warnings between doing it - and all should work.
# **OR**
Maybe just ~~move~~ COPY all the files from the backup folder to the new `.node-red` folder, though you MAY need to check with the filenames if you have changed the user.
I'm not a windows person, so can't be 100% on the file names.
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### Author:  [@Colin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Colin)
#### Post date: [2 July 2024 09:40 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/recovering-node-red/89173/3 "2024-07-02T09:40:47Z")
Welcome to the forum @mlgch1
Restore the whole of the .node-red folder except for the node\_modules folder. Then in a command window go into the .node-red folder and run
`npm install`
That will install any additional nodes you were using (based on the contents of package.json).
If it still is not working show us the contents of the .node-red folder and also the command window output when you start node-red (copy/paste please, not screenshot). Then we should be able to work out why it is not picking up the flows file.
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### Author:  [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)
#### Post date: [30 September 2024 09:40 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/recovering-node-red/89173/4 "2024-09-30T09:40:49Z")
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