Help restoring from archive URGENT!

[Matt_Roberts_2]

I have an exchange .bkf file where i need to restore 1 users messages. he removed his attachments and lost them, so i need to restore his attachments. but this .bkf file was copied to another HDD for storage. now, no matter what i try i can't restore from this file. can anyone please tell me how i can restore this users email from this backup file!?!

[Matt_Roberts_2]

if i try to load the file into windows backup utility it says there is no data. someone please help! this is an emergency!!!

[Matt_Roberts_2]

After reading some other posts I might be able to make my issue a little more clear. I saw someone talking about loading their archived backups and using a workaround to get them cataloged. I'm guessing this is what I need to do? I'm considering spending $1000's to get some recovery software, but I'm afraid it won't even work. If anyone can help in any way please let me know.

Why doesn't BE offer some way to just open an archived backup file and restore from it? Seems to be a simple feature that would be very useful.

[Michael_Landry]

Try this:

Stop backup exec services.

Rename your Catalogs folder.

Start BE services. 

A new Catalogs folder is created.

Inventory the .BKF file.

Catalog the .BKF file.

One thing I ran into - if the .bkf file you are trying to restore from already exists in the media set you use for your exchange backup, I suggest you rename the .bkf that's on the disk, inventory the BTD folder containing the .bkf file, then restore the .bkf file you are trying to restore from, and then perform the above steps.

It's a bit confusing, but that's how I got my archive restore to work.

[Matt_Roberts_2]

Michael,

thanks for the response. i've made it further in the last 15 minutes (with your help) than i previously made in the last 24 hours.

i ran into a new problem though,,,,,, i'm trying to recover 1 single mailbox, or even just the top information store. it will restore between 300 and 350 megabytes, then give me this error

"The job failed with the following error: A communications failure has occurred."

that's the only info it gives me. after that happens i have to restart the BE services.

BackupExec, Exchange, Active Directory, and the backup file are all on the same physical and logical volume.

[Michael_Landry]

Glad what I posted helped out.  As for your new error not sure what to make of it.  BE errors are very vague... 

Check the Exchange restore settings...

Is the user logged into the mailbox, if so log them out.  Do you have any anti-virus running on the BE/Exchange server?  You could always restore the mail to a new mailbox, then export the messages to a PST and copy them over to the user's mailbox.

Unfortunately, I haven't performed a mailbox restore in a while (knock on wood)...

Good luck.

[Michael_Landry]

Also, you may want to try just restoring the messages, and not the entire mailbox....

[Matt_Roberts_2]

when i was looking through the exchange settings, i found that the account was set to the default store limit. i'm not sure why, probably something i did. but i raised it to 2GB and its running now. i'll let you know how it goes.

[Michael_Landry]

Nice! 

When you're done, stop BE services, rename the new CATALOGS folder that was created, rename the original Catalogs folder back to Catalogs and start BE services.

You should be back to normal...

[Matt_Roberts_2]

after a long day and big headache i'm finally finished. thanks for your help Michael! i'd still be at work if it wasn't for your tips!

i think i'm going to get some more disk space so i can have a longer retention period before sending backups to the archive.