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pkh
Moderator
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I want to restore individual files/folders from my VM backup, but when I expand the machine, I don't see the individual files/folders.

This scenario is often encountered by users and you got to check two things.

1) The file GRT is enabled in the VM backup job.

This is enabled by default, but it is worthwhile checking it.

2) Ensure that the machine is expanded in the right place.

Let's say you have this set-up.

t410-esx-cw is the ESX host for VM MEM01 2008 x64” which has a Netbios/DNS name of “2K8MEM01.MACVM.LOCAL

After you run a backup of t410-esx-cw, you get this

Notice that now the VM 2K8MEM01.MACVM.LOCAL” is added to the list of servers.

If host t410-esx-cw  is selected and you expand VM MEM01 2008 x64, you would see the vmdk's for VM MEM01 2008 x64, but you would not be able to see the individual files/folders.

If on the other hand, you select 2K8MEM01.MACVM.LOCAL” from the list of servers, then you would see the list of individual files/folders.

You can now select the individual files/folders for restore.

Although this article uses VMware as an example, the process is the same for Hyper-V VM's.  To restore individual files/folders, you got to select and expand the VM's Netbios/DNS name.  Expanding the host will not give you the list of files/folders.

Likewise, selecting and expanding the VM's Netbios/DNS name to restore individual files/folders are applicable for earlier versions of BE.  In your restore selection screen, you would be able to see both the VM's Netbios/DNS name and the VM host.  You should expand the VM's Netbios/DNS name, and not the VM host.

Another thing to note: If you are restoring to tape, the backup is staged to disk before the actual restore starts.  You either have to ensure you have enough disk space for this staging or duplicate the backup set to disk before proceeding with the restore.

Comments
vinayy
Level 4
Partner Accredited

 

 HI PHK,

 

For Hyper-V we need to follow same process for restore individual files/folders or we need to restore RAWS on Guest VMS. And it is possible to restore GRT Database restore.

 

 

Regards,

 

VINAYY

michaelvp
Level 3
Partner Accredited

Great Article

DaveyMG
Level 4

Re your last comment on staging the backup to disk - how much of the backup has to be staged to enable the restore?  To restore a single file off of a backed up volume of a single server is it only the volume that is staged or the entire server backup?

Good article though.

Tirelibirefe
Level 4

The article is good to clarify which is a possible misunderstanding. VM is backed up through Vmware host but when you need to restore a folder/file individually, VM must be selected instead of Vmware host. That's ok.

...but what about Active Directory objects? The VM which I backed up is a DC and I want to restore an AD object.

In previous releases of BackupExec, there was a super useful, smooth AD objects tree and it was let you select and restore an individual AD object to a point of time.  I don't know what happened to BackupExec, I can not see that useful interface neither at 2012 nor 2014...

pkh
Moderator
Moderator
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There is no change from the previous versions of BE.  You will get the AD objects when you expand the system state of the DC.

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Last update:
‎10-08-2012 09:06 PM
Updated by:
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