After restore - Server stops at "Starting Windows"

[Matthias_T]

Hello,

I'm working here in a Test-Area and try to restore a remote Windows 2000 Server on different Hardware ("normal" Computer with IDE-HD and without RAID). The restore Job runs trough without any failure, but after rebooting, the remote Server stops at the DOS-Screen " ... starting Windows ... " and stays there forever. No "Safe-Mode" or anything else possible to boot.

To restore the Server I followed this document:
http://seer.support.veritas.com/docs/236240.htm

Remote Server:
Windows 2000 Server SP4
Domaincontroller
(The mediaserver from which I start the restore is a Domaincontroller too.)
Exchange 2000

My restore-job looks like this:

C:\ (Full-Backup - complete C:\ - except "boot.ini")
C:\ (Differential-Backup)
Systemstate
(The Exchange-DB is not part of this job right now.)

Does anybody see my mistake already ? :)
Like I already said, it's a restore on a new hardware !
Nothing special on this hardware, but I guess Windows sees that different ... :D
It would be great if you could give me some hints, what I did wrong !

Thanks for your time !

Matthias

[Joshua_Small]

Looks like you're aware of the mistake yourself, since you pointed it out.

Windows doesn't like being moved from one piece of hardware to the next.

Most particularly, if you have changed the HAL (gone from dual CPU to single, or changed ACPI versions) you will have major issues with this product.

It CAN be done, but it's very tricky and unsupported.

I realise this puts a major dent in the reason a lot of people buy this product, but unfortunately, Veritas blames Microsoft.

Assuming you haven't changed the HAL, safe mode usually works.

Since it hasn't, I'll suggest the following:

1. Do you install SP4, IE6 and all updates to Windows 2000 on the restore server, PRIOR to restoring the backup? Often this helps.

2. Try your recovery console, and reading the startup log. There may be a clue there.

[Matthias_T]

Hey Joshua,

thanks for your reply.

Well, I'm a little shocked, that it isn't possible "by default" to restore the system on a new hardware with BE. Because when we planned our Backup here, we decided to use BackupExec exactly because of the possibility to recover our Systems on new Hardware with this product. Hmmm, maybe I should have done more "Investigation" on this issue. The weird point is, that I already recovered the first Windows Server (the BE-Mediaserver) without any failures on a new hardware.

To your questions:
1. I've installed W2K Server and SP4 on the restore machine before restoring. I did not put any hotfixes on the machine, also I did not check for new IE-Fixes. It was a plain W2K Server with SP4, nothing else.

2. The file C:\Winnt\ntbtlog.txt does not exist. (Before I checked for the ntbtlog.txt I've already activated "Boot with startup-log" in the "F8-Menu")

>>> It CAN be done, but it's very tricky and unsupported.

Well, this brings light into my little Test-world !
How can it be done ? Do you got any hints or links for this ?

Matthias

[Joshua_Small]

Hi Matthias,

Definitely no official links.

You can see:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q237556/

To identify and locate your hardware dependant files. The catch however is that these will be restored as a part of your system state, so there's no way to simply "not restore" them.

From here, we have succesfully performed this procedure by copying these files to a temporary location before the restore, then doing the restore.
As these system files are "in use", you cannot simply copy them back either, so you must go to the recovery console and do the appropriate moving.

If it works, you will likely still have to boot to safe mode, to deal with any hardware specific software you may need to remove.

This is all just my experience in working around the faults in this product- unfortunately the official answer is "don't do it" so your mileage may vary.

[Matthias_T]

Hey Joshua,

that link was a BINGO !!! :D

All I had to do was to run the W2K-Setup-Repair again and hit while CD boots.
(Never ever heard about this CD-boot-option before ...)

Well, the server is up and running. Active Directory also works fine.
Just my Exchange 2000 gives me some trouble.
http://forums.veritas.com/discussions/thread.jspa?threadID=59207

Thanks a lot for your help !

Matthias

[Ashutosh_Tamhan]

Hello Matthias!
Does this technote help?
http://seer.support.veritas.com/docs/191461.htm



Regards,
Ashutosh

NOTE : If we do not receive your reply within two business days, this post would be marked assumed answered and would be moved to answered questions pool.

[Matthias_T]

Hello Ashutosh,

thanks for your post.
But the document you've linked to, descripes a recovery scenario with IDR, which I do not have.

And at the other hand, in my last post, I already marked this question as answered.
The link Joshua posted worked out for me.
In fact it was a problem of restoring the system to hardware with different HAL.
The "real" server has two CPUs and the Test-PC has just one.

Like I said this Problem is solved, here is my new one: :D
http://forums.veritas.com/discussions/thread.jspa?threadID=59207

I hope I get that one solved that quick too.

Matthias