Restoring a backup after a phone reset

So pretty much a nightmare so far and NOT an easy process. Here's what happened:

My wife is using Windows 11 and the POS version of itunes off the MS Store because apparently the Apple site pointed her there. Apparently she was trying to move some new music to her phone and itunes said she needed to update the iOS. Having forgotten that you NEVER update the iOS from itunes, she started the process.

Of course, itunes crashed and the phone was frozen mid-process (probably less than 10% on the bar)

I look at the phone and search for advice on how to jump-start it, all of which pretty much said to wait. We did, overnight approx 10 hours before touching it again.

At this point, it's clear it's not going anywhere. Since she just backed up the phone, I try to get into DFU mode, reset and restore. Itunes crashes again. And again, and again. Back to searching the web for info.

Apparently the MS Store version of itunes is severely flawed (aka it sucks per numerous posts) and I end up uninstalling and re-installing from the .exe on the Apple site using version 12.13.4.4 which successfully updates the iOS and restores the phone to working (aka brand new) form.

The point: I know the location of her last old (MS) backup and it appears to be different from the newer (Apple) location. Itunes does not see any of them.

Is there a way to access and restore from the old backup(s)? Since the phone has now "never been backed up" per itunes, there's not even an option to search for or, navigate to, other backups meaning it's essentially a new, blank, never been used phone with years of settings and data now gone.

Seriously Apple, there needs to be a way to find and restore old backups in cases like this because stuff happens.

Hoping someone can point me in the right direction.

Thanks in advance.