Backup Exec 2010 - Media Server on Windows 7?

[drwtsn32]

I am currently running Backup Exec 12.5 Media Server on Windows XP Professional.  It works great!

Is there a way to get Backup Exec 2010 to install the Media Server on a Windows 7 Pro x64 machine?  There is no real difference under the hood between this OS and 2008 R2, which BEX 2010 is fully compatible with.

I realize this will be unsupported but I'm hoping there's some way to get it to work anyway.  I have played around with compatibility options on the insaller, but it didn't work.

Thanks!

[sksujeet]

You are right

Ok simple way of looking at it:

Windows Vista SP1 = Windows Server 2008

Windows Vista SP2 = Windows Server 2008 SP2

Windows 7 = Windows Server 2008 R2

But there might be something different on kernel level or msdn level as BE 2010 doesn't work on windows 7

[drwtsn32]

Symantec probably just doesn't test it on Win7 because that is not their target audience....but I bet it really would work.  I would like to try!  2010 works fine on XP; it must also work on Win7.  If only the installer would let you force it....

[teiva-boy]

Doesnt work, it's been brought up a few times in the last couple months, some just last week!  You must follow the SCL for BackupExec, that is the golden rule.

Shame really.

[drwtsn32]

Has anyone actually been able to force the installation?

[Dev_T]

Hello,

I have tested BE2010 on Windows7 Ultimate 64-bit test environment, but it gave me lot of problems in the install itself.

Then I moved to W2008 SP1 and it worked perfect....I think its not advisable to install BE2010 on Windows 7....

Hope this helps.....

[drwtsn32]

Did you manage to get it to even start installing the media server on Win7?  When I start the install, it only gives me the option to install the console.  Even if I use a "compatibility" mode and tell it it's Windows 2008.  If you got farther than this, I'd LOVE to know how!

I am seriously thinking of just using 2008 R2 as my desktop OS...then BEX 2010 will install just fine.  But then I know I'm going to have compat issues with other software that was never tested on a server OS.

[Dev_T]

Yes,

I was not even able to install BE2010 on Windows 7....It worked great on Windows Server 2008....

Hope this helps.......

[drwtsn32]

Yeah I have no probs installing BEX on Windows 2008 or R2....

Fifty bucks to the first person who can figure out how to install BEX on Windows 7! :)

[Dev_T]

Could you please mark it as a solution....

[drwtsn32]

What solution has been presented?  No one has figured out how to force a BEX Media Server install on Win7 yet.

[CraigV]

...if it isn't on the SCL, it isn't supported. Backup Exec 2010 R2 seems to be on the cards, and maybe it will have official support then. Currently it doesn't. Even if you get it to work, if you call for support you'll probably get none due to the incompatibility.

[drwtsn32]

Well yeah, I know it's not supported and I'm not worried about not being able to get customer support for any problems that may ensue.  The whole point of this thread was to see if there is a way to force the installation.

Thanks

[Dev_T]

BE2010 is not supports Windows 7 as a Media Server, I tried to install it on W7 Ent, Ult..but no luck.....

[CraigV]

If it doesn't work in compatibility mode (and Windows 7's compatibility mode works very well compared to Vista!), it won't work...try invoking the VM capability in Windows 7, load up the XP VM and see if that helps you. It will be a round-about way of doing things until (if they do...) Symantec offer support.

[drwtsn32]

Compatibility mode didn't work.  It will undoubtedly install in XP mode, but of course it won't have direct access to the tape drive.  Nor will it have direct access to the host machine's file system. I suppose I could install the agent on the Win7 host.  But if I have to go that route, I might as well set up a separate Windows 2008 R2 machine and just protect Win7 machine from over the network.