AI has these suggestions - not 100% guaranteed to be accurate...
"With FileFort, it is normal that you do not see your actual documents and photos as loose files in the backup folder; they are usually stored inside one or more backup archives (often a single .fbk or .zip file) that must be opened or restored through FileFort itself, not browsed like a regular folder.
Why folders look empty
By default, FileFort creates a backup file (archive) in the destination folder, and inside that archive are your .doc, .docx, .jpg, etc., not in the visible folders you see in Explorer.
If you created an incremental or compressed backup, all the content may be in one or a few archive files whose names may not look like your original file names (for example, a dated backup job name with an extension like .zip or a proprietary backup extension).
How to check if the backup really worked
Open FileFort on your computer.
In the list of backup jobs, select the job you ran to the external drive.
Use the “Restore” option (or “Restore Backup” on the toolbar/menu) and choose a small test folder or a couple of files to restore to a different location (for example, a new folder on your Desktop).
If the restore completes and you can open the test documents/photos, your backup is fine even though the folders on the external drive look empty.
Things to verify in your job settings
Open the job in FileFort and check:
Files/Folders tab: Confirm the folders you wanted (e.g., Documents, Pictures) are listed; if you used inclusion rules, make sure patterns like *.doc;*.docx;*.jpg are in the include box and not accidentally in the exclude box.
Destination: Confirm the external drive path is correct and that there is a backup file (archive) in that destination folder with a recent date and a non‑zero size when viewed in Explorer (right‑click → Properties).
If there truly are no files
If you do not see any large backup archive on the external drive and FileFort will not restore anything from that job:
Re‑run the backup job and watch for any error messages about disk space, permissions, or cache/memory limitations that could prevent files from being copied.
Make sure the external drive is formatted and writable, has enough free space, and that your antivirus is not blocking the backup process.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
If you tell what you see on the external drive (for example, the names and sizes of any files there), it is possible to give more specific next steps.