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Essam_Magdy's avatar
Essam_Magdy
Level 2
9 years ago
Solved

differential backup does not backup modified files

Dears;

I need your help as I have an issue regarding the differential backup...

i took a full backup from a file server and then i restored it to a new file server (i did so as we are migrating the file server from windows 2003 to windows 2012 R2)...

then i  modified a text file and created a new text file on the file server...

then i run a differential backup...

then I restored this differential backup on the new file server...

what happened is only the new file i have created is restored but the file i have modified did not restore...

please advise if i have to modify the policy or modify the restore options...

Thanks

7.6
Backup and Recovery
NetBackup
Windows Server (2003-2008)
  • Marianne's avatar
    Marianne
    9 years ago

    If you can browse it, it was backed up.

    As suggested by my question and Andy's post - if you restore to same location and tell NBU to NOT overwrite, it cannot replace the existing file.

    If you go through the logs, you will see that the modified file was skipped during restore because it already exists.

    If you do not want to overwrite existing file, then restore to different folder.

    NBU restore is working as expected.

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  • Marianne's avatar
    Marianne
    Level 6
    9 years ago

    When you browse for backups and expand the folder, can you see the modified file?

    Did you choose to restore to same or different location?

    Did you choose "Overwrite existing files" or not?

     

  • mph999's avatar
    mph999
    Level 6
    9 years ago

    How long did you leave between the first backup and the second backup

  • xlrd's avatar
    xlrd
    Level 3
    9 years ago

    The key thing here is to check whether your file is actually included in the differential backup - use bplist -C <client> -k <policyname> -X -s <ctime> -e <ctime> -R / (get ctime from the image itself, <client>_<ctime>) or BAR GUI to do so.

    I would assume that the file will not be included in the INCREMENTAL backup, so depending on INCREMENTALS BASED ON configuration (archive bit or modified time) on the client check why it has happened: either OS did not put archive bit on the file  when it was created or the issue is related to modified time on the file (to troubleshoot that check how NetBackup identifies the files during the INCREMENTAL backups, see https://www.veritas.com/community/articles/how-netbackup-chooses-files-be-included-incremental-backup)

     

  • Essam_Magdy's avatar
    Essam_Magdy
    Level 2
    9 years ago

    Dear Marianne;

    Yes i can see the modified files..

    Yes i restore to the same location...

    No i do not use "Overwrite existing files"..

    Thanks

  • Andy_Welburn's avatar
    Andy_Welburn
    Level 6
    9 years ago

    Your (last) response to Mariannes initial question seems (to me) to be the issue:

    Yes i can see the modified files..

    Yes i restore to the same location...

    No i do not use "Overwrite existing files"..

    If you "do not overwrite existing files" then the newer, modified versions of said files will not be restored (it should say something to this effect in the restore job details)

  • Marianne's avatar
    Marianne
    Level 6
    9 years ago

    If you can browse it, it was backed up.

    As suggested by my question and Andy's post - if you restore to same location and tell NBU to NOT overwrite, it cannot replace the existing file.

    If you go through the logs, you will see that the modified file was skipped during restore because it already exists.

    If you do not want to overwrite existing file, then restore to different folder.

    NBU restore is working as expected.

  • Essam_Magdy's avatar
    Essam_Magdy
    Level 2
    9 years ago

    Dears;

     

    thanks a million; i did chose the overwrite option and it did work...

    Thanks