What happens if the full backup is lost and only the differential backups are available?

The correct choice indicates that if the full backup is lost but the latest differential backup is available, it can still be used to restore the system to the state it was in at the time the differential backup was created.

Differential backups capture all changes made since the last full backup. Therefore, when you have only differential backups available, the most recent one effectively represents the latest cumulative changes made to the data since the last full backup. As a result, it allows for a complete restoration of the system to that exact point in time, ensuring that the user does not lose all data and can recover to a relatively recent state based on what has been captured in the differential backups.

In this scenario, the original files cannot be restored directly from the differential backups alone; they must rely on the basic structure set by the lost full backup. However, users often work under the assumption that the system can be restored effectively using the latest differential backup, thus highlighting its critical importance.