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CraigV
Moderator
Moderator
Partner    VIP    Accredited
I thought I would share this with the forum, as I have seen some posts around this. I've had to restore individual mailboxes and emails for users since the move from ARCserve 11.5 to Backup Exec 11D (and we are moving onto 12.5). Initially under the impression that this would be a simple process, I went about restoring from a particular date, and kept on running into errors with insufficient disk space. No matter what I tried, it wouldn't work. Checking that the drive I wanted to restore too had enough free space, always confirmed this.

I'd read up that the process would restore the entire Information Store, which I found a bit of a long-winded way of doing things. It got to the point where instead of saying to a user that restoring their mail wasn't possible, I decided to fix the issue once and for all.

Checking on the internet revealed nothing much in terms of useful information, and I logged a call with Symantec. About an hour later, and I had the following "fix". I've used this on at least 7 occassions now, and it's always been successful. The most recent restore was a full disaster recovery of a server in Africa that had a catastrophic failure, and Exchange had to be recreated (along with the server!).

My method of restoring directly from tape always failed...always. It was explained that if there was an issue during the restore process, that it would automatically fail. instead, I was shown to stage the restore to disk firstly, and then restore whatever was needed thereafter.

Try this, and let me know if you have success with it.

Restoring Data in Exchange

Before restoring data, a few things need to be checked and enabled:
● Check that there is sufficient disk space available. This is because Backup Exec will stage the entire Exchange Information Store before restoring any individual items.
● The default location for temporary files is: C:\Temp. This needs to be changed to the drive with the most space available.
This is done as follows: Tools  Options  Restore (Path on media server for staging temporary restore data…).
● The user concerned needs to be logged out of their email.
● Make sure the user informs the Service Desk/engineer of exactly what they want restored. We cannot spend time trying to sift through emails, due to the manner in which Backup Exec views the emails..

Restoring Data Using a Duplicate Copy

This method duplicates an Exchange Information Store to the local server hard drive. The reason for using this method would be due to a large Exchange IS database size, or wanting to stage the restore once.
Should a restore fail during normal restore process, the entire Exchange IS needs to be restaged. This will take time depending on the database’s size.
Do the following:
● Check for a drive with sufficient disk space for the restore. The available space must be at least the size of the Exchange IS.
● On the target drive, create a folder called: Exchange Restore.
● Open Backup Exec, and go to Devices. Right-click Backup-to-Disk Folders, and choose: New Backup-to-Disk Folder. Give it the name: Exchange Restore, and point it to the target drive and folder. Click OK.
● Go to Job Setup, select the job that runs for the site, and under Backup Tasks, choose: New job to duplicate backup sets. Choose OK.
● Browse the server concerned, and under Microsoft Information Store, choose the Information Store you want to stage to disk. You need to select the date/media.
● Choose the new Backup-to-Disk folder created for this purpose, and click Run Now. Let the job complete.
● Make a note of the name of the image created by this job (Devices --> Backup-to-Disk Folders --> Exchange Restore).
● Click the Restore tab in Backup Exec. When the “Welcome to the Restore Wizard” screen shows, deselect the tab to “Always launch the Restore Wizard from the Restore Button”, and click Next.
● Under Selections, choose View by Media, and chose the image created in the duplication job.
● Find the user’s mailbox that needs to be restored, open the mailbox, and click Top of Information Store.
● From here, individual emails, contacts and folders can be restored.
● Select what needs to be restored.
● Click Resource Credentials, and then Test All to make sure that the security credentials are correct,
● Click Run Now.
● Go to Job Monitor, and the job should run successfully. This will restore data straight into the user’s mailbox.
Comments
sujay70524
Level 4
Thx a lot dude
nice info
& helpul steps
nia
Level 5
Partner Accredited
 Nice Job Craig...

Thanks!
jabels9904
Not applicable
I got as far as restoring the data, which was 40GB. Went to restore data by choosing the new restore image, clicked on mailboxes, but no users, or any data, are listed.
CBMC
Level 3
We would need more information to be able to help you.  You'll want to start your own thread for that, or find one with the same/similar problem.  The current thread is a how-to and assumes that everything is working the way that you want it to.
Take a look at this thread and see how closely it matches your problem: https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/forums/enable-restore-individual-mail-messages-and-folders-b...

fantalemon
Level 2

Hello Craig
Thanks for the howto guide.  I now have a backup to disk of my mailbox store and i wondered if you have any advice on this last step I'm trying to acheive.  From the image I am trying to restore mailboxes to another exchange server.  It's actually the same server as the backuptodisk image i've created.  I keep getting this error message:-
Completed status: Failed
Final error: 0xe0008488 - Access is denied.
Final error category: Security Errors
For additional information regarding this error refer to link V-79-57344-33928
Unable to restore any content for peter.pan because the Microsoft Exchange database that hosts that ...
The mailbox does exist.  Not hidden from global address list.

I select the mailboxes i want to restore from the image under view by media.
Under microsoft exchange redirection, i select restore to server: \\name of server
Under redirect to drive and path(exchange 2003) i select c:\program files\exchsrvr\mdbdata

The mailstore is dismounted, database can be overwritten by a restore. 
What i am trying to acheive is a method of restoring mailboxes onto another exchange server then use admodify to modify the attributes.

should the beremote.exe versions have any bearing on this?11.0.6235.14 and 11.0.7170.32

 

 

JT_T
Level 5
Partner Certified
fantalemon,

If you are restoring mailbox(es) from GRT backup, you shouldn't dismount Exchange database. Restore should be done when Exchange and it's databases are online.
Cheri
Not applicable
I am looking to just restore a mailbox - nothing else.  Based on above documentation I am nearly ready to "run now".  But I have one uneasiness there is no mention of the Microsoft Exchange settings.  "Restore all transaction logs..." cannot be unselected, will the restore of just one mailbox restore all the transaction logs from that backup set to my live server? 
its_me1
Level 3
Dear craig,

i have problem with disk space for temporary file due to staging proccess to restore individual mailbox from tape, my IS size is 1,2 TB and i dont have more external hardisk or  storage. Can you give me some advice so i can restore individual mailbox?
can i use a tape to store temporary file?


rsmccall
Level 5
If restoring tape to disk:
1. Purchase & install more internal HDD's 

OR

2. If you have a storage server (SAN or NAS) you can use Microsoft iSCSI Initiator to make the storage server appear as a local HDD.  I've done this in my environment and it works.  

If you were to restore from disk to disk there wouldn't be a need to "stage" the IS data.  IS staging is required when restoring from tape.  So your third option...

3. Purchase/install backup to disk solution.

Only options I can think of.
its_me1
Level 3
Dear,

i have wd sharespace NAS, pls tell me how to use Microsoft iSCSI Initiator so i can use my device to backup and restore?

thanks a lot
Barry_441
Not applicable
We are using 12.5 so the menu options/names are slightly different but...

I am testing the restore of a "Deleted Items" folder for an individuals mailbox.  I was able to successfully restore the backup to the "Exchange Restore" B2D folder I created per the instructions with one exception.  I do not have IMG****** folders in the Exchange Restore folder only B2D******.bkf files.  I can see the emails in the backup of the folder but when I attempt to restore the folder from these B2D******.bkf files I get the following.
**********************
Error Creating
The data is invalid.
**********************

Any ideas?  I can restore files and folders from regular backups, but when I attempt Exchange restores I'm bombing out.

Thank you for any assistance.
Barry
Citylights
Not applicable
Barry 441,  I also get exactly the same "The data is invalid" message as you when I try to do an Exchange restore of a mailstore.

In my case it happens whether I try to restore directly from tape or whether I duplicate the backup job to disk first as per this article.

My backups use v12.5 and GRT.
Barry_441
Not applicable
I have found no resolve for this issue.
SchoonerNC
Not applicable
I think that this HOWTO has saved my bacon. Still waiting for the B2D staging to complete but wanted to thank you for posting this. My support expired because we forgot to renew this year and are under fire to get a mailbox restored which I have never had to do before. We have been amending our procedures to include test restores, etc... but haven't finished that initiative yet. Bad timing.

Anyways thanks!!!

PS - Completed my restore and this worked perfectly. Now I am confident that my backups work and that I can quickly and relatively easily restore items to exchange if/when needed.
Amir_A
Not applicable

Hey CriagV,
I followed all the instructions to perform a deplicate backup of exchange 2003 full backup to a local disk and that went fine. I am able to dig into individual mail box contents. However, the restore of a mailbox contact from this B2D hangs on 0 byte count for more than half an hour. Isn't It was supposed to make the whole process faster as compared to restoring directly from the tape by avoiding the staging process? The restore is being done to another exchange server.

Here is my environment:
Server 1) Media Server - Windows 2003 Server
Server 2) Windows 2003 Server + Exchange 2003
I am trying to restore to another exchange server in the same domain, and I am using BEX Version  12

Please Help!
Tuh
Not applicable
Thanks, i used this method some times now and each time it worked perfectly.
Thanks for your info!
NickyPower
Not applicable

Based on the above scenario whereby i restore the full IS to an external drive...  However 2nd stage, when i go to restore i'm getting the message stating that the External drive is offline which it is now?

Any ideas?

KJP
Not applicable

I have followed the instructions added by CraigV.  There were a couple of stages during the Catalog of the media that was slightly vague on how to do.  I am wondering if there was a best practise for doing this as I was getting errors every time attempting to restore from this duplicate backup/device.

Also, when expanding the IMG0000x file when proceeding to kick off a restore then it see the Information Store but none of the individual mailboxes.  The Exchange backups run with GRT enables and when browsing the tape the duplicate backup was copied from the individual mails boxes are there.

The only option when performing the duplicate backup set was to select the highest level on the tape and everything underneath is greyed out but seems to be selected.

Is there something missing from the process of restoring an individual mailbox, as it isn't working for me.

We are running 12.5 on Windows Server 2003.  Our Exchange back end is a Cluster Active passive running Exchange 2003 sp2.  It may be that the primary in the cluster has changed since the backup was taken, not sure if that could be an issue?

Has anyone had any issues similar to this and how were they overcome...

Many thanks in advance

KJP

Enness
Level 2

I still get this error, even after duplicating from tape to disk, then trying the restore from disk. 

Any ideas?

(Am restoring whole info. store.  We backup at storage group level and don't use GRT.)

Thanks.

DJTI
Not applicable

I am trying to restore inividual emails from backup tape of "old SBS2003 server" (SBS2003- exchange 2003). Now running SBS2008-exchange 2007.

Why does the job still look for "Old Exchange server" in resources, instead of the image created (duplicate copy)? The SBS2003 is no longer in service. Should the resource be the image? I thought this method of backup would resolve this.

Restore Error:

Job ended: Saturday, May 21, 2011 at 6:53:04 AM
Completed status: Failed
Final error: 0xe0000f04 - The media server could not connect to the remote computer. The remote computer may not be running the Backup Exec
Remote Agent for Windows/Linux. Make sure that the correct version of the Remote Agent is installed and running on the target computer.
Final error category: Resource Errors

For additional information regarding this error refer to link V-79-57344-3844

 

robbiecookie101
Level 2

After performing the duplication I suffered the same problem as jabels9904 and was unable to see any user data or emails. I worked out that McAfee was trying to scan the edb files from the staging area. Excluding the path from McAfee allowed me to see all the user data and run the restore.

Ray_Tango
Not applicable

I just wanted to write and say thank you so much for your vast articles on the health benefits of many different foods, beverages such as tea, spices etc. You have given me access to a vast amount of knowledge that is convenient and very easy to read. Farmer`s Pride Cafe

chucklowe
Not applicable

Here's my experience. We have backup exec on a server with limited space. Version 11D. Earlier versions did not seem to have to stage the entire database.

I could not change the staging area to a different server. It failed all the time. Cryptic errro messages. Symantec should really do something about that. What I was able to do is to attach an external 1TB USB drive to the server and change the staging area to it. I made sure I re-booted the server with the drive in as sometimes certain software will not recognize it.

Finally it worked. I did however notice that it restored the entire exchange (2003) database and also created a sub folder and created another copy of the entire database. So be on notice you actually need more than 2X the free space.

thabopm
Level 2

Hi All

I am still not winning with restoring the user's sent items from Backup Exec 2010 R2, I have tried all the tricks from your forums but I am still not coming right, I have checked the credentials, I have changed the temporary location as specified to the location with sufficient space and still no luck my restore just fails with the following message.

 Job ended: Thursday, October 18, 2012 at 8:28:48 AM

Completed status: Failed
Final error: 0xe000848c - Unable to attach to a resource.  Make sure that all selected resources exist and are online, and then try again.  If the server or resource no longer exists, remove it from the selection list. Edit the selection list properties, click the View Selection Details tab, and then remove the resource.
Final error category: Resource Errors

For additional information regarding this error refer to link V-79-57344-33932

 We are running Backup Exec 2010 R2 and I am trying to restore sent items from Exchange server 2007.

Your assistance will be very much appreciated.

 

Thank you+

Remko_de_Koning
Level 4

I seem to be running into the same problem. I used to be able to restore mailbox items just fine.
This is something we do not use that often. (luckily ....)

This week, we received a request to restore a deleted email folder.

At first we tried to restore the mail via recovered deleted items. This is the way we normally restore email items. Unfortunately this was a entire folder structure and it appears that recovering deleted items is limited to 500 items for some reason.

So back to Symantec Backup Excec 2010 R2

Browsing to the latest full backup on disk.

Found the mailbox folder. Tried to restore it and.....error.

Same as yours thabopm

So time to go through the checklist again.

  • Backup user member of local admin, exchange server administrator, domain admin
  • Valid mailbox, open the mailbox in webmail to activate it. Mailbox not hidden. (make it hidden, apply and make it unhidden again just to be sure)
  • Tested credentials during restore.
  • Made sure my TEMP folder is available. Even tried another disk.
  • Checked if my Exchange server and media server hold the same rollup package
  • Making Backups works fine.
  • Agent is latest version

 

Help....what am I not seeing here. Banging my head against the wallangry

 

Remko

 

 

 

 

Michal_B_
Not applicable

I've got a similar issue.

I've got full backup made on tape, I've done staging on Backup-to-Disk Folder as described in this post.

When trying to recover mailbox elements from disk duplicated backup i got error message as follows:

Job ended: Friday, September 13, 2013 at 12:32:24 PM Completed status: Failed Final error: 0xe0008105 - Invalid Physical Volume Library Media Identifier. Final error category: Job Errors For additional information regarding this error refer to link V-79-57344-33029

 

Any1 have any thought on this? I searched forums/internet and couldn't find any matching (nor working) solution.

prong
Not applicable

Runnning Backup Exec 12.5 on Windows Server 2003.  I'm able to view the mailbox information store, access individual user mailboxes and see the messages within those mailboxes from the restore job view, but get the same cryptic error/failure others reported at the final step when trying to do the actual restore:  Error Creating - The data is Invalid.

 

01.png

 

 

I'm not seeing anything logged in event viewer to give further info on the cause.  Any ideas?

 

PCP_IMartin
Level 2

Fantastic workaround got me out of a real hole!!

Many thanks

Ian

 

CraigV
Moderator
Moderator
Partner    VIP    Accredited

Glad it helped!

jmorenov
Not applicable

Hola, yo  presento el mismo problema.

Antes yo podía restaurar emails sin problemas, ahora ya no puedo.

Alguien puede por favor ayudarme? Como puedo usar la carpeta pública para restaurar? He intentado restaurando a la carpeta pública y completa al 100% pero cuando entro a la carpeta pública está vacía.

====================================

 

Hello, I present the same problem.

Before I could restore emails without problems, now I can not.

Can someone please help me? As I can use to restore the public folder? I tried restoring full and public folder to 100% but when I enter the public folder is empty.

Samsulnizam
Level 0

Hi CraigV,

Can guide us on how to:

1. Duplicate the Exchange database from backup tape to disk using BE2014.

2. Recover the Exchange database to redirect location (local media server) using BE2014.

When I trying to restore the exchange database from backup set, if choose restore the individual mailbox, I cannot see anything beyond the backup set date.

If choose to restore exchange database, I can see 2 files (database and logs files). Then I proced to recover the data by redirect, however failed with communication error (remote agent stop).

3. Is there any other way to recover the data from B2Dxxxx.bkf file?

Using backup exec 2014.

Thank you in advance.

jay_kothawala
Level 2

Backup and recovery useful article:
 
https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/article.TECH77853

https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/article.000010297
 

Version history
Last update:
‎05-02-2009 12:44 PM
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