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alan_koch's avatar
alan_koch
Level 4
12 years ago

Restore VMDK files

We are using Backup Exe 2010R3 to backup VMWare 4.1 hosts.  We have the VMware agent loaded as well as the Windows agent loaded into the Guest VMs.  Here is the situation: One of our Guest VMs' C: drive crashed and was damaged so that we could not do a Windows restore to it using the Windows backup.  We decided to restore using the VMware backup.  Because the Guest VM had two drives, C: and D: we tried restoring the VMDK file for C: drive only.  That job failed and said the we needed to click the option to "Delete existing virutal machines prior to restore".  When we clicked that option and resubmitted the job, it deleted both VMDK files for the C: and D: drives and then did a full restore.  We had hoped to save the D: drive data.

My question is this, is it possible to restore only the VMDK file for one specific drive or as in our senario, do we have to restore the whole VM?

Thanks for the help and advice.

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Backup and Recovery
Backup Exec
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  • VJware's avatar
    VJware
    12 years ago

    In such a case, it would better to redirect the restore of the complete VM (with all vmdk's) to a folder (restore as a flat-file) and then copy only the required vmdk to the ESX..

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  • Backup_Exec1's avatar
    Backup_Exec1
    Level 6
    12 years ago

    Hi

     

    With backup exec vmware agent you have an option to restore as file level restore by which you could have been able to restore file on C drive if you have done GRT backup of the virtual machine

    But if you restore the entire vmdk then there is no way to customize what are going to restore in that so it will restore the entire vmdk ,you still have the option to restore same ESX host or to different ESX host too

     

    Hope that helps

    Thanks

  • VJware's avatar
    VJware
    Level 6
    12 years ago

    In such a case, it would better to redirect the restore of the complete VM (with all vmdk's) to a folder (restore as a flat-file) and then copy only the required vmdk to the ESX..

  • alan_koch's avatar
    alan_koch
    Level 4
    12 years ago

    I need a little clarification on the 'restore as a flat-file' comment.  I assume that what you mean is that under the Destination/VMware Redirection section you would choose the "Redirect to a folder" option.  Is this correct? 

    Can I copy the required VMDK file directly to the ESX and have it recognized by the VM or does some process need to be run to get the VM to recognize the VMDK file?

    Thanks.

  • Backup_Exec1's avatar
    Backup_Exec1
    Level 6
    12 years ago

    Hi

    Can I copy the required VMDK file directly to the ESX and have it recognized by the VM or does some process need to be run to get the VM to recognize the VMDK file?

    No you cannot copy it directly ,you would have to use vmware converter  for this. Using vmware converter you can use that vmdk image

     

    Thanks