Backup Exec Empty catalogs after migrating from 10d to 12.5

[SVMB]

Hi all,

After migrating our well working 10D Backup Exec to 12.5 (through 11D), all our catalogs are now empty.

I've tried a lot of things, like catrebuildindex -R or catrebuildindex -? and so on, telling me that 460 catalogs were migrated but it's the same, can see my catalogs and cannot browse them...

I've tried to catalog an old tape, and it doesn't update the catalog !

Any help would be appreciated :)

Thanks a lot in advance

[pkh]

Have you set your selection date range properly.  See my blog

https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/blogs/faq-i-cannot-see-my-backup-data

[SVMB]

Thanks for the answer, but it's not the same problem, I see all my catalogs, and then only the first "step", C: ; D: and so on, but I can't even not browse the catalogs, it's empty

[pkh]

Can you show a screenshot of your problem?

[SVMB]

Ok, see attachment.

Backups from 23 and 24 of november are OK, as they were made with the new version.

[pkh]

It could be that your catalogs are truncated during the upgrade process.  Re-cataloging the tapes should solve your problem, but you said that it did not.  Did you get any error messages when you catalog your old tapes?

[SVMB]

Well, I just come to move my old catalogs to another place. Now I can manually catalog my tapes. It takes 30 minutes per tape...

I have the idea to move the old catalogs directly to the "catalogs" folder of Backup Exec C:\Program Files\Symantec\Backup Exec\Catalogs, and not in C:\Program Files\Symantec\Backup Exec\Catalogs\SERVERNAME

According to http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH68896

it should re-migrate  my catalogs.

What do you think about my idea ?

[pkh]

You can try to migrate your catalog from your rrenamed Catalog directory, but if they have already been truncated, you will still get empty catalogs.  Did you save the Catalog directory before you start your migration?  If you did, then you should migrate from this saved copy.

For your next upgrade, before you begin, stop all the BE services and the BE SQL service and then make a copy of the Catalogs and Data directories.  These directories can then be used to recover your BE system when anything goes wrong.

[SVMB]

Yes, I made a full backup of my server, so if neccesary I can restore my catalog folder in version 10d in the state just before the migration.

So you advise me to take my old catalogs files from %programfiles%\Backup Exec\catalogs\SERVERNAME and copy them directly to %programfiles%\Backup Exec\catalogs\ ?!  (so without the servername)

I wonder if I won't restart from scratch with these catalogs... If a resotre operation is necessary, then the catalog tape is the only operation necessary...

[pkh]

If I understand correctly, now you have a new catalog directory which is working, i.e., you can catalog your old tapes.  Do change this directory.  Just catalog the necessary tape to restore your 10d catalogs to another directory, then follow the instruction in technical document which you put in your earlier answer to migrate the 10d catalogs to your new BE.

[SVMB]

After all, now that I can catalog my tapes, I think I will keep these old catalogs on a tape and begin with fresh new ones.

By the way my server doesn't have excessive disk space, so instead of eating disk sapce, I will catalog my tapes if I really need to.

Do you see any drawback to do so ? I think I will delete them from the "Restore" menu by doing a right click on each old catalogs.

[pkh · Accepted solution]

There is no need to catalog the tapes if you are not going to restore from them.

The catalogs will be delete automatically once the tape is overwritten.  There is no need to manually delete them.  If you want to recover the space, then you can set the catalog to truncate after a certain period.  This action will leave the header and no contents in your catalog which is the cause of your original problem.

If you are happy with the answers, do close out this discussion by marking one of the answers as a solution.

[SVMB]

0K, so I've moved all my catalogs somewhere else, will continue with fresh new ones.

Thank you for answering !